The all too short rollercoaster ride of Jericho is over for now. CBS gave Jericho the axe shortly after its penultimate episode, giving the series absolute closure. There is slim hope that another station will pick up the show, so I am certain another "Nuts Campaign" is imminent.This "series finale" fell far short of the quality I expected from Jericho. Season One's finale was a high-octane event, most notably containing Jake Green's famous NUTS statement! This finale's pace was slow to a crawl and the storyline was astonishingly predictable.Major Beck's progressive storyline came to its inevitable conclusion. Since the second episode it was obvious that Major Beck would eventually defy his corrupt government. Regrettably, in last week's episode Beck performed actions which were entirely out of character. His loss in rational thinking was displayed so his ethical revelations in "Patriots and Tyrants" would make for a more profound dramatic statement. Unfortunately, his out of the o...
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Time's running out for Jericho! Whether fans choose to acknowledge this possibility, CBS will most likely decline bringing this critically acclaimed show back for a third season. The creators of Jericho did shoot two different endings for next week's episode, and the decision by CBS will determine whether it will function as a season or series finale. I hope that if CBS does pass on another season that the Sci-Fi Channel, which airs Jericho reruns, will pick it up.Tonight's episode was rather quiet, acknowledging the ramifications of the battle with Goetz and Jennings & Rall. To avoid more bloodshed, Jake decided that it would be the best course of action to give himself over to Major Beck. With Jake's surrender, he offered Beck terms so no one else would be implicated. Beck accepted Jake's surrender, but would not acknowledge Jake's provisions. In "Sedition," I ultimately lost the little remaining respect I had left for Major Beck. For a seemingly intelligent soldier, Beck's kn...
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Verisimilitude.Not only is this one of the neatest sounding words in the English language, "Verisimilitude" essentially means something that is true or something that has the appearance of truth. I first learned of this word through documentaries about Superman: The Movie. Director Richard Donner prepared his staff for filming by hanging sign on their office walls containing the word "verisimilitude" with Superman's figure hovering above it. Donner succeeded in lacing the movie with human candor, so that a man flying in blue and red tights would be taken seriously."End of the World Films" have inundated the film medium in recent years, Independence Day being the most high profile vehicle. That movie went the more comedic route, portraying outrageous characters and their unbelievable feats. But what this film lacked was the "verisimilitude" needed to truly bring these characters to life.Jericho's "Termination for Cause" packed an emotional wallop that I have rarely experienced in ...
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Bonnie is dead. Who would have guessed that Bonnie would be felled by such a tragic fate? Oh wait, I could. For those of you who have read my previous blogs should have noticed that much of my focus was about Stanley, Mimi, and Bonnie. I felt that their lives were too perfect and they lost the inner conflict that once made them interesting characters. I also commented that despite the strength of the bond between Stanley and Mimi, they were far more interesting as individual threats to the new government. I even went as far as to specifically speculate that Mimi should use her new position as a Jennings & Rall accountant to uncover any criminal activity. With enough analysis to television shows' writing formulas, every viewer has the ability to subjugate any doubt about different characters' motivations. However, showing viewers the tranquility of the Richmond farm WAS necessary to evoke the appropriate response from Bonnie's death. My complaint lies from the previous episodes, ...
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The build-up from the previous episodes culminated in one of the finest hours yet for Jericho! In last week's universally praised recap, I questioned whether the abbreviated season left Jericho ample time for their characters to progressively develop. These same concerns must have been going through the writers' minds as well, because both of the Jake/Hawkins storylines encompassed the majority of the screen time. (The chronicles of Stanley, Mimi, and Bonnie only ate up a small portion of "Jennings & Rall." I really hope something catastrophic happens to one of these characters, because I have grown increasingly bored with their story.)In Season One, Jake rallied the leaders of Jericho to rush its people to safe enclosed locations to avoid radiation poisoning from the fallout in Denver. As the season progressed, civilization devolved to a point where it became somewhat akin to the Wild West. Dale turned his grocery store into a trading post, and hired actual muscle to prevent h...
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As I said in last week's blog, this shortened season will affect how Jericho fans will emotionally respond to the new storylines. Unfortunately, those creative hindrances made its presence felt in "Condor."I realize I am putting myself in hot water, but realize that my problems lie only with this dreadfully short season. For the conspiracy nuts (and Jericho NUTS!), this shortened season should satisfy the fans with desires to immediately experience the crux of the action! But those that enjoyed Season One's vast character focus will be disappointed by the current season's more limited scope.There were two narrative styles used to shine light on the characters during Jericho's first season. One method involved focusing on the primary storyline, while letting the characters grow in response to their objectives. The principle example of this was Jake Green. He earlier departed Jericho as a delinquent outcast, but would return to consistently save the people who once shunned him. Flashb...
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CBS is giving viewers another opportunity to view the riveting Season Two premiere of Jericho! Watch it on a special night and time on Saturday, February 16 from 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT. And then be sure to leave a comment below with many of the loyal fans of Jericho!
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Anyone who isn't familiar with premise of Jericho should read the "Strike Survival Guide" that I have written. When everyone is on the same page, let's all take a peek at the long awaited continuation to the Jericho saga!Last year's finale ended with a cliffhanger showing the town of Jericho, Kansas fighting off the invading neighboring town of New Bern. But just as the "New Bern War" started, the screen went black and the end-credits began. It's no wonder that Jericho fans fought so hard to save the show."Reconstruction" briefly shows the casualties that were accumulated during the war (lots of explosions!!!), but it smartly moves past this to begin a new season's worth of storylines. Last season, the town of Jericho was faced with the obstacle of refashioning its society to survive the aftermath of a tragedy. Now, they are tested with a self-appointed government, The Allied States of America, attempting to reconfigure their civilization without the foundation of democracy!Major Ed...
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If you haven't already heard, Jericho will be returning with new episodes this fall after quite an uproar from fans (woo hoo!). Check out repeats of last season currently airing on CBS.
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If you haven't heard already, Jericho will not be returning for another season. Thanks for all the great comments! For more of my thoughts on this news, go here.
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