Preacher- AMC Comic Adaptation

[red snow]

episode 2 was also good. They were wise to strip things back to the three main characters although

i was starting to think the Angel would make a good additional character. I felt like they actually made me care for the character before killing him. Or did Jesse kill him, in effect?

. Even though they've abandoned a lot of characters it was nice for the characters to acknowledge what's happened now they are aware of it. It's also good that they haven't completely forgotten about Arseface too.

Nice touch having the "To Steve" at the end in memory of Preacher's co-creator. It's good that he's still listed as a producer too.

I also enjoyed the easter egg of "Alonso's axels" van that encountered SoK. Axel Alonso, Marvel's current Editor-in-chief was the editor of "preacher" back in the day. Shame he isn't as inventive now he's at the top.

Have to say I find Preacher a lot easier and more entertaining to watch than American Gods. I know many will call it apples and oranges but for me they are both stories by comics writers dealing with religion via americana. Preacher feels more episodic to me but I'll give American Gods the benefit of being in its first season.

[GallowKnight]

Episode 2 was very good and much better than season 1. Seeing Fiore again was nice and his speedball-fuled montage with Cassidy was great. Their reaction to Annville was also great as it showed the whole town as more than just a joke that died in a fart explosion. Jesse and Tulip still isn't entirely likeable, Jesse with being still being thoughtless and callous about his word usage and Tulip with going straight for withholding-truth-drama. The bar scene with the singer was nice and reminded me a bit about the Bill Hicks scene from the comic, which I assume we're not going to get. Oh, and the joke of having the setting be a Indian Casino was really nice.

The Saint of Killers I'm still a bit more divided on. Graham McTavish is great and the physical part of him is great. The Saint in action is exactly as he should be.  And I like the addition that he can track The Word and the impact that is going to have on Jesse's usage of it. But I don't know about the characterization of him. Here he just as some kind of supernatural bounty hunter that was snuck out of hell, whereas in the comic book he's just a force of nature directed at Jesse. He isn't named The Saint of Killers, he is The Saint of Killers.

Also, with Fiore gone, the show effectively doesn't have a supporting cast any more. Now of course they are going to introduce more characters, but with the way the show is going it's hard to imagine that they are going to have very long lives.

Spoiler

With Tulip being the one with a connection to New Orleans, does this mean we're not going to get the vampire wannabes or Cassidy's past history with the city? I sure hope not.

 

[Morpheus]

Decided to watch these last night, a major improvement over season one. I was considering waiting until the season ended, the first season left me with no faith in the show runners. I think their instincts about needing a whole season to establish Jesse as a preacher were proven woefully wrong. My immediate impression is that both of these episodes were better than any individual episode from season one, my feeling there being that there were good scenes scattered throughout, but there was never an episode that left me fully satisfied.

Still not too psyched about the direction they went with SoK, demoting him from angel of death to hellish bounty hunter is lame.

I still belive that the direction they take the show will ultimately be tame compared to the source, I don't see them making God a villain, which he undoubtedly was in the comic. Since they changed Jesse to a conflicted man of faith rather than someone forced into the ministry, I don't see the answer to all his questions being "because God is an asshole."

[generalzod]

Yeah, the Saint of Killers kicked the show into a whole other gear from the "just ok" season 1. Loved the Smokey and the Bandit homage, as well as the "Come on Eileen" scene.  Show has nailed a great tone of humor and violence episode 1-- let's see if the quality and energy can sustain.

[Channel4s-JonSnow]

I don't know why there is so much hate on the first season. Sure it wasn't perfect and the overall plot didn't really kick into gear till the last couple of episodes, but it had so many highly creative elements, so much excellent comedic timing, it was visually brilliant at times, it had that fight scene with the angels.. I loved it.

Second season so far is a step up, but I don't see it as hugely different. 

I compare it to American Gods, which I think is a very similar show. In comparison to AG's first season, Preachers is a fast paced all action romp. Preacher also knows when to do things differently, how to have those moments of visual insanity and creativity, whereas AG tends to get wrapped up in its own cleverness.

[Quoth]

Just got into this series. Missed Season 1. But the two new eps This season really grabbed me. I cracked up over Jessie struggling to stay under the car as it rolled away.

[red snow]

22 minutes ago, Quoth said:

Just got into this series. Missed Season 1. But the two new eps This season really grabbed me. I cracked up over Jessie struggling to stay under the car as it rolled away.

I think the good thing about the show is that you can just jump straight in at season 2.

