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Preacher |OT| The Beginning Is Nigh - Sundays 10/9c on AMC

obin_gam

Member
Reading this thread and it's like nobody can appreciate a character getting driven to extremes by his own hubris and then eventually redeeming himself when he has been proven misguided. There is a reason they call it a character arc and not a mesa!

I agree. It seems most people here just want one-note characters with no depth to them whatsoever.
 

Seesaw15

Member
Jesse is really unhinged and naive on the show.

I kind of like it better - book Jesse was basically a Gary Sue for baby boomer alpha males.

Reading this thread and it's like nobody can appreciate a character getting driven to extremes by his own hubris and then eventually redeeming himself when he has been proven misguided. There is a reason they call it a character arc and not a mesa!

Its really frustrating coming into this thread hoping to have some discussion about the show and every other post is " But this isn't my Jesse/Tulip/Comic".I can understand an admiration for the original source material but hate watching/complaining for 7 episodes must be exhausting.
 

BLACKLAC

Member
meh, had a little hope for this early on but now this filler is just spinning its wheels and the creative changes are not compelling or interesting. At this point all it has going for it are some shock value scenes like the angel fight/chainsaw fight.
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
A character with a bad past returns to his troubled home and tries to find God, has a nigh unlimited power sucked into his body, and hasn't resolved all his personal issues in seven episodes?

I'm out! Completely unrealistic, should have been a six-ep miniseries.

/s
 
I don't think Jesse is trying to find God, not right now at least. He isn't even genuinely interested in helping people of his town find God. This is about Jesse's guilt - guilt for wishing death on his father. And his father's last wish was for Jesse to be a good guy.
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
Arseface being an attempted murderer is pretty terrible. I mean I figure they had to update the reason from the comics since that's so 90s, but this solution is really the last thing I had in mind.

All we know is that Jesse and the town think Eugene shot that girl and tried to kill himself. Maybe people found both of them bleeding out somewhere and assumed that's what happened and Eugene doesn't want to smear her name?

I don't think Jesse is trying to find God, not right now at least. He isn't even genuinely interested in helping people of his town find God. This is about Jesse's guilt - guilt for wishing death on his father. And his father's last wish was for Jesse to be a good guy.

Jesse seems like he lost his faith, tried to return to God thinking that becoming a preacher would help him find God, lost his faith, got the Genesis, and now is battling with that.

This is the Breaking Bad argument all over again. I personally don't have any issues watching shows where the main character is bad.
 
All we know is that Jesse and the town think Eugene shot that girl and tried to kill himself. Maybe people found both of them bleeding out somewhere and assumed that's what happened and Eugene doesn't want to smear her name?



Jesse seems like he lost his faith, tried to return to God thinking that becoming a preacher would help him find God, lost his faith, got the Genesis, and now is battling with that.

This is the Breaking Bad argument all over again. I personally don't have any issues watching shows where the main character is bad.

I don't have an issue with the lead being a d-bag either. That wasn't what I was getting at. Just my feelings on why Jesse is doing what he is doing. 'Sall.
 
Reading this thread and it's like nobody can appreciate a character getting driven to extremes by his own hubris and then eventually redeeming himself when he has been proven misguided. There is a reason they call it a character arc and not a mesa!

Hey man I am with you. And as a Mad Men fan, you just hope he doesn't go bad again worse than ever and the "can't wait until he kills himself" people show up.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Hey man I am with you. And as a Mad Men fan, you just hope he doesn't go bad again worse than ever and the "can't wait until he kills himself" people show up.

I just don't the acting for Jesse has been very good. Really wooden a lot of times and he only seems to have any chemistry with Jesse.
 

Moff

Member
Jesse didn't actually use genesis when he told the town to serve god via the speakers, right? he had a moment of doubt there and decided against it?
 

Bigfoot

Member
As someone who read the comic many years ago but doesn't remember much about it, I'm really enjoying this show. I had it DVR'd so I caught up in a few days but I'm enjoying the characters and pacing. It feels different than most TV shows. I also don't feel like I need everything explained to me... I like that some of it is nonsense but it eventually gets explained. It's a slow burn for sure but it is paying off.
 
I don't think Eugene really went to hell, that would not make sense.
I think when Jesse tested genesis on Cassidy, it was clear he cannot to supernatural stuff with it, he told him to fly and he didn't. So if Eugene is really in hell, that would make no sense. I hope he just ran away or something like that.
I think Jesse's power transcends what humans physically can and cannot do. But I also think that Jesse's power is limited. He may not be able to control anyone who isn't human. That would explain why he wasn't able to control Cassidy.

