I’ve found my new TV addiction, Jericho. Something had to take over the void left when NBC cancelled last season’s best newcomer, Surface. I may be one of the few people in the country who was legitimately excited for Jericho. I even had the full page ad stuck to my fridge door.
True, the apocalyptic show had some ”oh no, not this again” moments. (And I don’t mean the ”oops, atomic bombs have just gone off in Denver, Atlanta, and maybe everywhere else” moments.) I mean the clichés — the missing school bus full of kids, a bus full of convicts, a semi-riot at the local gas station, and an emergency tracheotomy done with straws (ok, so that part wasn’t cliché).
But those are trivial and every show has them. What’ll inspire me to keep me coming back is the intensely written story and expertly picked soundtrack. (The first episode featured songs by The Killers, The Goo Goo Dolls and Snow Patrol.) And I’ll be honest, I’m stoked that Pamela Reed (Arnold Schwarzenegger’s partner in Kindergarten Cop) is in the show, as Skeet Ulrich’s mom. I love her.
What did you think of Jericho? And which fall show is most likely to inspire you to keep watching?
I liked what I saw. Unfortunatly, the show was not closed captioned! *insert frowning face*
I don’t think it was as well written as Studio 60, which is my favorite new show thus far. But the premise and Skeet Ulrich (not tomention the astounding number of character actors on) are enough to keep me watching, so long as the clichés don’t get out of hand.
This looks interesting, but Kidnapped seem to be a lot more impressive. I just hope that each season is focused on a kidnapping because if this is just a show based on one kidnapped teen, it is going to look real stupid.
This is the best line in the whole blog…
I’m stoked that Pamela Reed (Arnold Schwarzenegger’s partner in Kindergarten Cop) is in the show, as Skeet Ulrich’s mom. I love her.
ME TOO! And I love Kindergarten Cop. Oh the days when Arnold was cool.
I’m so glad you brought up Pamela Reed and her role in “Kindergarten Cop”. Her being in “Jericho” is the main reason I tried it out last night, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I missed parts of the episode, but am interested enough to check it out again next week.
Thoroughly enjoyed it….reminded me of Invasion.
Even though it did have some problems (like the ones mentioned in the post) I really liked Jericho and will keep watching.
I liked it – I know many people have it pegged to be one of the first shows cancelled but I have high hopes for it.
The convicts were a bit much – but the trache thing was cool. I thought Skeet and the casting was great – keeping my fingers crossed for a Delta Burke guest role since her real life hsband is on it.
*Note to self carry around juice boxes in case of nuclear attack.
I was too busy watching America’s Next Top Model.
Top Model will always get my top priority, but if CBS keeps offering shows for free on innertube, I will totally try to make time for this one. I’m going to watch it this weekend.
However, the mention that Surface was the best show of last year has me questioning the recommendation.
I dug the storyline but also had beef with all the cliches. And for real, what’s up with pop culture making every Black black some sort of enigmatic superperson? Lost did that with Mr Eko, Eureka did the same thing with the mechanic, as did Bagger Vance, the Matrix with Morpheus, Jeepers Creepers with the psychic black lady, Ghost with Whoopi Goldberg, The Punisher with the Voodoo man who clearly was NOT Puerto Rican (even though that part of the film took place in Puerto Rico), the list goes on. I also took issue with the loner with the dark past of Mr Ulrich’s character. It’s a little overplayed.
That said, Jericho’s officially on my tivo list with Smith, so there’s at least two new additions. But I am holding out hope for the new seasons of Galactica and LOST for my serial action drama fix.
OK, color me this about the criticisms:
1. How is the school bus full of missing children a “cliché”?? Where, specifically, have we seen this so many times that it’s a cliche?
2. Semi-riot at the gas station: We’ve seen stuff like this quite a lot, but the WAY this semi-riot was handled was anything BUT a cliche. The folks “rioting” acually knew each other and were acting out of anger and confusion, not mindless violence.
3. Emergency tracheotomy: Seen this done on a few shows (including the brilliant 24, if I’m not mistaken). Why ISN’T this a cliché again?
4. “….atomic bombs have just gone off in Denver, Atlanta….”: again, maybe I haven’t been watching enough tv or movies, how does this qualify as a cliché given that the premise of the show is built on the mystery of what happened in the outside world?
Some of this knee-jerk “cliché” criticism seems a lot like when people says such nonsense about 24 when a character has met his/her apparent demise, “You know So-and-So could be alive because you never know with this show,” when in fact very, very few people on 24 who are dead ever “come back to life.” In the same way, I think what we’ve seen on Jericho is appropriate for the series and how it’s been set up.
I didn’t know that the show wasn’t closed-captioned, but the ironic thing about it not being closed-captioned is that the show actually has a deaf character. Oops.
If I have to candid… I wanted it to be darker (nuke holocaust-pretty bleak; nukes + convicts- bleak; nukes + convicts + Major dad popping rioters heads off-sinister)…Kudos on the mix tape soundtrack, but the orchestral swell when McCraney delivers his triumphant, we-shall-overcome monologue was just the onions on top of the philly steak cheesiness…great concept…waiting for the payoff
A blatant rip-off of the “Lost” pilot episode! I was very disappointed by the lack of originality. Check it out:
-A disaster isolates a diverse group of people with plenty of redemptive potential. (Lost’s island = Jericho’s small town).
-A washed-up hero archetype comes to the rescue! (Lost’s Mathew Fox = Jericho’s Skeet Ulrich).
-A recorder message provides a clue to the mysteries ahead (Lost’s intercepted radio transmission = Jericho’s ridiculously-timed answering machine message).
-Handcuffs and escaped convicts, oh my! (Lost’s Air Marshal/Kate = Jericho’s silly escaped prisoners twist).
-Another emergency tracheotomy? Seriously? (Jack to Boone: “Find me a pen! I need a pen!” = Skeet to bad-acting boy: “Do you have a pen?” “I have a pencil…”)
-The regurgitated “We need to band together” speech. (Lost’s Jack = Jericho’s Mayor)
-And, finally, the hilariously ripped-off closing line meant to send chills down your spine. (Lost’s Charlie: “Guys…Where are we?” = Jericho’s blond chick: “What is happening?”)
The only difference here is the quality in writing — where Lost is the obvious victor. Puh-leeeeease tell me I’m not the only one who immediately noticed these flagrant similarites???