The first season of AMC’s Preacher got us familiar with the former criminal/current man of the cloth Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper) as he struggled to make a life for himself with his congregation in Annville, Texas. For the second season, Jesse is hitting the road along with his on again/off again partner Tulip (Ruth Negga) and Cassidy (Joe Gilgun), a hard-drinking vampire. Their mission? Burn asphalt, find God, and steer clear of the hot-in-pursuit Saint of Killers (Graham McTavish) in the process.
To help water your anticipation for the second season of Preacher, here’s a look at just a few of the reasons why you’d want to leave the world in ash and ride shotgun with Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy.
They’re Not Going To Bullsh*t You
Trust is a big part of the bond that has to be forged when you’re looking to share some windshield time. The last thing you need beside you is someone who is going to bullsh*t you. Jesse may have a checkered past (to say the least), but it’s clear that he’s a man of his word, or at least he tries damn hard to be one.
Sure, he might not fit the mold of the kind of guy you’re used to seeing deliver a sermon on Sunday mornings thanks to his slept under a pew and seen-sh*t attitude, but he’s damn sure a guy with clear conviction who did his best to look out for his congregation — while he could, at least. And he’s be damn sure to do right by you if you were sidekicking it.
They Like To Blow Sh*t Up
Not to make light of the fact that the entire town of Annville is wiped off the map by the end of Preacher’s first season, but explosions are a little bit of a second nature to Jesse and company. When we first meet Tulip, she whips up a gun (that’s capable of taking out a helicopter) out of nothing more than some common household items.
When you’re the road, you’re going to contend with a lot of boredom. Nothing can help brighten up that monotony more than the occasional explosion. Once Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy leave the smoldering hole in the ground that used to be Annville in their rearview mirror, the good times are just getting started.
After all, keeping things lit doesn’t just mean a Dexy’s Midnight Runners cassette tape cued up. This is the kind of fam that takes that literally.
They Know How To Party
If you’re going to be trapped in a car with someone for hours on end, it’s good to know that they like to loose control and wreck sh*t sometimes. All three share this trait, but none more than Cassidy, who’s been partying hard for the better part of his 119 years. He prefers a good single malt scotch over the taste of blood any day of the week and will tell you (over and over again) about the time he shotgunned an eight-pack of Red Bull to wash down some angel dust while gearing up to see Justin Bieber break hearts and expand minds on stage. Now that is someone who knows how to really get weird.
They Can Take Care Of A Car
To state the obvious, you can’t have a road trip if you’ve got nothing to drive, and all it takes is a flat tire or busted fan belt to stop a road trip dead in its tracks for hours, if not days. Luckily, Tulip not only has her beloved 1972 Chevelle Sedan, but she’s got the know-how to make sure the wheels don’t fall off and the engine doesn’t fall out.
Let’s not forget that Tulip also has the will and tude to keep everyone else in check when they’re about to do something that could endanger the all-important ride, also. Chalk it up to her love for the car, but also, try to explain how a shotgun blast cracked your axel to your average mechanic and see how willing they are to take your business.
They Won’t Take Any Sh*t
When we first meet Jesse, he’s approached by a young boy (Thomas Barbusca) who tells him that his father is hurting his mother. He asks Jesse to intervene, knowing that he “used to hurt people.” Even though Jesse tells him that violence just leads to more violence, he agrees to help him out, and before long takes down the boy’s father (Derek Wilson) in a bar fight, along with his Confederate-costumed cohorts.
Even though it lands Jesse behind bars, it allows him to get better acquainted with Cassidy, neither of whom are strangers to the inside of a jail cell. Throw in the outspoken firebrand Tulip, and you’ve got a group that refuses to do anything but live life on their own terms. Time to pack up your sunglasses and hit the road, come hell or high water. One of which is already hot on their trail.
They’re Good At Getting Out Of Trouble
Everyone likes a little bit of trouble now and again, but if you don’t do it the right way, you could get the wrong kind of attention. And nothing will stop a road trip dead in its tracks quicker than the law. Even though the Preacher crew each has their, let’s say, unique way of evading trouble, they’re not all ideal. Jesse, for one, is still figuring out how to control Genesis, which can go haywire at a moment’s notice. Whereas Cassidy has to be careful to not spark the interest of any vampire-hunting vigilantes.
For a more subtle approach to getting out of trouble, there’s Tulip’s tried-and-true yarn about her post-traumatic stress to keep the authorities at arm’s length. Sure, it’s morally dubious, but the alternative is a detour to a local jail cell instead of adding miles to the odometer.
They’ve Got A Destination In Mind
It’s important to note here that a destination doesn’t necessarily mean a place on a map you can put a pin in or circle with a pen. For Jesse, that destination is to find God, and he’s willing to stop at nothing until he reaches his goal. While there’s a certain romantic notion of jumping into a car with nowhere specific to go, let’s be realistic: that would get old real fast.
Obviously, a road trip’s more about the journey than the destination, but unless you have a place to go, grinding gears on the highway until your tires go bald wouldn’t make for the best time. Even with Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy in the car with you. Fortunately, that’s not the case here.
It’ll Be A Pants-Sh*ttingly Exciting Ride
Car chases, shootouts, a mythical quest to find God, roadside diners, and all with the wildest company imaginable? C’mon, who wouldn’t want to ride shotgun with these three? Just make sure you stop and get some french fries on your way out of town. No one likes to hit the road hungry, and you never know when the next place’ll pop up.
Watch the Preacher Season 2 Premiere here now. Don’t miss new episodes, Mondays at 9/8c on AMC