Cassidy is perfect, Tulip is very good, Quincannon also. Jesse better become Jesse ASAP beacuse he's done too much now.
Quincannon still puzzles me to no end. I have absolutely no idea of what he wants, what his agenda and goals are, and what motivates him to do what he does. Are we supposed to not know these things about him? And is comic Jesse similar to show Jesse? Everyone's criticizing Jesse for being a douche on the show. I know he's been a jackass and has done some shitty things, but I'm also expecting him to realize the error of his ways toward the end. Sorry if that's already been addressed in this thread.
 
Reading this thread and it's like nobody can appreciate a character getting driven to extremes by his own hubris and then eventually redeeming himself when he has been proven misguided. There is a reason they call it a character arc and not a mesa!
That's fine. But if you decide to do it you better make it interesting. And so far it's not. Otherwise might as well stick closer to the material that made it popular enough to be the show in the first place.

To me its budget and being able to be in one location that's driving a lot of this. Not getting some "prequel" origin fresh look. To me the characters that are closer in spirit to their source material so far have been the most interesting to watch (Cassidy, Arseface). I also really like this version of Tulip. The actress demands attention when she's on screen. Just give her more to do please. She's stuck for plot reasons that her character really can't explain in a convincing way

Part of the fun of Comic book Jesse was he was essentially a western Hero. He worships John Wayne for a reason and in the books spends a good amount of time carrying himself in this idealized take crap from no one persona.

Show Jesse I can't get a real read on him because he's all over the map and more concerning he's not interesting or compelling.
 

Parallax

best seen in the classic "Shadow of the Beast"
Pretty meh at how they made Jesse's Dad as unlikeable as Jesse (in the show) himself. Both Comic-Custers would punch the shit out of their show counterparts.

exactly what i said about jesse. the custers are terrible people in this one.

I agree. It seems most people here just want one-note characters with no depth to them whatsoever.

with robo jesse running around doing who the fuck knows all, you cant really call people who want similar portrayal of a comic character one note. especially with the depth that comic jesse had

i get retellings changing things for different forms of media, but jesse isnt jesse. and its not a sense of adding a drive like tulip. theyve taken away all that made him special and replaced nothing. and the prequel thing doesnt work because pre preacher jesse, hell, intro story jesse had much more fire than this one does. when cassidy is the most sympathetic character in the main cast of preacher, something isnt right
 
Okay, so, why is Quinncannon unaffected? Did it wear off? Is he just so evil that he can't be controlled by Jesse?

Also, for those of you who don't like Tulip: the new CB Tulip is Emily. Duh!
 
I thought this would be the episode where Jesse comes around and starts trying to fix things, not for him to straight up say that Eugene deserved it, that Cassidy is a monster, and that Tulip is trailer trash.

Remind me again why I should root for this guy's redemption?

Cassidy is by far the most relatable character. He's like the audience stand in to reminds us, "dude, this is pretty fucked up shit we're seeing here." whereas Jesse is nearly blinded by faith. I think tulip and the other girl finding out the full extent of Jesse's powers will finally be what snaps him out of this funk, but it's going to be hard to reconcile him being the "hero" going forward after this start. If he weren't the main character, it seems almost inevitable that everyone would dump him as a friend and that Odin would have bashed his head in with a baseball bat in his office.
 
Jesse Custer, you are a shitty son of a bitch.

Quincannon and his army make for a great final shot tho

Next episode looks fantastic though. Looks like we'll be getting badass and repentant Jesse.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Watching the episode now. Quick observations.

- John Wayne reference!
- Jesse is a prick
- Cassidy and Tulip have great scenes together. Too bad there haven't been too many scenes with the trio all together.
 

Moff

Member
I think Jesse's power transcends what humans physically can and cannot do. But I also think that Jesse's power is limited. He may not be able to control anyone who isn't human. That would explain why he wasn't able to control Cassidy.

but he did control Cassidy, he just couldn't do supernatural stuff with him like make him fly.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
I really liked that episode. I take back what I said about Jesse just being a prick. He's an insufferable prick. This episode felt more focused that a lot of the earlier ones. Everything they laid out was pretty straight forward. They didn't start up another mystery before answering a past one.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Was Emily in the comics? I can't remember her at all. Anyway, she's my favourite character on the show.

She's an original character for the show. I do like that the TV series created some original characters since they're greatly expanding this arc.

I'm also hoping that Jesse's flashback is a wake-up call for him. He's supposed to be one of the good guys. Genesis has him tripping on that power.
 

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
I think Jesse's power transcends what humans physically can and cannot do. But I also think that Jesse's power is limited. He may not be able to control anyone who isn't human. That would explain why he wasn't able to control Cassidy.
He could though. He made him hop on one leg.
 

Elandyll

Banned
Isn't it possible that
Arseface let people believe what they wanted (him trying to kill her, because actually revealing she tried to commit suicide would mean she would possibly be shunned by the community?
In essence, out of his feelings for her, trying to protect her?

