Preacher Series Premiere Review: Slow-Burn Thrill That Will Surely Please

I’ve been waiting eagerly for the debut of AMC’s latest comic-based series Preacher, and the moment has finally arrived. Though I haven’t read any of the comic series on which Preacher is based, I know enough about it that the premise has been something I’ve wanted to see on TV since the moment it was announced. Add to that Dominic Cooper’s starring role and the sheer excitement that creators Seth Rogen (yes, that Seth Rogen) and Evan Goldberg have for the show, and it seems to me like we’ve got a winning combination. Will all of that translate properly on-screen, though? Let’s take a look at the Preacher series premiere, “Pilot.”

The series opens at a church service in Africa in which the preacher is warning his congregation that something is coming. Just as he begins talking about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is suddenly overtaken by a powerful force from the heavens. In front of the entire congregation, the man explodes in a burst of blood, and the force is expelled once again. This is a shocking and gory moment that does a phenomenal job at setting up the story that we’re in for, and I love the decision to begin the series in this way.

Jumping ahead, we’re finally introduced to our main character, Dominic Cooper’s Jesse Custer. Our titular preacher, Jesse is characterized as a broken man from the very beginning. The first time that we hear him speak is, fittingly, during a sermon, but Jesse doesn’t exactly exude confidence. The congregation, too, doesn’t at all seem interested in his words, either, and the barbecue following the service gives the impression that his flock has been lost to the world, so to speak. During the meal, a kid comes up to Jesse and asks him to hurt the kid’s dad because he’s mean to the boy’s mother, explaining that people say the preacher has done some things before he came to town. What follows is a pretty incredible monologue about the nature of violence that Dominic Cooper completely sells. In a single scene, Jesse Custer is perfectly characterized, and it’s clear to me that this is going to be an important performance to watch come awards season.

Later on, the preacher attempts to tell the sheriff that the woman may be getting beaten, but the sheriff doesn’t seem to at all care. In fact, he consciously decides not to do anything while also expressing his dislike for Custer. He still asks the preacher to visit his son Eugene, though, which Jesse says he’ll do the next day. Before that, though, he confronts Betsy (the woman) about the beatings, only to find out that things aren’t quite as they seem. He does later meet with Eugene, too, introducing us to the infamous Arseface (possibly the most well-recognized aspect of the Preacher comic series). Ian Colletti is wonderful in this role, and it’s a true testament to him skill that the roll comes across as both entertaining and heartbreaking. His introductory scene absolutely wrenches at your heart, but it jumps wonderfully between that and absolute humor.

Up in the air, we’re introduced to Joe Gilgun’s Cassidy. I won’t spoil the scene, but the introduction is wonderfully over-the-top and violent, and I have a feeling that Cassidy is going to be one of the most entertaining aspects of the series. Additionally, this introduction gives us a really good idea of the caliber of action and choreography that Preacher is going to have, and it perfectly blends horror elements in with that action. The meeting between Cassidy and Jesse in the second half of the episode is fun as hell to watch, and I’m really looking forward to seeing their friendship develop and evolve over the course of the series.

Without a doubt, the best part of “Pilot” is the introduction to Ruth Negga’s Tulip. I had heard a lot of buzz about this performance before the show premiered, but wow, she is perfect. I’ve been a big fan of Ruth Negga since her role on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so I was super excited by her casting on Preacher. In only a single episode, I’m certain that she will not at all disappoint. The actress is able to exhibit every necessary emotion with strength, and “this is how you make a bazooka” may be one of my favorite lines from this season of television.

The underlying story throughout the episode follows from the opening scene in Africa. All across the world, religious leaders are spontaneously exploding exactly like the African preacher from the beginning (including, in a fun little moment, Tom Cruise), and the force eventually comes for Jesse, too. Instead of killing him like it did the others, though, it “fuses” with him, in a sense, giving him the power to force people to obey his commands. There’s much more to this story that we’re going to have to wait to see, but this power will obviously be the driving force moving forward.

It’s pretty obvious that the characters will probably be the most memorable thing about Preacher, and we are absolutely blessed by the quality of acting that this series is giving us. The chemistry between all of our leads is exactly all that we could ask for, and the relationship between Jesse and Tulip in particular has the potential to captivate throughout their arc. The story that’s beginning to unfold already is wonderfully engrossing, and I can’t believe how perfectly this episode blended action, horror, and drama into an hour of television. There are plenty of things that happened and were present in “Pilot” that I didn’t get to in this review, but I’m fully convinced that this episode is one of the best things to appear on television so far in 2016. We are in for a real treat with this series, y’all, and I am so pumped to go along for the ride.

What did you think of Preacher? Will you be tuning again next week? If you’ve read the comic, how well does the show adapt that story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!

[Photo Credit: AMC]