Jericho: The First Season

Review By: Rocco Passafuime
RoccoPassafuime@TheCinemaSource.com

In the last few years, network TV, mired in competition to compete with not only its cable counterpart, but the internet and multimedia, has created greater latitude of creativity and opportunity for TV series that may have not normally been given a second look. One such series to benefit is CBS’s drama Jericho.

The series ended up nearly being cancelled by the end of its first season, as ratings were less than stellar. However, the emergence of a cult following, which petitioned for the series to at least conclude, gave Jericho a second wind very few network TV series in the last 20 years have been able to achieve. Now, the entire rocky first season is available to own on DVD

Jake Green (Skeet Ulrich) returns to the small, rural town of Jericho in Kansas to visit his family, who include his mother Gail (Pamela Reed) and his younger brother Eric (Kenneth Mitchell). Upon arrival, he butts heads with his father Johnston (Gerald McRainey), who is also mayor of the town, and storms out prematurely.

However, Jake soon has a brush with death as his witnessing of a mushroom cloud in causes him to injure himself in a car crash. Upon coming back, he finds himself helping to protect what is left of Jericho as the townspeople must deal with the isolation and chaotic aftermath of a devastating nuclear catastrophe, as well as mystery surrounding the town’s newest resident Robert Hawkins (Lennie James).

Jericho is very different from your average TV drama or thriller. The plot is incredibly intriguing, particularly with the pilot episode, and manages to be an incredibly powerful metaphor for the aftermath of cataclysmic events like 9/11 and Hurricane. It’s particularly fantastic at showing the changes that emerge from such catastrophes, including positive ones such as heroism and teamwork to negative ones such as government impotence and corruption, paranoia, distrust, and division.

However, while it has a considerably fantastic cast and the story manages to be thoughtful and intriguing, it doesn’t necessarily work as an open-ended-length TV drama. This is particularly problematic midway through the season as the story becomes weighed down by plenty of filler, particularly the romantic subplots, which feel tacked on.

The DVD quality of the episodes is in the 1:78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of the original high-definition TV broadcasts, with the sound quality of the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.

There are also some minor editing changes and changes to the soundtrack in this DVD set, but whatever changes have occurred seem to be limited and subtle. The DVD is also packed with plenty of special features.

The first feature is audio commentaries on five of the episodes. Both the pilot episode and “Fallout” feature executive producers John Turteltaub and Carol Barbee.

The episode “Rogue River” features Turteltaub and actor Skeet Ulrich. The episode “Red Flag” features Barbee and actor Lennie James.

And finally, the episode “Vox Populi” features Ulrich, James, and Barbee. Each of the commentaries included are fairly effective as ...