If that was the case, if/when Jesse learns the truth that could be a major turn for his character (that actual, genuinely good people still exist, as per his dad's promise).
Jesse went through a bit of a weird phase bordering on character assassination, but at the end of the ep it seems he might be waking up to what he actually did (seemed like he was in shock for most of it).

Also, very confused with the whole Quincanon ordeal. I guess the effects of Jesse's "power" is very temporary?
 

Moff

Member
I do not believe that the arseface story is a fakeout

wouldn't that mean they were a couple?
and why would people believe she rejected him and he killed her for that when they were a couple before?

I have not read the comics but in this thread it's impossible to avoid comic comparisons so the arseface kill would be in line with the change of jesse's character. everything is less black/white and more multilayered.
 

Jim

Member
Also, very confused with the whole Quincanon ordeal. I guess the effects of Jesse's "power" is very temporary?

I thought the AV Club review described the issue well (last paragraph):
http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/jesse-custer-has-history-bad-prayers-preacher-239342

Just because Odin’s now in the god-serving business doesn’t mean he’s suddenly an upright, spiritual man. He’s still the same selfish, ambitious bastard he was before. Only now he has a cause to fight for. It’s ironic—Jesse finds himself facing down against someone with the same delusional conviction of righteousness.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Isn't it possible that
Arseface let people believe what they wanted (him trying to kill her, because actually revealing she tried to commit suicide would mean she would possibly be shunned by the community?
In essence, out of his feelings for her, trying to protect her?

If that was the case, if/when Jesse learns the truth that could be a major turn for his character (that actual, genuinely good people still exist, as per his dad's promise).
Jesse went through a bit of a weird phase bordering on character assassination, but at the end of the ep it seems he might be waking up to what he actually did (seemed like he was in shock for most of it).

Also, very confused with the whole Quincanon ordeal. I guess the effects of Jesse's "power" is very temporary?

I expect there to be more to the story about Eugene. We didn't see it in a flashback, we just heard it secondhand from Jesse. It certainly fits with how the town treats him, so its probably the "official" story as far as the town is concerned. But that doesn't mean it's the actual truth. If Jesse figures out a way to get the girl talking again, the real story might come out. Plus it has always struck me that Eugene was ashamed of his sin of attempted suicide but not really murder. I think he has dealt with the blowback from the family for thinking he tried to kill her, but what actually seems to bother him is the suicide.

I've given up trying to figure out what's going on with the Quincannon story. My best guess would be that it is temporary or it only lasts until the person has finished what Jesse has told them to do. It's a weird situation because Jesse's command to "Serve God" probably leaves a lot of room for interpretation from the person who hears it. So maybe Quincannon is just doing what he wanted to do anyway, but just feels more justified and less inhibited in his actions.
 
I don't mind the idea of characters being different from the comic or even the main character being "bad," even if temporary. However, Jesse's "badness" isn't even interesting. The extent of his ambition with this power trip is uhhh getting people to come to church? Wow, amazing, what a deep character.
 

Double D

Member
Loving the series so far, don't mind it strays away from the comic allthough I do hope some plot points will be kept the same.

I feel mostly the same. I can't see them totally ditching Eugene as a character so I'm curious to see where that goes. And regarding Jesse's character, I just have to keep reminding myself that he did go through these internal struggles in the book, it just wasn't drawn out over hours of television and elaborated upon this much, especially to these extremes.

Also, maybe comic spoiler stuff, so heads up;

- If I remember correctly, didn't Genesis not work on
Cassidy
?
- And he never used it on
Tulip, right
? I say this but I kind of remember he had to at one point later on or something.
 
I don't mind the idea of characters being different from the comic or even the main character being "bad," even if temporary. However, Jesse's "badness" isn't even interesting. The extent of his ambition with this power trip is uhhh getting people to come to church? Wow, amazing, what a deep character.

He's trying to prove he's a good guy and serve God by getting people to come to church, but is probably a bit too up himself to see that manipulating them to do so is going against God's will.

And only an episode and a half ago he found out that God is indeed real, that angels are out to kill him and he's got a angel/demon hybrid inside him.

Think it's a bit rich kicking him down on his character development when we're seven episodes in and there's been plenty of revelations.

He's just flipped in anger and sent Eugene down to hell, tried to bargain and make excuses for it, and is now trying to atone for it. He isn't in stasis and he isn't just trying to get people to come to church. He's done more than that. Think you're being a tad facetious.
 

Moff

Member
I don't mind the idea of characters being different from the comic or even the main character being "bad," even if temporary. However, Jesse's "badness" isn't even interesting. The extent of his ambition with this power trip is uhhh getting people to come to church? Wow, amazing, what a deep character.

what makes you think this is the extent of his ambition? seems like a silly knee-jerk reaction. he is obviously testing it on a smaller setting. the next step after using it on individuals before.
and yes, I think it's very interesting to see someone experimenting with this power and struggling with the temptation it brings, before he becomes an expert user at it with perfect moral guidlines.
 
