Jericho – S1E2 – Fallout
Fallout is a pretty apt name for the follow up to this show’s pilot episode. I mean, what else could they really address after the nuclear narrative they established in the pilot.
Everyone is is being warned to take shelter, as radiation is on its way to the town. Jake’s brother, Eric, heads to the bar to urge people to head for town hall. He also appears to have a romantic interest in the bar’s owner, Mary. Jake is helping to move everyone in the hospital to an underground shelter, but there is no air. His plan to use the salt mines once again establishes his resourcefulness in times of crisis. He’s also pretty handy with explosives. Possibly as a result of his as-of-yet-unconfirmed military background, or possibly from some less legal experience.
Meanwhile, Emily unknowingly takes two imposter sheriffs to the Richmond ranch, placing herself and Bonnie in danger. The suspense built in these scenes was well done in writing, acting, and in the set up of shots. As someone with an interest in, and limited knowledge of ASL and Deaf culture, I really liked the use of sign language as a means of communication between Emily and Bonnie. I’m still not sure how I feel about the show’s portrayal of Bonnie as someone who is deaf, as they appear to have gone to great lengths to make her as much of a “hearie” as they can, with her ability to perfectly read lips and such. I’ll wait to cast judgement until I have seen more though.
As far as Emily and the rescue scene, it’s pretty clear that Jake still has some unresolved feelings for her, and that he did not just come to her rescue out of the motive of saving an innocent townsperson. Let’s be real. That whole scene was laced with sexual tension. Tension which is further complicated by Heather’s obvious attempts at flirting with him. Forget the impending radiation, now is the perfect time to focus your energy on getting Jake’s attention. It’s a TV world. You can’t have a drama show without the inclusion of a love triangle.
I’m getting the feeling that the show is establishing Robert Hawkins as the information specialist of the town. He seems to be the one most in tune with the goings on outside of Jericho, and the one in charge of radio contact. However, I get the feeling that there may be something sinister in his nature. He has a family of his own to take care of, and I believe he will stop at nothing to protect them, even if that means endangering other townspeople. Although I got the feeling by the end that maybe his hiding the information about which cities had been hit was more a way of preventing further chaos. I’m not sure. I haven’t quite figured him out yet. In other stories, Dale Turner also bonds with Skylar over lost parents. As if the Jake/Heather/Emily love story wasn’t enough, it would appear that there’s another romance being thrown into the mix.
Overall, again, just as with the pilot, the episode was really solid. They built suspense really well, and each small plot element was captivating in its own way. I think there are definitely a few new questions to be explored in the next episode. Did the people in the mine survive the blast? How will Emily deal with having killed someone? What is next for Jericho’s survival story? What is really going on in the rest of the country, as we see more and more cities being hit? I’m looking forward to the next episode.
Best Moment:
-Jake’s rescue of Emily and Bonnie. Captivating end to some pretty intense scenes.
Best Quote:
Heather: Hey, where'd you learn how to do that?
Jake: Knew a guy once.
Heather: Did you blow him up?
Fallout is a pretty apt name for the follow up to this show’s pilot episode. I mean, what else could they really address after the nuclear narrative they established in the pilot.
Everyone is is being warned to take shelter, as radiation is on its way to the town. Jake’s brother, Eric, heads to the bar to urge people to head for town hall. He also appears to have a romantic interest in the bar’s owner, Mary. Jake is helping to move everyone in the hospital to an underground shelter, but there is no air. His plan to use the salt mines once again establishes his resourcefulness in times of crisis. He’s also pretty handy with explosives. Possibly as a result of his as-of-yet-unconfirmed military background, or possibly from some less legal experience.
Meanwhile, Emily unknowingly takes two imposter sheriffs to the Richmond ranch, placing herself and Bonnie in danger. The suspense built in these scenes was well done in writing, acting, and in the set up of shots. As someone with an interest in, and limited knowledge of ASL and Deaf culture, I really liked the use of sign language as a means of communication between Emily and Bonnie. I’m still not sure how I feel about the show’s portrayal of Bonnie as someone who is deaf, as they appear to have gone to great lengths to make her as much of a “hearie” as they can, with her ability to perfectly read lips and such. I’ll wait to cast judgement until I have seen more though.
As far as Emily and the rescue scene, it’s pretty clear that Jake still has some unresolved feelings for her, and that he did not just come to her rescue out of the motive of saving an innocent townsperson. Let’s be real. That whole scene was laced with sexual tension. Tension which is further complicated by Heather’s obvious attempts at flirting with him. Forget the impending radiation, now is the perfect time to focus your energy on getting Jake’s attention. It’s a TV world. You can’t have a drama show without the inclusion of a love triangle.
I’m getting the feeling that the show is establishing Robert Hawkins as the information specialist of the town. He seems to be the one most in tune with the goings on outside of Jericho, and the one in charge of radio contact. However, I get the feeling that there may be something sinister in his nature. He has a family of his own to take care of, and I believe he will stop at nothing to protect them, even if that means endangering other townspeople. Although I got the feeling by the end that maybe his hiding the information about which cities had been hit was more a way of preventing further chaos. I’m not sure. I haven’t quite figured him out yet. In other stories, Dale Turner also bonds with Skylar over lost parents. As if the Jake/Heather/Emily love story wasn’t enough, it would appear that there’s another romance being thrown into the mix.
Overall, again, just as with the pilot, the episode was really solid. They built suspense really well, and each small plot element was captivating in its own way. I think there are definitely a few new questions to be explored in the next episode. Did the people in the mine survive the blast? How will Emily deal with having killed someone? What is next for Jericho’s survival story? What is really going on in the rest of the country, as we see more and more cities being hit? I’m looking forward to the next episode.
Best Moment:
-Jake’s rescue of Emily and Bonnie. Captivating end to some pretty intense scenes.
Best Quote:
Heather: Hey, where'd you learn how to do that?
Jake: Knew a guy once.
Heather: Did you blow him up?