Preacher - S1E2 - See

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Previously on Preacher, “Pilot”

Preacher - S1E2 - See | Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joseph Gilgun, W. Earl Brown, Lucy Griffiths, Ian Colletti, Derek Wilson, Tom Brooke, Anatol Yusef | Writer: Sam Catlin | Director: Michael Slovis

A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:8

Preacher’s pilot succeeded in capturing the dreary sentimentality of Annville, with its morose residents and trio of colorful leads. Though Cassidy and Tulip managed to make memorable first impressions, Jesse was the odd man out in establishing himself as a dynamic character. It appeared to be all according to plan as “See” finally made Custer aware of the power that resides within him.

In addition to Jesse discovering his unnatural ability throughout “See”, Preacher dug a bit deeper into the symbiotic relationships Custer has developed with Tulip and Cassidy. Given the heavy-handed nature of the conversations in this episode, it’s clear the three need one another more than they know at the moment.

Before any of the armchair psychology and ultraviolence, “See” opened with the highly anticipated introduction of The Saint of Killers (Graham McTavish). As a fan of the comic book, his small debut was as perfect as it can get. Catlin is certain to expound on The Saint’s background as the series progresses so you won’t find any spoilers in these reviews. However, it’s a bit difficult to refrain from praising Rogen and Goldberg’s efforts in foreboding presence in what many will soon learn - including the optimistic settler and his son - West Texas is not even close to being Paradise. Not at all.

While Jesse and Custer have proven themselves to be capable fighters during their bloody scraps, Ratwater’s citizens will make Annville look like Vatican City. Unfortunately for that wretched hive of scum and villainy, the absolute worst of them all will soon be moseying down their main street.

Another significant character given a brief yet evocative debut was Odin Quincannon, played by the unforgettable Jackie Earle Haley. The Quincannon name is synonymous with fear and power; everyone works under Odin and those he favors are given free rein at his facilities and in town. Considering the adjustments Catlin has made with a few characters in his adaptation, the four minutes Quincannon was on screen isn’t enough to determine whether he’ll be the eerie, racist, unscrupulous d-bag he is in Ennis’ series.

Nevertheless, Haley’s rendition of the character, and the influence he wields over others, was more than enough to let viewers know he’ll be yet another thorn in Jesse’s side not too long from now.

“What happened, Preacher? Jesus take your wheel?”

In the meantime, Custer is experiencing difficulties adjusting to his new life, especially now that Annville’s lowlife citizens believe they can be absolved of any sin through confession. After hapless Linus (Ptolemy Slocum) admitted his attraction to little girls, Jesse begins to revert to his old revenge-exacting ways. He attempts to maintain the new life he’s fashioned, but continues to be swayed by his charming Irish bestie.

If one were to break this episode down using psychoanalytic theory, Cassidy is most certainly Custer’s Id. Impulsive, reckless, having no respect for authority and allowing his baser instincts to guide his life… yep, sounds like Cass all right. Always the one to find or create a drink to dull the harshness of reality, Cassidy may not be the most perceptive person in the world but his supernatural senses have caught a whiff of the dark side within Jesse. It was more than enough for him to consistently chip away at Custer’s fragile facade as the vampire desperately seeks companionship.

Call it a sudden development of a conscience or guilt from breaking a newfound friendship, Cassidy returned to the church after leaving Jesse snoring at the pulpit in time to prevent Flore and DeBlanc from hacking him into pieces. What follows is exactly what viewers now expect from Cassidy: pure bloody carnage. Completely unaware of their intentions, Cassidy gets rid of evidence that no one will ever look for as Flore and DeBlanc remain very much alive and intact. Curiouser and curiouser (for the non-reader)!

Working in concert with Cassidy, Tulip is very much like the Ego, the rational side of one’s personality. She may appear to be goading Custer on to join her on the mysterious quest to acquire some information, but she does know Jesse better than anyone else. O’Hare can sense the struggle within Jesse; while he may despise Tulip for the time being and wants nothing to do with a job, the ‘abilities’ he wants to use to bring balance in his town go against his new station in life.

Custer, brimming with moral rectitude like any Superego would, truly wants to bring peace and contentment to his congregation. Yet that’ll be difficult to accomplish if it’s full of abusive, covetous folks and a potential pederast to boot. It isn’t long before Jesse’s mean streak draws out the power of The Word, a frightening development to be sure. In spite of his friends’ protestations, it was Eugene (Ian Colletti) who finally altered Custer’s view of things. As Arseface stated, perhaps God wants them to be the way they are rather than change their entire state of mind. Though Jesse’s skills may have been used for more unsavory practices in the past, he now has a chance - and a disturbingly effective weapon - to right a number of wrongs.

Jesse continues to experiments with his new power in “The Possibilities” next Sunday at 9/8c on AMC!