Two goddamn weeks we waited and well, we get a LOT more questions than answers on this week’s Preacher. Rogen and company seem to be fans of the slow burn and while we get a few pops this week, that fuse is still long as fuck.

That’s not to say ‘See’ doesn’t provide a great ride to those questions, but I can clearly see folks who haven’t read the comics may get that little scratching frustration at the back of their neck.

Ignore it. Onward!

So we open on…wait. What the hell is this? This an episode of Hell on Wheels? Why is there a cowboy? 1881? Does anyone even watch Hell on Wheels?

An aside—non-comic readers go away a second…

They gone?

HOLY FUCK OHMYGODMHMYGODMHMYGOD WE’RE ALREADY GETTING THE STORY OF YOU-KNOW-WHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem…anyway.

So, 1881. Gruff-looking son of a bitch needs to get medicine for his daughter. He’s not too talkative and seems pretty damn weary. I’m guessing having to go to a town called Ratwater and being greeted with a hanging tree—with appropriate ‘ornaments’—can do that to a guy. More to come from this guy soon and let me tell you; it’s going to be insane.

Back to present day and our man Jesse’s full tilt into being a man of God. This means outdoor baths for everyone! Jesse’s hell-bent on getting his town cleansed of their sins and making his church something special again, though it doesn’t seem as if Tulip or Cassidy necessarily believe him and the rest of the townsfolk may not either.

In the meantime, Cassidy’s gonna Cassidy and is trying to get a line on some cash and a means out of town. He’s also stealing communion wine—classy. Bright side: Cassidy meets Eugene and gets the ball rolling on branding the poor bastard by his true name. Jesse asks Cass to tone it down though, telling him that he likes him being around. Seems like that’s something Cass doesn’t hear. Jesse doesn’t seem to notice that he’s making a friend of the Irish bastard.

That’s okay, though, because one parishioner believes in Jesse and wants to bear his soul. He believes in in Jesse so much, he takes him aside for confession; though, you know, because it’s confidential and stuff. Also because he’s a creepy pedophile.

Jesse’s clearly unnerved and all that peace and love shit nearly goes out the window, but he finds his balance and makes this nimrod assure him it’s just feeling and nothing to ever, ever, EVER act out on. The scumbag ‘agrees’ and goes back to being the town school bus driver…

Aw crap.

Elsewhere, we meet a little man by the name of Odin Quincannon. He’s busy tearing down a house and being EXTRA creepy about his business. Looks like Jesse’s victim, Donny, from last week works for him and his arm is in pretty rough shape—and clearly his ego is still much bruised. Quincannon’s looking like he may be quite the presence very soon, but not today.

Back to Jesse handing out fliers and asking for suggestions at the supermarket. He spots Pedo-Pete’s school bus and that anger bubbles up. Too bad Tulip passes by—steering wheel stolen from Jesse’s car—and needles him a little. Looks like she even did him the favor of taping that wheel to the top of a street light. That may take him a while to get back.

And clearly it does, as Jesse arrives back to the church just in time for ‘dinner’ with Cass. Drunk heart to hearts always help and both men bare a little of their souls to one another. We get some hints as to how Jesse knows how to fight and Cass seems defensive about a Grandmother Jesse thinks he made up.

Then, Cassidy drops the bomb: he’s a 119 year-old vampire on the run from a religious order of vampire killers. Also, he hates The Big Lebowski (what the fuck, Cass? I thought I knew you).  Jesse laughs it off, steals Cass’ small bottle of homemade drink, and promptly passes out. I have a feeling Jesse will look back on that moment and feel very, very stupid by next episode—and it won’t be because Cass stole his wallet and truck.

Oh hey, back to those weirdos from last episode and their location-appropriate fashion. Seems they’re ‘ready’ for something. They leave their hotel with a big chest and head on over to the church where they find Jesse fast asleep—interesting little moment where we get to see Genesis too.

The men prep and place Jesse on, a mat, put together a very archaic looking machine, and place a coffee can on his chest. Then one of them sings ‘Wynken, Blynken, and Nod’ with a terrifying musical accompaniment.  The song does nothing and while one notes it doesn’t make sense; his partner decides to go with Plan B: a chainsaw.

