Martin Carr reviews the sixth episode of Preacher season 2…
Discharging firearms into willing patrons, before superheating your Onken with smouldering shotgun shells passes the time. Throw in debates on soap operas before seguing into Love Island rip-offs, while chowing on canned cream coated pancakes and we find ourselves are in Preacher territory once again.
Being tracked by an ungodly presence in need of a shave there is something refreshing in listening to Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy talk across tables. Intercut that with comic book carnage, ritualistic decapitation and flying cadavers and everything suddenly gets a darkly comedic edge. Laced with satirically relevant barbs and classic film homage Preacher has provided us with another stone cold classic in ‘Sokosha’. However that it veers into the realm of the existential was only a matter of time, as questions over humanity and ideas of consciousness are touched on.
What ‘Sokosha’ has made apparent is how deep Preacher really could be in addressing issues of meaning, relevance and motivation concerning the human condition. Beyond its razor-sharp dialogue, expert editing, dead on casting and darkly satirical slant Goldberg, Rogen and Catlin have bigger fish to fry. There are inferences that a soul is linked intrinsically to consciousness, while your soul is not defined as merely you looking out from within, but that memory, recognition, personality and every other facet comes from a deeper source. In terms of social commentary it resonates throughout this episode and demonstrates how adult Preacher really is beyond the brash bravado. However these showrunners are interested in more than just addressing a theological or philosophical point, they want this to bleed into character as well.
It is used to illustrate the darkness within our Preacher and thereby the darkness in us all when faced with life threatening choices. With The Saint of Killers revealed as being something close to human once upon a time we are then complicit in choices made by Jesse from then on. In a hugely inventive approach to exposition we get all the back story and one memorable film nod through location and music cue. That this approach then segues into the impact of commercialised humanity in a test tube, gives you an indication of the originality behind both comic book and adaptation.
Making sure to counterbalance all the highbrow stuff with sizeable quantities of claret, dismemberment and decent one liners, Preacher continues striking a good balance between grown up entertainment and puerile adolescent shock tactics. Like Disney Pixar minus the child friendly logo, family orientated themes or need for veiled adult humour. Preacher seeks to provide enlightenment without excuses or a need for repentance.
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Originally published July 26, 2017. Updated November 29, 2022.
