"Preacher" Season Four Talkback (Spoilers)

[Fone Bone]

Preacher "Overture"

Good for Tulip for getting the Cassidy thing out there. And good for Jesse for realizing that after what he went through, and what the stakes now are, his previous jealousies were stupid and didn't actually matter. The second turn of events surprised me more than the first.

God is SO freaking evil. He kills the poor hairstylist and he dismisses Jesus as if he's nothing. In fairness, on this show Jesus IS a nothing, but he's also his freaking son. What a monster.

Herr Starr is no better. When he's going on about the degenerates not being spared the suffering, my first reaction was: "You better hope not, you absolute freak. Or your nipple pierced body will be the first in the lake of fire." This show has made some very easy characters to hate. It's clear for the scene of God tempting Cassidy that he is the actual devil on this show.

Do you know what? Seeing somebody walk up to that morning TV host and shoot him in the head was genuinely upsetting. A better show would have allowed it to be. Instead the show makes a quip. The show, whatever it's ending will be next week, would have been a far stronger series over the past four seasons if it took horrible things even a LITTLE bit seriously. It's ironic that the only time this show is any good is when they do. You'd figure the producers would instantly realize that and do it more.

The "Father" at the prison shows that all people who directly serve God in this Universe are outright corrupt monsters and terrible people. I can't believe Eugene went out like that at the end either.

Herr Starr just grabbing Featherstone's boob was appalling. What was truly appalling is that the show made the crazy choice to have her be into it. There will be people who see this show who call it utterly immoral because of the premise. But it's actually utterly immoral for far different reasons.

I love that she is fully dressed in bed. That says something even more than the chastity belt.

Season 2 of The Love Boat? Okay, Cassidy can officially stop calling The Big Lebowski a terrible movie. He's got no credibility left after that.

I love Tulip telling Jesse she just wanted to know if he knew was perpetuity meant. They don't tell us anything else about the mysterious letter besides that one word, but that one word tells you everything you actually need to know about what it says anyways.

God was right about something: The catch. It being Tulip screwing it up. And to be honest, I think she's stupid and weak for it. Yeah, God saying he couldn't remember was cold, but it's hardly the worst thing we've seen him do. You'd figure she'd be able to keep a lid on it for 60 seconds for the sake of humanity. But she's screws everything up.

"I appreciate your support, Hitler." It says something about how bad your cast of characters is when that line is said by Jesus Christ, and it's actually in-character. I do not understand why Lucifer and Black Jesus got the level of hatred thrown at them they did. They follow the word and spirit of God pretty faithfully. THIS show is actually blasphemous, but fundies don't even seem to be aware it exists. Don't worry, all ye faithful. I'm sure the Million Moms will save us from another PG-rated Muppet show. Because that's about how useful they are.

That ending is so dire, I don't see how the heroes can possibly win. In fact, I don't think they will. I hope I'm wrong. But usually in a proper penultimate episode, the tide starts to turn a little in the heroes' favor. This took the opposite tack, which tells me evil is going to triumph next week. Please be wrong, me.

This show is the opposite of Black Jesus. I love God more and more every time I watch that show. I hate God more and more every time I watch this one. Probably a good thing next week is the last episode of this one and Black Jesus's season is just starting. ***.

 

[Yojimbo]

I can't believe after everything, Tulip screwed up. I can believe Cassidy's choice.

The weird thing about that prison scene, the more terrible things the Father said -- I thought for a second, he was going to shank Eugene and it would be revealed he was a prisoner incognito. But then he just gets run over...

So like Featherstone is going to turn on Herr Starr, right? Right?!

This series' depiction of God is just... something else. Man... he's just the Worst.

Saint of Killers scene was an eye roll.

Mixed penultimate episode, imo.

 

[Fone Bone]

I can't believe after everything, Tulip screwed up.

When the world and humanity need Tulip the most and at her best, She fails them. Every time.

This series' depiction of God is just... something else. Man... he's just the Worst.

Whatever the series finale is next week, I predict that overall the series will looked back on unfavorably. And I think it will all come down to God's portrayal this season. I think the season is deliberately being offensive without offering any true insights while doing it.

You want to argue that organized religion is a bad idea, and God isn't all he's cracked up to be, that's a welcome debate to have. But they are attributing motivations and blame to God that it makes no sense to make him responsible for. They are pushing buttons without having a single cogent message or reason for doing it.

I haven't read the comic, and have heard nothing but good things. But if the series IS actually as underwhelming as I feel it is, I image the comic's fans must be pissed.

