Preacher series finale: An uncharacteristically tidy end to TV’s wildest romp
After four seasons of booze, blasphemy, and blood, AMC’s gutsy series, Preacher, draws to an uncharacteristically cut-and-dry conclusion.
If there’s one word we wouldn’t use to describe Preacher, it’s predictable. Over the show’s four-season run, there have been so many dizzying twists and turns that, at some point, you have to just abandon all sense of logic and just go with the magnificent insanity that is Preacher. However, the incredulous storytelling has always been one of the show’s major draws; as viewers, we can always rely on Preacher to keep us on the edge of our seat for the entirety of an episode’s duration.
Preacher is unapologetic in its craziness — to the point where, at many times, it felt like the show was being deranged purely for the sake of being deranged. So, as we sat down to watch the series finale, we went in expecting the unexpected. And in a way, we got it. Because instead of going out with one last surprise or shock, Preacher did the most unexpected thing a show of its caliber could possibly do: It ended predictably.
It would be unfair (and inaccurate) to call the series finale of Preacher bad. It’s a more than solid episode of television, filled to the brim with character revelations, loose ends being tied, and questions being answered. That may sound like just the right recipe for any good series finale, but we couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that, after years of being surprised, Preacher didn’t surprise us with its finale.
Many of the finale’s problems seem to spring from issues created earlier in the season. Since the premiere back in August, season 4 of Preacher has been barreling toward its conclusion, jam-packing as many insane plot elements as it can. Although it made for a fun viewing experience, it also left the writers with the unenviable job of having to actually conclude the dozens of different tangents and plot strings they’d written for themselves.
The apocalypse, Jesus vs. Hitler, Featherstone and Herr Starr, The Saint’s family, and Eugene’s fate are just a few of the many, many stories that had to be drawn to a close in a single episode, and those are just the immediate, plot-driven arcs. In addition to all of the cogs setting the plot into motion, the show also had to find a way to conclude the overarching narratives that have spanned the entire series — namely, Jesse’s quest for closure and God, along with the love triangle between Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy.
Unfortunately, in Preacher‘s rush to tie up all the plot-specific storylines from season four, we can’t help but feel like the true draw of the show — it’s characters — were once again shoved to the wayside. For four years, we’ve watched and wondered how the inseparable trio of Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy would finally address the tensions that have been brewing since Cassidy first laid eyes on Tulip. Apparently, we’ll be kept wondering. After all the plot is dealt with, we get a flash-forward where Jesse and Tulip are living happily together, and Cassidy is only mentioned in passing.
For a show that spent practically the entirety of season 3 building up to an altercation between Jesse and Cassidy about Tulip, having their story end by just cutting to the future and showing us that Tulip ended up having a baby with Jesse feels unearned and almost a little lazy, given how long the plot has been building.
The characters also don’t fare much better as individuals. Although Tulip and Cassidy’s fight was a great exception, the majority of the episode was moving so fast that it didn’t stop and give us time to check in with where each member of the trio’s head was at. Although Jesse does finally end up getting to have his conversation with God, it was difficult to really appreciate the payoff of a years-long story when we were waiting on the inevitable twist that never really came. Dominic Cooper gave a strong performance as always, but it just didn’t feel like the momentous occasion that Jesse has been searching for after all these years.
Tulip and Cassidy’s arcs fare even worse than Jesse’s. While the titular Preacher got some resolution of his own, his two traveling companions didn’t seem to get any end to their stories. The build-up of Tulip’s troubled past and the supposed “O’Hare curse”? Forget about it. Cassidy’s past in Ireland and chronic substance abuse? Not even mentioned. While the aforementioned fight between the duo did give some closure in terms of their romantic relationship, neither character got a chance to really shine on their own as Jesse did.
In an odd way, it almost felt like the Preacher finale treated the supporting characters better than its protagonists. The Saint, Featherstone, Herr Starr, Jesus, and Eugene all got proper send-offs that were in line with their characters but not predictable or boring. But the main trio, the group around which the entire show has been centered, received little more than a flash-forward and a sappy sendoff.
Joe Gilgun (as usual) gives a masterful performance as Cassidy looks at the graves of his two best friends 40 years in the future, but Ruth Negga in an oddly styled wig acting as Jesse and Tulip’s daughter was so laughable that it sucked any emotional gravity right out of the scene. Cassidy walking off into the sunlight did feel like a proper (if not predictable) ending for his character, but the fact that the camera couldn’t even be bothered to focus in on such a beloved character meeting his final demise felt like another slap in the face to viewers expecting to be treated to Preacher‘s usual brand of grandeur.
As we said before, Preacher‘s finale wasn’t a bad hour of television. In fact, it was impressive in regard to just how much it managed to tie up in such a short time span. However, our issue with the finale is that it spends too much time wrapping up the wrong details. Instead of giving a little love to Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy, Preacher spent it’s precious last minutes tripping over its own feet in its haste to draw the series to a believable close. And, for a show like Preacher, believable is just about the worst thing a finale can be.
Outfit of the episode: Although Humperdoo was very snazzy in his apocalypse getup, Cassidy cut a dashing figure in his graveyard outfit.
WTF moment: The Saint ending up on the throne in Heaven. Can we watch that spin-off, please?
Standout Scene: Tulip vs. Cassidy was undoubtedly the highlight of the episode. The fight was just as deliciously brutal as we hoped it would be.
Preacher review: The unholy trinity is reunited again. dark. Next