The Plot

Jesse finally comes face to face with DeBlanc and Fiore, and learns about the mysterious entity that has taken over his body.

The Good

This week’s episode of Preacher (entitled Sundowner) manages to be the most satisfying one yet in terms of questions being answered. With Jesse finally getting the answers we’ve all been wanting for 6 weeks now, DeBlanc and Fiore’s mission becomes even tougher thanks to Jesse using his power – which we now learn has a name, Genesis – to keep them at bay.

That’s jumping a bit forward though, because the magnificent fight sequence in the ten minute cold open is perhaps the biggest highlight of the episode which boasts many highlights. Not only does it give Jesse a chance to show off his fighting skills again, he also gets to work in a wickedly funny tag team with DeBlanc and Fiore as they try to wrestle an angel hunting them down while constantly getting killed off and reappearing in a flash of white. The best part of this whole sequence: the beautifully shot slow zoom out of the hole in the motel wall giving us less and less to see. While there’s still enough blood thrown around the screen, it’s what you don’t see that makes it work so well. And of course Cassidy has to turn up, complaining about ‘clones bloody clones!’

All this and we haven’t even moved past the opening credits and into the episode which brings the central characters ever closer – as well as a brilliant awkward aftermath of the bloody fight sequence with Cassidy citing Pulp Fiction. With Tulip and Emily bonding over their feelings towards Jesse, and Cassidy’s infatuation with Tulip throwing a potential spanner in the works which will no doubt become more prominent in the remaining episodes.

Meanwhile, poor Eugene is trying to get used to this strange new world in which he isn’t hated for his botched suicide attempt after Jesse last week worked his new power in Eugene’s favour. One particular scene in which some classmates try to befriend him and invite him to set off fireworks after school is heartbreakingly tense. As if that wasn’t bad enough though, now he seems to have been sent to hell thanks to Jesse’s recklessness with Genesis.

The Bad

After last week’s conclusion in which Odin Quincannon brutally murdered members of the Green Acre Group, assistant, Miles is trying desperately to come up with a plan to handle the situation. The plot doesn’t move forward much and suffers from a lack of Quincannon this episode but it looks to be on the right path for the last four episodes. It just needs to get there a bit quicker than it’s doing now.

The most disappointing part of this otherwise strong episode however, is its distinct lack of the Cowboy. Having only appeared twice now it’s a shock to see his absence in this episode and with a handful left this season, it’s hard to see just how he will work into the main storyline and when he does, if anyone will even care at this point…

The Ugly Truth

This week’s episode is without a doubt the most informative since perhaps the pilot. With Jesse now fully aware of Genesis and determined to keep the power inside him, the remaining three episodes will hopefully be much more intense, especially now that Eugene’s in Hell…

Review by Johnny Ellis