AMC’s Preacher
Season 3, Episode 2: “Sonsabitches”
Directed by Michael Slovis
Written by Sara Goodman

* For a recap & review of the Season 3 premiere, “Angelville” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Gonna Hurt” – click here
At Angelville High, young Jesse Custer (Will Kindrachuk) gets a visit from one of his teachers who’s got troubles with a girl he’s fooled around with and wants to keep things quiet. So, he’s trying to get Madam L’Angell (Betty Buckley) to work her magic. That comes with a cost, of course. We see where Jesse got his start as a hustler, selling the services of his Gran’ma to anyone who needed them.
Things worked out after the spell was cast. Except the teacher started missing payments, which wasn’t good. This put the guy in a bad spot, as young Jesse, TC (Colin Cunningham), and Jody (Jeremy Childs) had to take violent measures. And what happens when people don’t pay Madam L’Angell? She doesn’t pull out your fingernails, she’ll “pull out your goddamn soul.” That’s how she’s managed to look the same age for decades.
Let’s jump to India, at Krishna HQ. A familiar face has arrived— Herr Starr (Pip Torrens). Hmm. This ought to be interesting, to see what he’s up to on his travels. I’d also like to know where he is in the trajectory of his plans to replace the current drooling Messiah with our preacher.
Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) welcomes Tulip O’Hare (Ruth Negga) back to the land of the living, still harbouring resentment for Jesse (Dominic Cooper). It’s an awkward, weird love triangle that’s funny and uncomfortable to watch. The vamp can’t let go. Neither can the two admit to Tulip what’s gone on between them, either. They’re all just thinking about what’s next. Jesse has to do a few things before they can up and leave Angelville. Meanwhile, Cassidy and Tulip want to get back at those from the Grail.
They don’t realise Jesse’s having trouble with his former powers. Genesis has all but disappeared. So, he’s calling the Grail trying to find Starr, who’s busy gunning down a bunch of Hare Krishna worshippers in the Krishna HQ temple. The preacher says the “Messiah‘s ready.” Problem for Jesse is, Madam L’Angell feels she’s owed souls. She wants the preacher to begin making up for lost time. He’s locked back into a contract with her for having her save Tulip. Sort of keeps him from leaving right away.
At the same time, Tulip’s trying to gain her bearings again after getting shot up. People keep asking her about what it was like to die and “come back.” She doesn’t tell anyone of seeing God in the dog fetish gear in her vision. She still hasn’t reconciled it all with herself. Soon enough, Tulip comes face to face with Grail operative Lara Featherstone (Julie Ann Emery), whom she kicks the shit out of, and so it seems they don’t need to rush from Angelville quite yet. She gets her hands on F.J. Hoover (Malcolm Barrett), too.

“‘Till the end of the world”

The preacher, Jody, the vampire, and Tulip prepare to kill the two Grail operatives. Looks like they might put them through a meat grinder. Only Hoover slips off, running through the swamp. Everybody scrambles. But, see, it’s Jesse who let the man go. He does the same for Lara, needing her to bring a message back to Starr. AND TULIP CATCHES HIM DOING IT! Jesus. On top of that, Gran’ma and Jody suspect he’s up to no good. What a mess. The preacher explains himself to Tulip and the vamp, that he’s only doing it to get the power of Genesis back. Promising they’ll “go and kill some people” after that— everybody, to be exact.
The Boyd family have found out Jesse is back in town. After Jesse sent the vamp and Tulip to set off a bomb. The Boys have turned up to deliver a “voodoo telegram” to make clear they’re not messing around. Cassidy fires off a grenade to turn the heat up. Thus begins a gunfight.
Simultaneously, Herr Starr gets there for a chat with Jesse. The man understands because a Grail operative was responsible for killing Tulip, before her resurrection, the preacher may be angry. Despite that, he gives over some of the soul they sucked out of Jesse. Just like that, Jesse has the power of Genesis again. That’s actually not true: it was a “genetically modified placebo.” Tricky. Following that they have a truthful chat. Starr requires him to become the Messiah, then he’ll have Genesis.
Appears that God didn’t just come to Tulip in a vision, he’s commanding her. At least to a degree. Before Jesse can get his soul + Genesis, he’s caught in the middle of gunfire from Tulip trying to kill Starr. This puts Jesse in a real bad spot with Starr. There’s also Gran’ma, starting to discover the preacher’s been playing her. Oh, my. Bad things are swirling around his head. It’s all bound to get twisted up horribly, sooner than later.
We get a glimpse of what’s sure to be more sinister shit around Angelville, as Jesse prepares to get back to work for Madam L’Angell, like he’s a boy all over again. We see the former science teacher from years before still locked away down in the bowels of that plantation. So fucking creepy.
Fantastic. Season 3 of Preacher is off to such an excellent start, it’s beginning to look like my favourite yet. Lots of great character building and development, as well as plenty of natural drama that never feels forced. It always feels like the plot of Preacher is spontaneously erupting out of nowhere, and it’s so refreshing. “Gonna Hurt” is next time.