In which things make a little more sense to Kim and Shawn, but that’s not always a good thing for one of them.
Kim: This week’s write-up is painful. Look, I love Dominic Cooper and Ruth Negga. I really, really do. I love the characters in this shit hole town. I love the ideas behind this story and all that it entails. But when the best part of a show is some hick getting his dick shot off and carrying it around like it’s his baby, I’ve got to say something.
This is a slow burn, and it’s the worst kind of slow burn you can ever imagine. This seems to be one that started off with a great explosion and a bunch of fireworks, then just petered out, leaving the viewer disgruntled and confused. This is not what you want in a 10-episode season. I feel like we’re seven episodes into what will prove to be nothing more than a basic backdrop to the story we’re really waiting for. In a regular 20-something episode season, I’m ok with that. But this isn’t 20-some episodes. This is 10.
I was taking some notes as I watched the show and there were several brilliant moments:
- Quincannon holding the intestines of the cow and his daughter, insisting that there’s no difference. There is no soul, therefore, God isn’t real.
- “Here’s your penis” girl made me giggle. I’d be that girl.
- The moment when you’re not exactly sure what Donnie did and the moment that you realize what he did – both of them were fairly intense scenes for me. I loved the whole feeling of “oh shit, what now?” that I haven’t felt all that much for a few episodes now.
Quincannon praising the God of Meat was also pretty chuckle-worthy. Even I can acknowledge the almighty meat-God who has given us bacon and steak, not to mention sausage.
The rest? Fodder for…I don’t even know. Nothing, maybe. I know, I know. It’s all going to lead somewhere. But the problem is that there are only three more episodes this season and if they aren’t pretty much jammed full of the best and worst kind of shit I can imagine, the wait for season two is not going to be tantalizing. In fact, I’m going to be grateful that this signals the return of Fear the Walking Dead (Lies!).
In reality, I kind of feel like the dog Tulip saved. You got me out of a sad situation. You let me run and play and feel like this was something pretty fantastic. And then, you closed me in a room because the whole point was to get me, and countless others, to watch so you could have your ratings and extend your life into Season 2. Life imitating art.
Shawn: Some very quick notes on this week’s episode. I’m heading out to San Diego and Comic-Con and I hope to have some news from the show to report next week. Likely not. I’m am guessing I’ll see Ruth Negga and Dominic Cooper from 100 feet away while shouting out Kim’s phone number. This episode closed some open holes and answered some nagging questions. In many ways, it felt like a big compilation of the scenes that happen in shows after the last set of commercials right before the “Next on Preacher” moment.
1.) I disagree with you about the most interesting part of the episode. It was without a doubt the move by Donny to “kill” his hearing. It was really creepy for him to put his head in the trunk and fool us into thinking it was going to be a suicide. The conceit works and we are shocked to realize that he’s shot his ear and that he knows that if he is going to be immune to Jesse that he has to be deaf. That confirms that Jesse’s power lies in the power of his voice. I think I was even more mesmerized there than I was with the guy carrying his penis around in his hand.
2.) Did Tulip and Cassidy just need the day off? I can barely even tell you what they had to say or do in this Jesse-heavy episode. We needed that to answer some questions but I don’t know if I wanted them to be gone all together. Someone check under the floor in the church.
3.) I’m curious about the dog noises. I have already watched the first two episodes one more time recently and I’m noticing dog noises in the background of scenes. I’m not sure if this has something to do with Cassidy or if this is a different entity.
4.) You can make a deal with the Devil but obviously not with God. I was also faked out by the “Eugene is back” scene. Jesse isn’t going to use his voice and God returns Eugene. I actually thought it had worked. Eugene acting a little weird was something I just explained away based on what he probably saw. In the end, it was all just a little too easy. Thinking about it now the scene was important. Dealing with God isn’t that easy. And Jesse is willing to give up his power. I think that’s going to be an issue going forward for Jesse to deal with the guilt of his power.
5.) The stuff with Odin now makes more sense. I liked that we didn’t string that out any further and it was a powerful scene with the animal and family intestines. I still have a bit of an issue with the bargain. Yes, Odin worships Meat. Who doesn’t, right? But the interpretation of Jesse’s words in the bet seems very petty. It reminded me of the way people get in trouble with their three wishes from a genie. You wished for World Peas? You messed up. This doesn’t feel like an issue where I want to hold Jesse to his exact words. If that’s the case, then it better be an issue again in the future.
“Food court! Food court!” I was a little confused at first but this episode did click a few things into place to prepare us to leave this season and the town behind. Jesse was so high on himself last episode and now his world is in shambles. I think we have come a long way to get to this point and maybe it could have been faster but I have faith the journey will be worth the destination.
