Image via Complex Original
When AMC announced that they ordered a live-action adaptation of the Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s graphic novel Preacher to series, fans of the books and comic connoisseurs across the board rejoiced. The DC/Vertigo property had languished in development purgatory for years: Sam Mendes was initially tapped to direct a feature-length film for Columbia Pictures to no avail, and then HBO tried its hand at an episodic approach but couldn’t get past the larval stages of pre-production.
And with a story and characters so twisted, so violent, so blasphemous, so complexly structured, that should come as no surprise. Preacher weaves the tale of a small-town Texas preacher named Jesse Custer who, after being possessed by a supernatural entity that is equal parts divine and demonic, departs on a righteous road trip to track down God, who has abandoned heaven and humankind to hide out on Earth. With jumps in time, shifts in setting anywhere from Texas to Heaven, and encounters with tertiary characters ranging from the immortal to the incestuous, Preacher would require storytelling experts—prophets—with a vision so dark and comedic to finally bring the project to the screen.
Enter Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Longtime fans of the Preacher comics, the comedy gods hopped on board as executive producers to develop Preacher for AMC and inject the perfect dosage of fun and ferociousness into the series. And who better? The duo seem to be working out their personal beef with faith, god and the eternal afterlife in their movies in hilarious, crass, but always enlightened fashion. Their atheistic doubt is clear, but it never feels mean-spirited towards believers. Maybe Preacher is their final theology thesis in an unintended trilogy (This Is the End, Sausage Party, now this); their own version of Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto series, perhaps. Rogen and Goldberg also benefit from having writer/producer Sam Catlin in their corner, whose legacy at AMC includes elevating Breaking Bad to the pinnacle of prestige television. A perfect marriage in gallows’ humor, gory violence and great storytelling.
Now the stage is set for one devilish ride. But before Preacher airs this Sunday, May 22, let’s meet the principles involved. This is intended to be a spoiler-free guide for people coming into the show with no knowledge of the comics, and a heads up to what has changed from book to series for the avid Preacher reader.
Annville, Texas
Preacher's setting is just as much a character as the humans and sub-humans who inhabited it (cue eye-rolling here). Annville is the kind of backwoods, benighted place where people say things like, “This is just the slippery slope before we let humans marry animals” when activists force officials to change their culturally offensive hometown sports mascot (one that looks like it belongs to a certain Washington D.C. football team). It’s dusty, it’s pious, and it’s Texas in every sense of the word—“God and Country” is paramount. Big drinkers, big muscles, big bigotry, and small brains.
Fans of the comic will notice right away a major departure, and that is the continued existence of the Jesse’s parishioners. They are wiped out in first few pages of book once the power of Genesis causes the church to spontaneously combust. But in the early episodes of the series, Jesse not only overcomes his self-doubt, but becomes committed to a purpose: saving these poor souls. He wants to use his powers for good. We get to see Jesse interact intimately with the parish in a way that we didn’t in the comics, which really reinforces the human element of this supernatural horror story.
Jesse Custer
Our titular Preacher. Played by Dominic Cooper (Agent Carter), Jesse is a man of the Lord who’s wrestling with his own personal demons and a tormenting, traumatic past. He drinks hard and has his own doubts, but he possesses a moral fury that guides him to do good, even if his methods are unorthodox (an explosive bar room fight in the pilot will tell you everything you need to know about Jesse).
Once he becomes involuntarily inhabited by Genesis, the supernatural spawn of an Archangel and a Succubus, Jesse has one more literal demon to wrestle with, and an even bigger bone to pick with the God he’s dedicated his life to serving. God has bailed and is hiding out on Earth, fearing the power of a mere mortal who possesses the knowledge of all things Good and Evil. It’s up to Jesse to find Him, set the record straight, and mete out his own brand of justice—Texas-style.
Tulip O'Hare
Tulip O’Hare is Jesse’s badass ex-girlfriend with her own skeletons, played by the stunning Ruth Negga (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). While Tulip definitely gets to show off her toughness in the comics, a lot of the times she’s forced to play second fiddle to the boys having all the fun.