 

[Yojimbo]

And I think it will all come down to God's portrayal this season. I think the season is deliberately being offensive without offering any true insights while doing it.

It kinda feels like Old Testament God reinterpreted in the modern age -- clinically undiagnosed, a terrible father, mood swings, owns a motorcycle, into costumes, never satisfied with what he creates. I'm not defending this interpretation by means, but that's how it feels like to me.

I haven't read the comic, and have heard nothing but good things. But if the series IS actually as underwhelming as I feel it is, I image the comic's fans must be pissed.

It's been awhile and I don't think I ever finished but Garth Ennis' drive was essentially create something that pushed all buttons with religion past the point of satire and criticism. And possibly the greater irony I've seen is his anti-superhero story The Boys, which pushed it even further with its themes than Preacher did with its, has that streaming live actions series being lauded as the best superhero show out there.

 

[Space Cadet]

Well, we made it. After three years and four seasons, the final episode airs tonight at 10:14 PM Eastern. Here's the synopsis:

Episode 4.10: "End of the World"

The long journey comes to an end.

 

[Yojimbo]

I loved all those split screens of the various fights and Herr Starr's was against a fax machine. lol.

But phew, Cass did the right thing. And so did Jesus. Twice.

Ha, and Jesus runs a hardware store. Definitely going back to that carpenter thing.

Yeah, that's about how I thought it would go down between God and Jesse. He was just needy all along. Geez.

And the Saint gets puts him down once and for all then takes the throne.

I couldn't believe Starr got away.

Ends on a 40 year jump. Damn straight she looks like her mother. But I didn't expect it to end on Cass getting closure and choosing to die at last.

 

[Fone Bone]

Ends on a 40 year jump. Damn straight she looks like her mother. But I didn't expect it to end on Cass getting closure and choosing to die at last.

How did Cass choose to die? I missed that part. Details please.

Preacher "End Of The World"

That was just fine. As far as series finales go, it wasn't phenomenal. But the past few weeks had me assuming the show was going to go off the rails in the final episode, so I like that my fears there were groundless. I didn't like everything. But I was satisfied, which I didn't picture.

Let's start with Eugene. Him yelling at the guy that he was fine and he was sick of people feeling sorry for him was that character's finest moment. And the cool thing is that you always knew he had that in him. It's fitting they saved it for the last episode.

Unfortunately, I don't feel like Eugene's arc actually went anywhere otherwise. He might as well have been killed in season 1 when the town blew up.

The idea that God's design is simply to be loved is actually straight out of the Bible. I sort of believe in a higher power in the back of my head, but one of the reasons I don't find the Bible all that credible in places is the fact that God is so jealous and desperate to be praised. That doesn't make sense for an all powerful deity. You could be huffing and puffing that I'm presuming to know more than God, but really, if God is a thing, I'm almost positive those aspects of the Bible were added by people to scare them into following Church doctrine. Because it's not a "Mysterious Way" to think that I'm too small to understand. As the episode showed, it's weak and pathetic and childish. And Jesse can let go of Genesis JUST like that simply because he doesn't need it to defeat God. Because this version of God just needs praise, and for some reason he needs Jesse's more than anyone else's.

I am not happy about the Saint taking the Throne of God, but it wouldn't be this show without a disturbing Biblical outcome. This is about as bad as Hitler becoming the new Satan, but because Hitler did that, I was prepared for it.

Speaking of Hitler, ultimately what his beef with Jesus boils down to is that he's a Jew. That's all it is.

I liked Jesus's version of a happy ending, and denying the Messiah gig after all. It HAD become obscene at that point.

Herr Starr and Featherstone:

I think the last episode focused way to much on Featherstone's beliefs, faith, and struggles. I understand why they did. Julie Ann Emery has become a staple on the show and it's the last episode. But the show has never been about her inner struggle before this so it felt tacked on.

As for Herr Starr I felt his version of a happy ending was obscene and the one thing in the episode I truly disliked.

Very interesting the way they chose to end the series on Cassidy and Jesse and Tulip's daughter. I assume many people will find it underwhelming as the last scene ever, but it's precisely the fact that the show has such an explosive and controversial subtext which is why I appreciated how quietly it went out. That was really refreshing after all that. I actually missed Cassidy catching fire the first time out because things were so chill. It was a great ending.

My favorite thing in the episode is that Custer's Last Stand takes place at the Alamo. That is the cleverest idea ever, made even better by the fact that none of the characters actually make that connection explicit themselves. It's up to the viewer to go "Aha!" And I love that the show trusted me enough to do that.

