If there was an example of a standard episode of Preacher out there, it seems like “The Tom/Brady” could be used as one. Sure, this is not an episode that showcases Jesse’s true power or places an emphasis on the overall mission to find God. However, we do get to see these characters all put to use in the sort of ridiculous way that matches the tone we’ve come to expect from this series. That doesn’t make “The Tom/Brady” an excellent episode of this series, as it is actually fairly average, but given what I’ve come to know about this live-action adaptation of the comic, there’s enough to take in as far as the absurdity of its humor and how we choose to enjoy this group of people.
Last week’s episode left us with a cliffhanger that opened up some exciting possibilities. This week lets us see what happens when Jesse is confronted with the chance to take on the Allfather. Following a fight in an elevator that’s not on par with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but indeed a whole lot bloodier (like Die Hard with a Vengeance), Jesse still manages to find himself in a pickle. A lot of credit goes to “The Tom Brady” for finding the right way to make the Allfather into a real threat, as he withstands a bullet and delivers his evil scheme that involves messiah clones and evil scientists. That sounds pretty Preacher-like to me, and it’s good to have a real villain that feels like a threat.
I can’t say as much for Marie, who does little this week, aside from having a nightmare that provides a bit more insight into why she wants to stay alive. This is followed by an unexpected visit from Satan, which once again pushes forward just how crazy this series is willing to go for our entertainment when it comes to the sort of stuff you don’t see outside of comic books. This whole interaction eventually leads to Satan dispatching his Angel of Death, Sydney, to go after Tulip in Osaka.
The Osaka stuff is fun too, depending on how much you enjoy the over-the-top operation that involves a fake sexual harassment training seminar and a game of one-upmanship between Tulip and Featherstone. I enjoy this scenario, so I had fun seeing an unlikely trio take on a Japanese company that stores souls. There’s an energy to this plotline that works for me thanks to both the performances and score. That it all works as a way to justify the whole Saint of Killers/Eugene/Hitler plot by finally bringing those characters together only makes me happier.
Cassidy is still out with Eccarius, and there is good stuff here as well. Watching Hoover once again have his plan ruined immediately is later followed by a hilarious texting exchange with Herr Starr. Eventually, we get to see vampire Hoover, which should allow for some fun new levels to take this character to. In the meantime, Cassidy catches on to Eccarius’ evil ways, and we are left waiting to see where this is going to end up. Eccarius is pretty powerful given all the other vampires he’s drained power from, so it will be interesting to see what a burnout like Cassidy will come up with, though he’s proven to be quite smart when the time calls for it.
What works most for me with “The Tom/Brady” is the momentum. Yes, we’re at a point in the season where the plot does need to keep moving, but this is being handled in a way that’s exciting. Unlike last season, where the woes surrounded characters stuck feeling gloomy for much of the time, there’s a sense that everyone’s a bit lighter on their feet. Jesse is facing some tough challenges, but he’s not glum about it. Tulip is entirely in action-mode at this point. Even Cassidy is getting his stuff together in more ways than one.
There’re also the totally crazy things like a montage of clones exploding into geysers of blood or the whole nature of how the Osaka heist goes down. While this season may have faltered early by holding back the terror that should have been seen in Angelville, it’s currently at a place where other aspects create enough fun and tension that I don’t mind.
With only a couple episodes left, I am excited to see how everything will end up connecting. With the nature of certain threats being flipped on their head, I can’t exactly predict how things are going to shake out, no matter how familiar I am with the original comics. Preacher may not always find the right way to handle itself as a series, but it does continue to get by through going in wild directions. It helps when it’s in fun episodes like this, keeping it well above shows that don’t know how to embrace the sort of insanity that could lead to a form of greatness.
Preachin’ To The Choir:
- Can’t they just inject Jesse’s DNA into Humperdoo?
- Starr’s commitment to staying in character to fool the Allfather is pretty terrific.
- Sydney is not a great Angel of Death, as far as I can tell so far.
- The beekeeper joke made me laugh a lot.
- “A woman scientist, I didn’t think it was possible,” – Starr is still a horrible person, despite how hilariously droll he can be.
- Hitler has a plan?
