Preacher 2×3: Don’t Trust Becky With the Fake Hair

Not a lot happens in this episode of Preacher. At least, not to progress the overall arc. We still don’t know who Victor is or exactly what is happening with Eugene. There are now two entities on Jesse’s tail, one he assumes has been taken care of and the other he is unaware of. It feels like a lot of set up with few answers.

Speaking of Eugene, when last we saw him, he was either the projection of Jesse’s stunted conscience in the form of Eugene or Eugene’s astral projection from hell. In hell, Eugene relives the moments before he shot himself. This isn’t the story Jesse told Cassidy.

While Eugene did attempt suicide, he was not responsible for trying to kill Tracy Loach. She planned to kill herself rather than face the shame of the harsh high school rumor mill. Eugene managed to talk her out of it. He burned her suicide note. In retrospect, he should have kept that piece of exonerating evidence because Tracy does end up shooting herself. You decided to kiss the girl you liked when she was emotionally vulnerable and then she shot herself. Clearly, everyone here needs therapy. Though I’m not sure how much therapy will help when you think it’s a good idea to desperately try to stuff brain matter back into the hole in your friend’s head. This show doesn’t shy away from the gore. What I really want to know is how did two people manage to shoot themselves in the head and both live? Isn’t this gun country?

Our trio has arrived in New Orleans and — like 90% of TV shows or movies set there — they end up wandering around a street filled with drunk partiers at night. Jesse keeps asking people about God like he’s looking for a restaurant everyone should know about. In a hilariously weird turn, his question leads him to the back room of a club. Inside is a man in a dalmatian costume and another offering a tray of sex toys. This isn’t what Jesse meant by God, but how were the people at the club supposed to know that? Specificity, Jesse.

I’m more interested in Tulip’s plot than the search for God. Tulip has been unsettled since her meeting with Gary. It’s only increased as they arrived in the city. She takes off, Cassidy follows her leaving Jesse alone on his quest. Whoever Victor is, he’s obviously bad news. Cassidy takes them to stay at his French speaking friend Dennis’ house. Nonexistent isn’t the right word for their relationship. Maybe strained. Strange definitely fits.

Cassidy wants Tulip to confide in him — once you’ve helped someone dispose of a body, that’s a bond you can’t break — but she doesn’t. She can’t seem to confide in Jesse either, though she tries. All these secrets aren’t good for you, Tulip. Open communication is important in a relationship especially when you’re being stalked by a mysterious and dangerous man.

On a random note, I appreciate Cassidy in his butterfly and flower covered shirt. Last episode he had cut off jeans over sweats. His wardrobe seems to be one part Goodwill and two parts unsupervised charity clothing bins. The costume designers must have fun with this character.

Jesse meets a possible lead, a lounge singer. She agrees to meet him but is abducted by men in white suits and white balaclavas. I always wonder why people who engage in the kidnapping and possibly killing trades wear white. Not only are blood stains an obvious tell, it’s never coming out. Jesse quickly takes care of them, physically this time. Jesse and the singer go back to her apartment. She comes onto him to provoke him to use Genesis. Of course he does. Jesse can’t pass up the opportunity to use Genesis. Guess who’s coming soon? Jesse is going to wish it’s Omar. Jesse ends up putting her and her kid in a cab headed for somewhere safe.

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All of this caution wasn’t necessary. The singer isn’t an innocent person caught up in this mess. She’s working with the guys in the white van to get info on Jesse. As a criminal, aren’t you supposed to have some kind of shady person spider sense? Maybe Jesse’s is blocked because he’s so focused on his mission. He missed this and he’s missing that there is something very wrong with Tulip.

Tulip, who has been walking around in a hoodie and big coat, ducking into alleys when dark cars pass by and generally looking like she’s waiting for someone to pluck her off the street, decides to go on a walk. This can’t end well.

The first two episodes of this season have been filled with an unstoppable cowboy from hell and people dying in increasingly gruesome ways. Despite that, the most suspenseful scene for me was watching Tulip put coin after coin in a cigarette machine. The camera is focused on her face. She knows something is about to happen and she can’t run from it. In the blurry background, people go about their business in the laundromat. It should be normal but you can feel the tension rising. Then men walk in, ordering everyone else to leave. Tulip is still feeding coins into the machine as the men surround her. It’s time for her reunion with Victor. Kudos to Ruth Negga for selling the horror of this moment with her subtle expressions.