In Review: Preacher – Call And Response

Synopsis: It is the day the entire town has been waiting for, as Jesse tries to follow through on his promise to get answers by placing a call to Heaven.

Review: ‘Call And Response’ acts as much as set up than it does as a finale for the first season of the series.

Things pick up from where last weeks show left off with Jesse on the run from the law and trying to reconnect with his friends. Along the way he hooks up with Tulip who has driven back to Annville with a gift for Jesse. The man that did them wrong. Who she has been trying to exact her revenge on all season.

But these happenings. Things like Cassidy being arrested and held temporarily by the Sheriff are little more than detours.

Everything happens in the final ten minutes when in front of a packed congregation. Jesse rises to Quincannon’s challenge and literally places a call to heaven using the Angels hand and the phone that he stole from DeBlanc and  Fiore. It’s a dramatic moment when Jesse uses the phone and continually pushes buttons before the packed congregation.

Several moments pass and as Jesse is about to give up a huge projection of a white bearded man sat atop a throne booms into view and asks why he has been summoned. When Jesse says we have questions. The white bearded one booms, “How dare you question your god”. This is good enough to frighten the congregation, but Tulip is having none of it and steps up to give this God some sass, but is held back by Jesse.

After somewhat of a confrontation this God figure begins to answer questions. Even Quincannon asks if his family are in Heaven. The God figure answers yes.

The floor is thrown out to Jesse who asks several questions of this God. Questions such as what is your purpose for me. The God figure says, “to lead your flock to me”. Jesse who is not completely satisfied asks if Eugene is in heaven. The god figure says, “Yes”.

This affirmative answer leads Jesse to challenge this god and saying he is not the real god. The God figure on the defensive is going all out to say that he is. Then Jesse uses the Genesis and asks, “Where is God”.

The question hangs for a small uncomfortable silence when the figure posing as god says, “We don’t know. He has vanished. He could be down there with you.”

At this point Jesse, Cassidy and Tulip leave to get some fries while the entire congregation of Annville begins to fall apart given that all of their hopes are now vanquished.

At the methane plant. Time has finally ran out for Annville as the meter ticked over the red line and cannot be stopped. We see Jesse’s church and the whole town literally blown out.

In a diner elsewhere Jesse, Cassidy and Tulip are having their fries. Tulip and Cassidy ask what now. Jesse says, “We’re going to find god.” After a brief conversation the gang sets off on their road trip across the US in search of the real god.

Back in the ruins of Annville. There seems to be one survivor, but even that is to good to be true as we hear a gun shot and see a whole blown through her stomach. The camera then focuses on the Cowboy who is stood in a distance. The camera closes in on his face as he says, ‘Preacher’ just before the end credits roll.

For a season finale. This story served to get things where they needed to be, but it really was a bit of a whimper for an ending given the erratically slow pacing of the whole run of the series. Granted there were some great acting performances along the way and some decent character beats. But there were episodes where very little happened. Hopefully now these characters are on a road trip and being chased down things will improve. I only hope that the pacing in the second season is a lot better than what this opening series has offered up because I’d almost given up on the show by the time the fourth episode came round.

This season one finale is an okay start and hopefully the second season will pick up running and be more pacier. Maybe we should place a call to the studio gods and hope they listen.