‘Preacher’ Recap: ‘Masada’ & ‘Last Supper’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Few things are as bittersweet in the nerd world than when we arrive at the final season of our favorite television show. Because on one hand, the series in question that is bidding farewell, beat the cancellation odds and gets an opportunity to go out on its own terms, while on the other… it’s the end of something we love, and while we can talk all day about the fact that everything has it’s respective end, parting is and will forever be such sweet sorrow, especially when it comes to a story we love. If anything, that particular line of thinking is precisely where I’m at mentally when it comes to AMC’s, Preacher. Because this is it, season four will be its last on the network and that revelation took me a little bit off guard when it was initially announced.
​
For this is a series that is truly groundbreaking in its own right, since its special brand of humor, and ‘throw caution to the wind’ mentality has allowed for a unique story to play out and I honestly thought there were plenty more adventures waiting in the wings for Jesse Custer and his amazing friends. But the end is here whether we like it or not, and well, I have to be honest in telling you that there was a touch of melancholy, and an ounce of worry, surging through my veins as I settled in to watch last night’s, two-hour, season four premiere. The sadness came from the fact that a bigger premiere means that we get to the finish line far sooner, and the worry, well that stemmed from the possibility that the series might change course and direction, in an effort to make this final year as memorable as possible.

At first, my fears seemed compounded, since ‘Masada’ opened up in a vastly different manner. For this opening chapter felt more like an action flick, since it featured a rescue mission executed by Jesse and Tulip, one that featured a face to face reckoning with Herr Starr and Jesse, and a battle royale at the top of the complex between Featherstone and Tulip. But thankfully it turns out that this was all a ruse to get our attention, since it wasn’t long before the trademark portions of this show wormed their way into the plot, including one wicked scene involving a squished Grail soldier named Tammy and some infighting and bickering between Jesse and Cassidy over their beloved Tulip. However, what made this first episode of the premiere so stunning in its own right, is the sheer fact that the rescue mission was in essence, a bust, since Cass decided to stay behind.

---

I mean, come on. There was no need for him to remain within that building’s walls, and he even had other opportunities to escape as the two hour premiere rolled on, but he refused to, and that moment, alongside Jesse’s disturbing vision, are what brought the show back to what we know and love since a grand character study was put on display. For this segment of the story, which extended well into ‘Last Supper’ as well, showed us that regardless of the strides Team Jesse made at the end of last season in trying to heal and set things right, their fears and their insecurities are still on display, and they’re still interfering with their better judgment, especially when it comes to Cass. Since it was pointed out to him that he may be staying behind and enduring some horrible, foreskin related torture in a desperate attempt to pay penance for his own actions. Something that is outright unnecessary.
​
Yet while those character driven moments were fascinating and powerful in their own right, I also loved how this two-episode premiere set the stage for the rest of the season. Because it was quite jarring to see God hanging out with Herr Starr at Grail HQ and it is equally as chilling to learn that everything, we’ve experienced to this point seemingly has been orchestrated by the Lord to bring about… something. What that is exactly, I don’t know quite yet, but judging from the fury we saw on display from God in these two tales, it can’t be good. Because any deity that is willing to put down a species for eating its own crap when clearly they don’t know any better, cannot be good with where mankind is at right now, and the little hints present in this premiere in regard to being good to another, I’m certain was by design.

Either way, while it was sad to witness the beginning of the end of Preacher, this was a solid premiere through and through. Because after it got past the little trickery, everything we know and love about this series was on full display, and the quirky moments, and the twisted ones, worked like a charm and it really is great to have this series back on the air, and truly, it looks like the series is going to go out with a bang in season four. For there really a grandiose plot being formed here, one that involves potential Armageddon and I’ve no doubt that it will be up to Jesse to save the day and potentially prove to the Lord that we are worthy, and I cannot wait to see how his new journey plays out, and how this incredible story, comes to an end. Until next time. 

---