Jericho

What a nice lead in Big Brother was to Jericho, the Power of Veto challenge, power outage, Jericho..peanuts and then the end they were told something about the Hudson River Virus.

Of course we Jericho fans know what that's all about. I'm not sure how or if it relates to a puzzle on BB, but it was fun to see one show advertising for another.

I was starting to wonder what happened to Dale, but they finally showed us (or reminded us) that he was on a supply run but was stopped by the army and told to go back to a detour. Seeing the army with masks made him worry and he later found out that the Hudson River Virus had jumped the Mississippi. Dale was able to secure some vaccine to bring back to Jericho.

Where Goetz the evil Ravewood leader confiscates it all and has it sent to Cheyenne to be destroyed. He tells them because it could be contaminated. It seems Jennings and Rall (who employs Ravenwood) is not concerned about the virus nor do they care about the people of Jericho.

Jake, Eric and co. devise a plan of getting the confiscated vaccines back with the help of that nice blonde girl that works for Jennings and Rall. Seems that blonde girl isn't on board with some of the policies of Jennings and Rall, especially the doings of Ravenwood.

Jake was the first to get vaccinated, he questioned the DR, and the doctor simply said they need you.

There were two very touching scenes.

One with Bonnie and Stanley. Blond girl told Bonnie about the programs out there and that there were a lot of opportunities for Bonnie to help people. Stanely encourages Bonnie to go. But Bonnie says she doesn't feel right because he has sacrificed so much for her. I really didn't understand until that moment what their back ground really was. Their parents died in an accident when Bonnie was 4 years old (Stanley was away at college on a football scholarship) and he came back to raise her. I genuinely felt Stanley's love and pride for his sister in that moment. She agreed to go visit and see what was out there.

The other scene was with Heather and Major Beck (it appears I've missed his promotion because I could swear just last week he was only a colonel). Heather found out that this town she was in contact with received vaccines for the Hudson River virus and she just wanted to thank him. She told him she didn't think he cared, being that he was a military man. He said military men also have families. He tells her his wife was in Santa Fe when the bombs hit...he doesn't know what happened to her or where she is now, only that he hopes a major like him is taking good care of her, like he tries to take care of the people in his charge.

Also the Sheriff's deputy was released from the hospital and saw a wanted poster of Sarah. Beck noticed that the deputy was looking at the picture. He told Beck that Sarah was connected to Hawkins. Hawkins went to Beck and told him his cover story of being FBI and investigating Sarah and the terrorism. Hawkins told him that the very government he works for is working overtime to cover all this up...that's why Beck doesn't know about him and Sarah working for the government. Tells Beck to contact his boss, and ask if Sarah is government and if he says no then you know they are lying to you.

Which is exactly what happened. (Beck told Hawkins he was going to sit on this for a bit)

Meanwhile Hawkins found a fax with numbers and took it. Darcy says that they get them all the time and she just throws them out. Hawkins explains it was their way of contacting each other. Darcy asks who is trying to contact him. Hawkins decodes the numbers (it's a phone number) and says let's find out. It was a mysterious man and he told Hawkins he knew what he was doing and wants to help him.

My thoughts on this episode was that it is was just O.K. nothing stellar or suspenseful, I am resigning myself to the fact that this is it for Jericho. I'm really pissed that the writers messed this up. It's like they are not even trying. And for the love of Pete, someone take Skeet to a stylist and get rid of that mullet, STAT.

I am with you in that the writers are short changing us (and themselves) as this show limps to what will undoubtedly be a series finale in a few weeks. There are so many places that they went wrong along the way (matched with a few places where they went right.)

The original premise of Jericho was awesome and they had a world of directions to take this series. The problem in my opinion is that they went down the wrong path (by about episode 8) and were not able to return to the initial base story that drew me in to watch.

At first it had an almost Lost quality to the writing and they would show us an image and then harp up the scary music in the background. Bang! And I'd be floored. "OMG look at that jet liner in the highway. How creepy!"

Then they started with the "bad guys" branch of the story and thus began the fall. Sure, every show needs bad guys, but it is much more fun when you don't know how bad (or good) they are - i.e. Ben Linus. On Jericho they go way over the top with their bad guys and the acting is generally pathetic. Not to mention the show was supposed to be about post apocalyptic America but instead became a commentary on terrorism and fascism with a mixed bag of action.

I had no interest in the town versus town fighting (as they drug it out over 8 episodes at the end of last year) and this latest thread that we are following has an air of predictability to it and not much flare (or believability.)

I will watch Jericho to its conclusion, but it has become a 3rd option for me on Tuesday Nights after I watch everything else...