Something useful

Wow.

Just wow.

What still, I am convinced, could have been a daring, dark show examining the human condition has become even more entrenched in the land of maudlin excess, limp tension, and special effects circa the mid-1980s.

To wit, the mayor's office appears empty. "Aha, " think I, "she's going to see a hand sticking out from behind the desk." Dum dum dum dum dum - she does! The mayor is in trouble!

To wit, high school reject shows sincere interest in the welfare of snotty, pretty girl. "Aha," think I, "she'll see the error of her ways and immediately defy every hormonal and societal combination of influences in her pubescent body!" Dum dum dum dum dum - she does! Could this be love?

To wit, pretty woman has gun trained on bad guy holding friend hostage. "Aha," think I, "where is the second bad guy? Why, I bet he's going to sneak up and try to shoot her but then Skeet Ulrich will arrive just in time and shoot him right as he pulls the trigger and everyone will be about to wet themselves until they breathe a big sigh of relief amen and hallelujah!" Indeed, he did and Skeet did and some older couples whose brains are a little slower these days breathed a sigh of relief (although the one dude in Depends wet himself, just a piddle).

The only slightly touching part of the entire show was the red pushpins in the map at the end - and even that wasn't unexpected. The good stickpeople of Jericho may not yet be on life support, but don't be surprised if this series soon is.