On 29/06/2017 at 9:16 AM, Channel4s-JonSnow said:

I don't know why there is so much hate on the first season. Sure it wasn't perfect and the overall plot didn't really kick into gear till the last couple of episodes, but it had so many highly creative elements, so much excellent comedic timing, it was visually brilliant at times, it had that fight scene with the angels.. I loved it.

Second season so far is a step up, but I don't see it as hugely different. 

I compare it to American Gods, which I think is a very similar show. In comparison to AG's first season, Preachers is a fast paced all action romp. Preacher also knows when to do things differently, how to have those moments of visual insanity and creativity, whereas AG tends to get wrapped up in its own cleverness.

There were some good episodes eg the pilot but it did drag a bit and some episodes were too silly (which in fairness the comic suffers from too) eg the one man army that's Jesse shooting dicks off at 100 yards away. The "sort of love interest" never really worked either and there was a feeling that the new characters were superfluous.

Elements I'd like to see return in season 2 is how using the voice is often warped into bad things even if the intention is good.

[The BlackBear]

10 hours ago, Quoth said:

Just got into this series. Missed Season 1. But the two new eps This season really grabbed me. I cracked up over Jessie struggling to stay under the car as it rolled away.

Cassidy.

Speaking of loved his lust face as Tulip picked bits of person out of her hair. Hope the inevitable conflict on that one isn't too drawn out.

Also Jesse totally forgot Eugene was still in hell.

[GallowKnight]

First off, Eugene actually being in hell is really fucking stupid and makes no sense. That word does not work like that! If it did, Cassidy should have been able to fly when Jesse told him to in season one. It's dumb and I hate it.

Otherwise it was a pretty good episode although it didn't feel like much happened. We got Eugene's backstory, which is naturally different from the comic (although not necessarily better) and we got our first official glimpse of Herr Starr (although his face don't seem quite right) and what I assume was Featherstone and Hoover.

What's the odds that the bearded guy in the bar was God?

Spoiler

The continued allusions to Jesse's grandmother is a nice addition, Angelville and his dislike of swamps was great.

I wonder is they are going to have in store for Cassidy in New Orleans, are they going with the vampire-wannabes or are the making Dennis into the Reaver-Cleaver? Or are they just not going to give him his own thing at all? Or maybe they are going to bring back the vampire hunters from the pilot?

 

[Morpheus]

I agree, the Eugene story is a dog that should have been left behind with the rest of season 1. Not to mention, their version of hell looks to be inspired by Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. My eyes sprained from rolling when Hitler showed up, of all the hackneyed shit they could have pulled with a Hell storyline...

They should have left Arseface out all together instead of forcing him into some sort of Jimimy Cricket-like representation of Jesse's conscience.

I thought this episode was more uneven than the first two. A bit too much of Jesse kicking around bars and Tulip acting like an idiot.

[Martini Sigil]

My big takeaway from this episode was the introduction of

Spoiler

Herr Starr... finally... and was the Jazz singer Featherstone?

 

[GallowKnight]

Just now, Martini Sigil said:

My big takeaway from this episode was the introduction of

  Reveal hidden contents

Herr Starr... finally... and was the Jazz singer Featherstone?

 

Spoiler

Yes and the bartender that sent Jesse to her was presumably Hoover.

 

[Nictarion]

4 hours ago, Morpheus said:

I agree, the Eugene story is a dog that should have been left behind with the rest of season 1. Not to mention, their version of hell looks to be inspired by Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. My eyes sprained from rolling when Hitler showed up, of all the hackneyed shit they could have pulled with a Hell storyline...

They should have left Arseface out all together instead of forcing him into some sort of Jimimy Cricket-like representation of Jesse's conscience.

I thought this episode was more uneven than the first two. A bit too much of Jesse kicking around bars and Tulip acting like an idiot.

Thought the exact same thing.

It was also driving me crazy trying to figure out where I knew the actor playing Hitler from, it's Locke from GoT. 

[Morpheus]

That same actor actually played a young Hitler in the movie Max, with John Cusak. A bit of stunt casting, I think.

[red snow]

9 hours ago, Nictarion said:

Thought the exact same thing.

It was also driving me crazy trying to figure out where I knew the actor playing Hitler from, it's Locke from GoT. 

Oh, he's the villain from virtually everything that films in the UK at some point! And he's consistently strong. I'm sure he'll do a great job as Hitler. Although I'm not so sure he really is Hitler - maybe just a wannabe?

Also, I'm starting to wonder whether Eugene is in the biblical Hell. Maybe it's just some screwed up facility calling itself Hell? Could even be a facility that Herr Starr runs which would neatly dovetail Eugene and Jesse's story together at some point. I guess it just bugs me that Genesis can make people do the impossible. Eugene shouldn't be able to go to hell just because he was told to (much like how Caddisy couldn't fly) but he could go to "hell on Eartt" or a facility called Hell.