Not in Rogen & Goldberg’s Preacher. We are introduced to Tulip through one of the most exhilarating action sequences ever shot for TV where she —without giving away too much — single handedly takes out two thugs in a speeding vehicle and then disposes of a small army of well-armed men with some McGuyver-like ingenuity.
Tulip is a tough-talking, take-no-shit type of presence, but the one soft spot she has is for Jesse Custer, who she just can’t quit. Their sordid back-story is brought to light through a series of flashbacks that also add some character color and motivation that deviates slightly from the comics, but ties in nicely to the central drama in the present. They perfectly establish Tulip’s particular set of skills that Jesse will need in his mission to literally find God.
Cassidy
Played by Joseph Gilgun (Misfits), Cassidy is most likely to be a fan-favorite as the foul-mouth, nomadic Irish drunkard who also happens to be over 100 years old. That’s right; Cassidy is a vampiric type of fella whose thirst can be quenched with either a pint of brew or a pint of blood. In another welcome departure from the comic, we meet Cassidy through yet another propulsive set piece where he engages in some hand-to-hand combat with a group of religious zealot vampire hunters aboard a flying plane.
Cassidy is the smart-ass with the heart of gold who befriends Jesse in the aforementioned bar fight. He sets aside his nihilism when he sees the good in the Preacher. I mean, it wouldn’t be a Rogen/Goldberg production without an adorable bromance to root for at the center of the story, right?
Sheriff Root
Racist prick, neglectful father, crooked cop Sheriff Root is easily the least likeable character from the original comic, and that says a lot when we are dealing with a God who has abandoned his Children.
Root is established as a despicable cretin early on, with his retrograde politics and the verbal abuse he unleashes on his physically deformed son. He’s naturally suspicious of Jesse, and doesn’t take too kindly to his cheeky comments about Root’s good ol’ views of Annville. Let’s just say he’s watching the Preacher’s moves closely.
Fans of the comic will remember Sheriff Root getting a deliciously brutal comeuppance. I’ll just say this for those expecting a similar fate: You’ll have to wait to see if it’s even possible to film the physical version of “go fuck yourself” for basic cable.
Arseface
Arseface is the son of Sheriff Root whose face, well, looks like an arse. The disfiguration was caused by a failed suicide attempt—the boy tried to mimic his music idol Kurt Cobain after lifelong abuse by his father’s hand. Did I mention this was a very adult comic?
Having survived the shotgun blast to the chin, Arseface’s physical appearance frightens the narrow-minded citizens of Annville, but that doesn't damper his spirit one bit. He’s as upbeat, polite, and excited as ever for his new lease on life. He takes a liking to Jesse and begins to believe the Preacher has a life-changing gift.
If the series remains loyal at Arseface’s arc in the comics though, this relationship between him and Jesse will sour soon enough.
Fiore & Deblanc
So here's a long story short: Fiore and Deblanc are angels of the Adephi, the genteel, scientific Angels who sit to the left of God’s throne in Heaven. They counter the Seraphi, the bully warrior Angels who sit to God’s right. When God dips out, He leaves the Seraphi in charge of the Kingdom of Heaven and it all goes to hell. The Adephi want nothing more than to contain Genesis’ power and restore the balance and order.
Fiore & DeBlanc appear human when they arrive to Annville, passing as federal agents investigating an “escaped convict,” which I guess is technically true. They have a hilariously violent run-in with Cassidy, who is used to encounters with hunters of the supernatural.
But Fiore & DeBlanc couldn't give a shit about an Irish vampire; they’ve come to earth to make sure Genesis is not unleashed on mankind, and they need Jesse’s cooperation in extracting it.
Genesis
If you haven’t figured out through context clues above, here’s the boilerplate description of Genesis: This pulsating mass of supernatural power is the bi-product of Demon and Angel sex. It is all Good and all Evil, which means it could be more powerful than God himself. Maybe that’s why he’s so shook.
God
This fucking guy (who no, will not be played by Morgan Freeman). Always letting us down. Tune into see what happens when our boy Jesse finds where he’s been hiding out on humanity.
The beginning is nigh.