Well, sure, if that works.

Thankfully, Cass comes to the rescue. He’s figuring these guys are part of the religious order chasing him. He speechifies and gets interrupted with a Colt round to the gut. Then begins what may be one of the most violent fights I’ve ever seen on TV. It’s a marvel to behold. Bibles, teeth, and chainsaws; folks. Truly glorious stuff. Cass kills our mysterious attackers and figures that chainsaw may be damn helpful in sorting out the bodies, but first; a little blood to get those wounds healed up. Of course, the sun keeps him from finishing up everything. At least he mopped the floors!

And by the way, great camerawork during this scene. What a fun and frenetic fight.

Meanwhile, at a whorehouse, Tulip plays cards and pisses folks off. She gets a call from a Danny about that map from last week. Curious indeed!

Jesse gets his ass kicked awake by his organist. She hates Cassidy or something (honestly, not loving these newer characters). She hands Jesse a casserole for his visit to the Loaches, a family with a daughter in a coma thanks to having an impressively dented head. Apparently, she can still hear. Jesse and the girl’s mother have a long talk and it’s looking like Mom’s just about spent of fucks to give. Jesse gives her his high and mighty spiel and she is not having it. Lot of foreshadowing here.

And again Jesse sees that damn school bus.

Shame he gets interrupted with a Taser and abduction on the road when he makes a stop to inspect a package lying there.

Jesse wakes up in a basement chained to a bed. His captor appears in a freaky mask and pulls it away to reveal: Tulip.

I think I love this woman.

Tulip’s disappointed in Jesse’s lack of enthusiasm for her games and her insistence that he is not this man of God he’s claiming to be. She lets him know her little map is going to lead to a deal. She’s going to get information that Jesse may be very interested in. Jesse says he doesn’t give a shit, but Tulip doesn’t care. Her plan’s to wear him down and remind him of the bad ass motherfucker he’s always been. Tulip leaves Jesse and he finds out he wasn’t as trapped as he thought he was.

Back at the church, Jesse works on the ankle bracelet Tulip actually locked and Eugene comes a calling. The poor kid’s still having a massive crisis of conscience. Even Jesse’s baptism didn’t help him to feel better. The poor kid’s desperate to feel forgiven, as if he has purpose. Jesse tells him change needs to come from God. Eugene counters with the question of what if God wants him to be the person he always was.

Of course, this inspires Jesse to finally give in and pay the pedophile a visit. The plan: another baptism. This time, the water’s going to be a little bit more on the side of scalding. It takes a few tries, though, and Jesse’s anger seems to kick Genesis awake as that voice emerges from him and forces the man to forget about the little girl he’s obsessed with.

This time, Jesse sees this power in action and he runs off back to the Loach house, taps into Genesis again, and says, “Open your eyes…”

Oh yeah, and Cass buries those bodies under an incredibly familiar looking tree—sans Native American corpses. I’d imagine a little over a century would mean those went away. What’s stranger is Sheriff Root happens to be interrogating those two men in their hotel room.

Wait, what?

I have a pretty bad feeling about all of this.

Some quick thoughts:

• I think I see where some of these new pieces are going and let me tell you; Jesse and company are in for a hell of an awful time.
• Pay attention to Eugene. His arc feels like it will be much more of a parallel to Jesse’s than I initially thought. There’s really a lot of interesting writing going on there. Should be real heartbreaking if what I think happens does happen.
• 1881—god damn I am EXCITED

What did I love?

• Negga and Gilgun can do no wrong. Tulip is officially my favorite character. She’s bursting with life and is so much damn fun.
• That church fight was incredible. Hopes are high for some of the other insanity.
• Quincannon’s intro, while short, heavily alluded to some deeply disturbing shit to come. If they go there…holy hell…IF THEY GO THERE.

My biggest gripes?

• This episode definitely had some wheel spinning. I’m hoping we pick it up now.
• The new characters are still sort of awful. I honestly don’t give a good damn about a single one of them. I can’t even remember their names.

I know part of Jesse’ arc involves some navel gazing, but I’m sort of longing for the take charge motherfucker Jesse to finally show his face. Let’s get on with it!