There’s a lot of emotion in Jericho this week, my friends.
First off, Emily’s originally-scheduled wedding day has rolled around, and she finally begins to deal with the realization that her fiancee is almost certainly dead, thanks to a combination of flashbacks and dream sequences. It’s pretty funny that Heather decides to help Emily get through the day by getting her rip-roaring drunk. That’s right, kids, because everyone knows that alcohol isn’t a depressant. Oh, wait, yes, it is. Whoopsie! Sorry, Heather, could we see your college diploma? I’m beginning to wonder if you really have a degree in education. I like the character of Dr. Dhuwalia, by the way; hopefully, we’ll see more of him as the series progresses.
It’s revealed that April is pregnant, which is a damned convenient piece of plotting, but rather than take the easy way out, she doesn’t reveal the information to Eric when he finally…FINALLY…admits that he’s in love with Bartender Mary and that their marriage is over as far as he’s concerned. Of course, Mrs. Green – Eric’s mom – is ready to kick her son’s ass over his announcement, and she guarantees April that she can stay at the Green’s house for as long as she wants.
Eric’s lost jacket comes back to bite him in the ass, just as we knew it would, even if they hadn’t tacked on that scene at the end of last week’s episode to confirm it. The mercernaries, claiming to be under government orders, show up with the intent of storming into Jericho, taking everything they need, and leaving…but nobody in town is having any of that. The issue, however, is that some folks want to blow up the major bridge in town, and some don’t, and it’s a major dividing line…and what a shock, the line goes right between Eric and Jake. I so didn’t see that coming! (I can never remember; does my sarcasm translate well in these blogs?) Stanley stays consistently belligerent when it’s suggested that he do the smart thing, and it’s no shock that Gray Anderson once again attempts…and, from what I saw, fails…to make a political power play against the mayor, who’s finally back in good health and ready to party. The showdown on the bridge between the townsfolk and the mercernaries is nice and tense; you never believe that Jake is ever gonna blow up the bridge, of course, but as the scene plays out, you’re never entirely sure that someone isn’t gonna get shot. And someone does, thanks to Mr. Robert Hawkins. Nice shootin’, Tex!
This was a really solid episode all around, deftly blending action sequences with the more subtle emotional drama of other storylines; even the sentimentality is handled nicely, without ever getting too schmaltzy. The writers and producers of “Jericho” finally seem to have a handle on the show. Of course, they’ve gotten that handle just in time for the 3-month hiatus. After next’s week’s sort-of season finale – which, by the way, I’m annoyed about, and I steadfastly refuse to accept the network’s attempts to lessen the impact of this break by referring to a “fall season” and a “spring season” – let’s hope the show stays at the level of this week’s episode. Given the comment in the preview for next week that a cast member will die, it sounds like a very real possibility.
