Preacher Review: El Valero (Season 1 Episode 8)

Out of all the episodes of Preacher we’ve had so far, “El Valero” might turn out to be the most important one.

Not only does it include Jesse’s defining moment, but it sets up the entire premise of the show in its usual fun way.

Preacher has always been a show that takes what would be a dull fight scene and turns it into something absurd that makes you laugh.

That happens to be the case here when Jessie shoots the dick off one of Odin’s men. You wouldn’t laugh if this was, say Game of Thrones. But the way it’s handled makes the situation ten times funnier.

Odin continues to be an interesting character. I did have an idea that Odin was serving God in his own way, but it turns out that he’s ‘serving the god of meat,’ whatever that is.

So it’s basically a struggle between two men who want to serve God in their own way. But this time, it’s Jesse’s faith that can’t match Odin’s. Jesse finally realizes that he can’t keep his powers.

Also, Genesis appears to be slowly driving Jesse crazy. He seems to be hallucinating about Eugene coming back from hell. Eugene happens to be a huge motivating factor in Jesse’s decision to make God accountable for his actions.

We all knew it was coming down to this, but it was only a matter of what would drive Jesse off the edge.

At this point, the Preacher has lost his faith. He blames God for Eugene, he blames God for losing his church, he blames God for Genesis, and he blames God for his father’s death.

His father plays an interesting role in Odin’s origin story. Odin seems to have been batshit crazy since his family’s death, but I’m guessing it was the former Preacher that really made him go over the edge.

I’m not sure what I expected, but Fiore and DeBlanc aren’t willing to help Jesse out with Eugene’s situation. Being an important character, we’re sure to see him return at some point. Right now, we do have the hallucinated Eugene to keep us company.

With only two episodes to go, we’re getting closer and closer to the imminent beginning of Jesse’s quest to find God and make him accountable for his actions.

The Preacher may have gotten himself arrested but it’s only a matter of time before Odin hits the critical mass of craziness and Jesse has to bring him down.

Stray Observations:

• You gotta hand it to Donny. Making himself deaf just so he can take on Jesse has gotta be a bold (and painful)move.
• Jesse’s had a troubled childhood but watching Odin hold up the intestines of his daughter and a cow must have been especially disturbing.
• “Food court! Food court!” Best war cry ever.
• “Now, I don’t want to you feel like you’re human shields, but let’s not mince words: You are human, and you’re gonna be acting as shields of sorts.”
• “You dug out of Hell with your hands?” “It’s not that far.” Hallucinated Eugene is Eugene after all.

What did you think of this episode of Preacher? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Preacher airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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