I'm going to say something harsh that maybe is not an unusual opinion, but it's clearly opposite than the one the show gave Cassidy and the other characters. I don't find Humperdoo wonderful. Every part of him is obscene. The best thing he ever did for the world was non-verbally communicate to Cassidy to shoot him. He was an abomination in every other respect.

Is Jesse SURE Frodo doesn't exist? Because supposedly vampires are fictional too. I love Cassidy correcting Jesse that Frodo didn't live with Gandalf, and that Gandalf was just a guest. Because if he hadn't corrected that specific misperception it would have driven me absolutely nuts.

Jesse hearing the Saint's confession so he could go to Heaven was genius, and this show taking the correct shot at the Bible. Isn't that just the stupidest loophole? Even still, I'm probably gonna use it on my deathbed just to be safe. Because it's super easy and winds up costing the sinner nothing. It's like a joke.

I also like that the Saint chose hate because I think both God and the audience had been reading him all wrong. We had wrongly assumed he loved and cared about his family more than he did. But he's a psychopath. No matter what his feelings for them, they are always secondary to his love of hurting and killing other people. He's not going to change his nature for the people he loves. Because he doesn't actually love them THAT much. That's perfectly consistent with sociopaths.

I probably won't buy the rest of the seasons on Blu-Ray anytime soon, but before tonight I expected I was going to just sell my Season One set. That will be unnecessary. The series turned out okay after all. Finale Grade: ****. Series Grade Overall: ***.

 

[Yojimbo]

How did Cass choose to die? I missed that part. Details please.

After he left the graves, he left his umbrella behind and walked out from the shade into the open sunlight with no protection and started to catch on fire.

 

[Fone Bone]

After he left the graves, he left his umbrella behind and walked out from the shade into the open sunlight with no protection and started to catch on fire.

I can't believe I missed that! Shame on me! Thank you for that! I recorded the episode so I'm going to watch that again.

 

[Yojimbo]

I can't believe I missed that! Shame on me! Thank you for that! I recorded the episode so I'm going to watch that again.

It's kinda camera trickery because you focus on Jesse and Tulip's daughter who is close up to the screen and in focus, while Cass is in the b.g. on fire and out of focus but clear enough to draw a conclusion, imo.

 

[Fone Bone]

It's kinda camera trickery because you focus on Jesse and Tulip's daughter who is close up to the screen and in focus, while Cass is in the b.g. on fire and out of focus but clear enough to draw a conclusion, imo.

That's awesome! I'm editing my review to note that and the fact that I missed it the first time!

 

[Yojimbo]

Unfortunately, I don't feel like Eugene's arc actually went anywhere otherwise. He might as well have been killed in season 1 when the town blew up.

Yep.

I am not happy about the Saint taking the Throne of God, but it wouldn't be this show without a disturbing Biblical outcome. This is about as bad as Hitler becoming the new Satan, but because Hitler did that, I was prepared for it.

Come to think of it, they never said who took over Hell next.

As for Herr Starr I felt his version of a happy ending was obscene and the one thing in the episode I truly disliked.

It was my "Oh C'mon!" moment, hands in the air. So absurd.

Jesse hearing the Saint's confession so he could go to Heaven was genius, and this show taking the correct shot at the Bible. Isn't that just the stupidest loophole? Even still, I'm probably gonna use it on my deathbed just to be safe. Because it's super easy and winds up costing the sinner nothing. It's like a joke.

My reaction was "Oh yeah, still a priest I guess." Like I'm so used to that being Jesse's wardrobe that it didn't dawn on me he could still perform rites.

I also like that the Saint chose hate because I think both God and the audience had been reading him all wrong. We had wrongly assumed he loved and cared about his family more than he did. But he's a psychopath.

By the end of the episode, this is probably what I was curious about. Saint's reign as the next God. I'm guessing he's smiting some people here and there.

 

[Fone Bone]

He's not actually a priest. He's protestant. But I guess confession counts towards Preachers too.

 

[Yojimbo]

He's not actually a priest. He's protestant. But I guess confession counts towards Preachers too.

9/30: My bad, but yes. But I think the best part is from that scene of Jesse executing the Saint, Jesse knew he won and he just had to wait it out. And he only used regular words to remind Saint who the real enemy was, not Genesis or well, more violence, and avoid being killed.

12/13: Blu-ray set pre-order posted with a February 11, 2020 release date.