First Impressions: Jericho

In a measure of full disclosure, I have to say that I went into Jericho not wanting to like it on account that I came up with a small town after a nuclear war a while ago. Granted my concept was different as it is much funnier as I don’t expect the show to feature “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Christmas at Ground Zero during its holiday special. Then another reason not to like the show going into it: seriously, who names there show after a professional wrestler/karaoke singer? But I went ahead and watched it anyways even though CBS didn’t bother to send me an advanced screener (not that I’m bitter or anything).

Jericho was pretty much as advertise with a small town being shut off from the outside world after a nuclear bomb hits down in Denver (as well as Atlanta). And of course in a time of crisis, most of the townspeople panic especially after the power goes out and it seems everyone heads down to the local gas station to stock up. All the while, a bus full of schoolchildren hasn’t made it back from a field trip.

The premiere centered on the returning Skeet Ulrich, who mad a living last decade taking roles in movies where producers couldn’t get Johnny Depp to sign on. Dude seems somewhat shady as when everyone asked him where he’s been the last five years he has a different answer for them, army, navy, minor-league baseball. The only one who calls him on it is former girlfriend, I think, Ashley Scott who should go back to the dark hair continues to look like a stripper with the blonde hair. Yeah it suited her well when she played a stripper in Walking Tall, but it just looks tacky when she’s actually wearing clothes.

To add to the shadiness of Ulrich, it turns out the only reason he came home after the long absence was to collect his trust fund from his grandfather, but his dad, who still controls it, still won’t turn it over to him prompting Ulrich to leave as fast as he arrived. Granted that all changes when the bomb is dropped. And Ulrich isn’t the shady character that arrives in town the same day of the bomb as there is a mysterious black dude who seems to know a little too much about disaster relief. And I know the residents of the town may be preoccupied, but how doesn’t anyone wonder what a black dude is doing in a small town in Kansas?

It was a little disappointing that the show didn’t have that many interesting characters aside from the UFO fearing-shotgun carrying dude as that is what makes most small town dramas interesting. In fact there was no comic relief in the first episode. There were a couple of good twists like with the second bomb in Atlanta. I think it’s safe to assume that if there are attacks in Denver and Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and others were targeted too. Also, I didn’t see a second bus full of prisoners being found coming and should add to the drama. Plus the show had a great soundtrack with the episode opening up with The Killers All These Things that I’ve Done and closing with Snow Patrol’s Run. Although I wonder why they had the Goo Goo Dolls Christmas song, Better Days, in the middle of the episode. But in the end Jericho looks like it may suffer from the same thing that brought down Invasion in that it moves way to slow.

Verdict: As long as it doesn’t fall into Invasion type tedium (I quit the show after about a month), it may be worth watching. Granted even if that happened, since the show is available on Innertube the day after the new episode airs, I may stay around longer given I could watch it whenever I want. Oh, and the concept of my show is totally better.