Don’t try to tell me Annville is worth saving. Not even a sad Willie Nelson song and a montage of small town vistas will get me to believe that one. Still, that’s how the season one finale begins. The people of Jesse’s worthless town all believe he’s really going to call down god, despite the fact that he’s a fugitive, and so they gather accordingly. “Sunday’s Best” is serious business. While the whole town is looking forward to meeting god, Tulip is looking for Jesse and she finds him holed up with some peculiar new friends. It seems as if Donnie has found that forgiveness is divine. Meanwhile, Sheriff Root seeks some tough answers from Cassidy. But if there’s one thing that Cassidy is good at, besides killing and doing drugs, is pointing out the hypocrisy in people. After all, he’s seen it in action for quite a while now.
When Tulip sees that Jesse doesn’t need rescuing, she points out that she has brought some unfinished business home with her and in a flashback we see exactly why it’s so important that Carlos gets it in the face, and why Jesse and Tulip are bound even through love and hate. It’s a genuinely dark and sad moment in a show that prides itself on ironic darkness and sadness. Getting some measured revenge is their last order of business before meeting god on Sunday.
When the day comes, the church is crowded with neighbors, rivals, johns, whores and even Traci Loach makes an appearance. Betsy has a deep understanding of office equipment and shows Jesse that the heavenly phone has a video conference feature. Face Time indeed was not invented by Steve Jobs, but by a lesser deity it seems. After Quincannon ruins Jesse’s opening speech and no one on the other end picks up, it seems as if things are a bust until darkness befalls the church and in a blinding flash of light, and a bearded white guy appears before the congregation. Placating at first, it’s not until Tulip gets a bit uppity with him that God agrees to answer questions. And just like the dumbass yokels they are, they all begin shouting every stupid, unimaginative question one could waste God’s time with. Quincannon, with his supernatural ability to talk over everyone else, asks after his family, who he last saw as several boxes of meat. Once he hears that they’re all in Heaven, it seems as if God has done enough explaining. But once Jesse starts questioning God’s answers, especially regarding the paradox of Eugene being in both heaven and hell, things start to unravel.
And herein is the beauty of Preacher. Jesse knew all along that god is silent, he was just hoping otherwise. Cassidy knew that his very existence depended on an absent god. Tulip gave up a long time ago, selecting a life of crime so she might one day get an eye for an eye. But there the rest of the congregation was, in awe, and those of us who have seen people in church “on fire” for the lord know these giddy, zealous smiles all too well. But then “god” starts stammering and once hit with the power of Genesis, the old white guy with a beard reveals the awful truth: God is missing. Cut audio, cut video, end the call. This whole season Preacher has been piling on the absurdity and blasphemy and in its season finale, they dare to blaspheme all the way up the damned ladder. I haven’t even thought to read the internet comments about this episode…
After the air that was previously sucked out of the room returns, and the death of hope and existential disappointment sets in, people who can only maintain civility in service or fear of an unseen master do what is in their nature: they riot. Play them off, Emily. Indeed, what’s worse? That there is no god, or that there is, he just peaced the fuck out? Either way, Jesse, Cassidy and Tulip leave the church with clear consciences.
As the town descends into madness, hopelessness, lawlessness, and a generally harshed mellow, the methane reactor below Annville goes critical. The whole town was sitting on a literal pile of shit, and with the captain asleep at the wheel, all the exhaust pipes all over town start venting furiously. All it takes is one little piece of burning particulate and Annville gets blown sky fuckin’ high. Don’t worry, like I said, none of them were worth saving anyway. But the death of Annville is the rebirth of our cowboy friend, better known as the Saint of All Killers. Pretty badass huh? I was hoping to see him meet Jesse but this is fine too. The season finale was a hilarious roasting (haha) of religious dogma and how deeply ingrained it is into our collective consciousness.
Our heroes, miles away from Annville apparently, decide that they’re going to find god and make him answer some questions. I was hoping to see more of some of Annville’s denizens, but I don’t think they can top Quincannon cradling a meat baby, so maybe we’re better off without them.
Things to watch for next season that are more worrisome than The Saint of All Killers: Cassidy still has a thing for Tulip.
And did they really kill off Emily? What the fuck?
Written by A Play On Nerds contributor, Jerry Herrera - Lover of horror, sci fi, and fantasy in that order. Semi-permanent Disneyland resident. I'm at least one of the droids you're looking for. Twitter: @FrankenJerry - Instagram: @GeraldoPedro