Preacher
Episode 1.03 “The Possibilities”
Directed by Scott Winant
Written by Chris Kelly
Starring Dominic Cooper, Joe Gilgun, Ruth Negga, Lucy Griffiths, W. Earl Brown, Anatol Yusef, Tom Brooke, Ian Colletti
AMC
Air date: Sunday, June 12th, 2016, 9pm

Warning – SPOILERS for Preacher Season 1 Episode 3 “The Possibilities”

Preacher Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) is being pulled in multiple directions. There is Tulip (Ruth Negga), his ex partner and girlfriend who is lustfully trying to persuade him back to his darker urges. There’s Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun), the Irish vampire who argues with him over faith and God’s path. There is the town of Annville, Texas, that is in desperate need of salvation. And of course, there is an otherworldly force possessing him that has the power to make people listen to his words… to the letter. Last week, two men came seeking this power, but Cassidy took them out using a chainsaw and the good book… to the head. Interestingly, the two men left very dead by Cass were seen very much alive by the sheriff at the end.

Spoilers below.

The much alive “government agents” are packed and ready for another run at Preacher. Speaking of people being anti-Preacher, Donnie (Derek Wilson), who had his arm broken by Jesse in episode one, bumps into child pervert bus driver Linus (Ptolemy Slocum), both men bearing the scars of their encounters with the local man of God. Preacher has discovered his power and shows it off to Cassidy, by commanding him to do ridiculous things like hop on one foot, and telling a secret, to which Cassidy reveals his scary truth;

“I like Justin Beiber… SHYTE!”

Cassidy figures Jesse’s powers have three possible origins; brain tumor, government agency (Jason Bourne) or; his personal favorite, Jesse is a Jedi. He describes the power of a blender in his gut, a blender filled with all God’s creations. Naturally, Cass sees the big picture and imagines Jesse using his newfound power on an entire congregation, rather than making a crazy vampire hop around while singing Johnny Cash. Strange thing… when Cassidy recognizes the truck the two men were driving heading back to the church, he runs them down before realizing it’s the SAME TWO GUYS! “Clones?” thinks Cassidy… Maybe Jesse IS a Jedi! These two guys just don’t quit though, much to Cassidy’s chagrin.

Tulip again stalks Preacher down looking for help. A woman named Danni (Julie Dretzin) exchanged some important info with Tulip earlier on in Houston; this woman has some yet unknown history with Jesse. At a roadstop, before Jesse can explain his powers to her, he is held at gunpoint by Donnie. After all, when the kids in town are mocking the sounds you make after you get beaten down by the Preacher, you gotta do something, right? Jesse turns that situation around, by quietly getting Donnie to almost kill himself before running off.

The two government guys finally reveal to Cassidy what branch they belong to and it’s the eternal one… they’re from Heaven. And they need to get that power back into their magic coffee can. I love when Cass asks, “So you’re not vampire killing vigilantes?” and despite being from Heaven, they don’t seem to care or know anything about vampires. But perhaps, a vampire can be their middleman?

This show is mastering the slow burn. There’s an intensity to the show that makes the hour fly by, and then you think about it, and really… nothing much has happened. After last week’s crazy church bloodbath, this week was tamer by default. But the characters all bring so much to the table. The scenes with Preacher using and learning his new powers are powerful. And whenever things get too tense, Cassidy comes in and provides the laughs. It’s very interesting that this show is on the same network as The Walking Dead, because my biggest critique of TWD over the years was the constant intensity and nonstop grief wore on me. Here, every single character is damaged, some physically, some mentally, and most both. But Preacher toes the fine line of seriousness, and makes for a wonderfully enjoyable television show. Plus, there are all sorts of oddball stuff that the writers are obviously setting up and wetting the palates for, like the cowboy from episode two’s opening scene, and the mysterious Odin Quincannon (Jackie Earle Haley), who run a meat plant and calms himself listening to the slaughter of the cows.

Three episodes in, and Preacher is my favorite new show of 2016. It returns next Sunday night, at 9:00pm ET on AMC.

Video

Preacher: ‘Government Agency Clones’ Official Sneak Peek Episode 103

Cassidy struggles to make Jesse realize the dangers he’s in. Don’t miss the next episode of Preacher Sunday, June 20 at 10/9c on AMC.