May 9, 2007: "Nuts"
If finales are supposed to bring all the emotion from the season and combine it with a few answers, a tragedy and a reason to know more,
Jericho rose to the occasion - at least for me. There was no teenager story line, there was no Mary Bailey hanging off Eric's arm, there were no bad decisions from Gray. This was for the leaders. "You can go straight to hell."
I'm still in shock as I mourn Johnston's death and so upset that he was the one to go. I knew a big death was coming, someone major, someone whose death would upset most viewers, but what are we going to do without Gerald McRaney? When that tank rolled in, I felt victorious from my couch until I saw Papa Green barely moving. I guess this is Jake's time to step up and make a stand. Defend his home.
Again, this episode was shot really well. I really liked how they mixed in the scenes from Eric's wedding with the present day. Two of those interconnected scenes stood out for me: Jake's best-man speech combined with his silent stance on that front porch after his father died, and Johnston talking to him outside the reception combined with Jake mustering up the strength to fight New Bern for another round. "Doing what you feel like doing and doing what needs to be done are two different things." With that line alone, the episode was perfectly blended with past and present.
I didn't like the old Jake as much as the new one. That slicked-back 'do doesn't work as well for him. Clearly a drunken embarrassment to his family, it was sad to see how Jake broke away from his family, particularly Eric, and became such a loner. But then to see the brothers shoulder to shoulder during the New Bern attack was comforting. "I've got your back."
There were many parts of this finale that I felt were maneuvered brilliantly. The camera panning down the long line of New Bern trucks curving around the bend, Johnston's reaction when Hawkins revealed he had a satellite - after all, they were going to war with the town holding the nearest Costco (loved the line!) - Darcy slamming down the laptop, Jake walking up to Emily and kissing her before going back to fight another round, the gravesite scene with Mimi, Stanley and Bonnie. Leave it to Stanley to let a joke seep through a serious moment, but it was endearing and exactly what needed to be said before such a heavy situation unfolded. There's the dream of growing old together, having kids of their own and the possibility of a renewed life, but reality was too dark of a cloud to feel too hopeful. "Jake, I don't wanna die today." Such a short line, but it radiated so much feeling.
Also, Darcy knowing Hawkins' secrets was a great part of this ending. Their whole discussion about being tracked down was an unusual exchange between the two of them, considering Hawkins had been speaking so vaguely to his wife in every other episode. So I like the fact that Darcy's in on the secret, even if she doesn't know every single detail.
Meanwhile, out in Nebraska, Heather's a lost soul at Camp Liberty (who came up with
that name?) and revealing information to the wrong people. Valente zeroing in on Hawkins' location and Heather's news of New Bern's plans make for a nasty combination. Those helicopters flying over Jericho at the end were just the beginning of something huge. Seeing that new American flag was like seeing an opening shot of the next season. There's so much more to the story, so much aftermath of the mushroom cloud that we haven't seen yet.
Will you want to continue watching without Johnston in the picture? It will be difficult for me to move on from his sudden farewell, but I'm attached enough to want more answers and see what Jake can do. This show was shaky at the start, really capturing its greatest potential in the second half of the season. But the cast has really impressed me, along with the writing and directing. Well done, CBS.
One question, though: what happened to Maggie?
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