"Think it's a bit rich kicking him down on his character development when we're seven episodes in and there's been plenty of revelations."

I mean all of those things you listed are pretty significant events but what do those revelations have to do with Jesse's character, as in, his personality and motivations? We already knew he had a temper before Genesis inhabited him, so the possibility of him lashing out at someone isn't a new development. In fact, I'd say that considering the enormity of things he's learned, his character and his motivations have barely changed at all.


"what makes you think this is the extent of his ambition? "

Being that it's a TV Show in the progress of being aired, I can only go on what has been shown so far (and it's diverged enough from the Comic that I'm not considering any of the events from that at all). This is of course, subject to change as the show continues. And if he is simply just "testing" it here, he probably wouldn't have gotten so flustered at Eugene nor would he have been trying so desperately to bring him back at the end.


Double D: (comic spoilers)
The word did work on Cassidy, but it upset Cassidy quite a bit and he asked, quite sternly, that Jesse never do that again. In fact, there's a time when Jesse does use it on him later on and Cassidy gets fairly upset again and Jesse has to explain that he was just trying to defuse a situation. And he uses it again on Cassidy later, when he's quite thoroughly upset at Cassidy and trying to use Cassidy for his plan. And I don't believe he ever used it on Tulip at all, she never really gave him a reason to.
 
"Think it's a bit rich kicking him down on his character development when we're seven episodes in and there's been plenty of revelations."

I mean all of those things you listed are pretty significant events but what do those revelations have to do with Jesse's character, as in, his personality and motivations? We already knew he had a temper before Genesis inhabited him, so the possibility of him lashing out at someone isn't a new development. In fact, I'd say that considering the enormity of things he's learned, his character and his motivations have barely changed at all.

And now the fact that he can lash out and make Donnie put guns in his mouth and send Eugene to hell means his temper has bigger repercussions.
 

Moff

Member
"what makes you think this is the extent of his ambition? "

Being that it's a TV Show in the progress of being aired, I can only go on what has been shown so far (and it's diverged enough from the Comic that I'm not considering any of the events from that at all). This is of course, subject to change as the show continues. And if he is simply just "testing" it here, he probably wouldn't have gotten so flustered at Eugene nor would he have been trying so desperately to bring him back at the end.

if you simply judge by what has been shown so far, did you think making that first due opening his heart to his mother was his extent of his ambition as well? that he would never go further?

and the church and eugene are two very different things. the church thing was planned and eugene was obviously and emotional overreaction. he didn't really want to send him to hell, which is why he got so flustered. that doesn't change that he is testing genesis on the churchgoers. but both is part of the path of learning to deal with this power.
 
"if you simply judge by what has been shown so far, did you think making that first due opening his heart to his mother was his extent of his ambition as well? that he would never go further?"

He didn't actually intend to use the word there, he wasn't even aware he had a power.

edit: timeline of events mixed up.
 
Just got caught up on the latest episode. Happy Quincannon appeared this week to get things in Anneville moving again.

Reading this thread and it's like nobody can appreciate a character getting driven to extremes by his own hubris and then eventually redeeming himself when he has been proven misguided. There is a reason they call it a character arc and not a mesa!

Agreed, I think comic readers are taking too much for granted. Jesse, already a man torn between good intentions and evil impulses, has the bastard offspring of an angel and demon inhabit his body. For all we know Genesis, a child by all rights, is having it's say in Jesse's actions.

As much as I enjoyed the comic, Jesse Custer was something of a one-note male power fantasy of a character. Here, I'm hoping there's more room to explore the complexities of having an entity with the combined powers of Heaven & Hell bonded to one's already tainted soul.

For those upset about Eugene's revelation, Jesse's explanation sounded a whole heck of a lot like the established story and not the truth. It was too simple, too mundane. I think the more likely scenario is
the girl walking in on Eugene at the worst possible moment and getting caught with the buckshot. Eugene survives and shoulders the blame.
 

Zaph

Member
Still a bit iffy on the show. Some very vague comparisons ahead (it's been a long time since I read the comic):

While the comic definitely had some problems which the show is trying to address (namely Jesse and Tulip being such an ideal - but currently they're just plain unlikeable), I feel this is coming at a cost to the overall story. Maybe it's just the showrunners trying to make the first season work on a reasonable budget, but I can't shake the feeling they're changing the entire story to be 'smaller' - like a character study in the vein of Breaking Bad.

I hope that's not the case, and there are definite indications it's not (like setting up Saint of Killers), but the fear is they become just interludes to The Jesse Custer Story.
 
Also, not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but Jesse's dad likely inadvertently saved Tulip's life by sending her away before the two men came to kill him and take young Jesse.
 
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