Some elements of hell had me expecting "tech boy" from American Gods was going to turn up. It's weird how with a squinting of the eyes both shows could almost exist in the same universe.

As for the episode it was pretty good in setting a lot of elements up without getting dull or full of exposition. Although I'm glad the ending should put a stop to the silly Tulip being needlessly silent. I'm sort of hoping

her troubles are connected to Jesse's family as that's the only good reason I can think for her not mentioning it. Jesse strikes me as someone who'd get involved if they were threatening Tulip while I can understand how Tulip would want to keep him away from them

13 hours ago, GallowKnight said:

  Hide contents

Yes and the bartender that sent Jesse to her was presumably Hoover.

 

The first one I got but the bartender is a good catch!

[Dr. Pepper]

Hasn't Hell be established as a real thing in this world?  Humanoids flying is clearly not real, which is why Cassidy would never be able to fly (unless he got himself to an airplane) but Hell is real which is how Eugene could be there since it's just a matter of finding the door.  I guess I wasn't bothered by it since it seemed clearly about establishing real vs unreal in a fictional world.  

Though it could also be a facility, which could still be the world's Hell.

[red snow]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Hasn't Hell be established as a real thing in this world?  Humanoids flying is clearly not real, which is why Cassidy would never be able to fly (unless he got himself to an airplane) but Hell is real which is how Eugene could be there since it's just a matter of finding the door.  I guess I wasn't bothered by it since it seemed clearly about establishing real vs unreal in a fictional world.  

Though it could also be a facility, which could still be the world's Hell.

I sort of see what you're saying but I still think the person has to be capable of the task. Telling an Angel to go to Hell should work but I don't see how a teenage kid can do so, other than to commit a cardinal sin and die (eg old school fate of suicides). Or from another angle and keeping the flying example, telling a pilot to fly would probably result in the pilot finding a plane and flying it. Cassidy knows planes exist so he could arguably have got on a plane but he couldn't have flown the plane.

But I'm cool if it's a metaphorical hell too.

[Dr. Pepper]

4 hours ago, red snow said:

I sort of see what you're saying but I still think the person has to be capable of the task. Telling an Angel to go to Hell should work but I don't see how a teenage kid can do so, other than to commit a cardinal sin and die (eg old school fate of suicides). Or from another angle and keeping the flying example, telling a pilot to fly would probably result in the pilot finding a plane and flying it. Cassidy knows planes exist so he could arguably have got on a plane but he couldn't have flown the plane.

But I'm cool if it's a metaphorical hell too.

At least one of the doors to Hell is via a rather popular bus stop, so some people might just accidentally stumble upon it.  Aside from that, Eugene is a special case due to his involvement with that girl's attempted suicide, plus his own attempt.  He's one of those nice guys who isn't really that nice of a guy.  He's a jackass.  He might have easily had a brush with Hell while waiting for medical care to keep him alive.  

As for flying, it might have to do with the intent of the Genesis speaker or the way the recipient receives it.  A pilot might immediately think of using a plane to fly while Cassidy might not.  But also I think it was clear that Jesse meant for Cassidy to try to fly right where he was.  Jesse wasn't just trying to make a point and show what he was capable of.  

[red snow]

what was good about Arseface's origin was how neither of the two came across as particularly nice people. Yet oddly sort of real.

4 hours ago, Dr. Pepper said:

At least one of the doors to Hell is via a rather popular bus stop, so some people might just accidentally stumble upon it.  Aside from that, Eugene is a special case due to his involvement with that girl's attempted suicide, plus his own attempt.  He's one of those nice guys who isn't really that nice of a guy.  He's a jackass.  He might have easily had a brush with Hell while waiting for medical care to keep him alive.  

As for flying, it might have to do with the intent of the Genesis speaker or the way the recipient receives it.  A pilot might immediately think of using a plane to fly while Cassidy might not.  But also I think it was clear that Jesse meant for Cassidy to try to fly right where he was.  Jesse wasn't just trying to make a point and show what he was capable of.  

Good point about intent. Although I often get the impression Genesis chooses the worst outcome when it can. eg when Jesse told the guy to open up his heart to his mum. Same with last week - I'm sure Jesse meant well by saying "find peace" but it was interpreted as the angel seeking death. Which inadvertently caused more trouble for Jesse by having the saint of killers remain on his back

[Nictarion]

Pretty good fight scene with Jesse vs the torturer guy. Liked the camerawork, and Uptown Girl was a suprising choice.  

Idk why but it kind of gave me Kingsman vibes.