Preacher, AMC’s new series, airs tonight with an all new Sunday May 22, season 1 premiere called “Pilot,” and we have your weekly recap below. On tonight’s episode, in the series premiere, Jesse (Dominic Cooper) struggles to escape a past that is slowly catching up to him.
For those of you who don’t know, a possessed minister teams up with his ex and a hard-drinking Irish vampire in search of answers in this drama adaptation of the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon comic-book series of the same name.
On tonight’s episode as per the AMC synopsis, “in the series premiere, Jesse struggles to escape a past that is slowly catching up to him. Meanwhile, a mysterious entity comes to earth, leaving a wave of destruction in its wake.”
You aren’t going to want to miss any of the unfolding action tonight. We’ll be recapping the season 1 premiere right here for you at 10pm. In the meantime, hit up the comments and tell us what you’re expecting from Preacher.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
#Preacher series premiere starts with a caption Outer Space. A comet heads for Earth and we hear a baby crying. It heads for Africa. In Africa, a man is preaching in a church and the preacher says something is coming. He talks about Revelations and the white horse.
The congregation is all into it then something shoots into the church and strikes the preacher. He flies back. One of the congregation says it’s a miracle. A dog starts barking. The preacher stands and says be quiet and his voice roars with insane power.
Everyone falls silent, the dog too. He says I am the prophet, the chosen one then he explodes in a gush of blood that soaks the church. They all run out screaming. It’s chaos. The dark entity speeds out and the cross is knocked upside down.
In Texas, Jesse wakes from thinking about a promise he made to his dad as a kid. There are strange brand or burn marks on his back. He puts on a collar, grabs his wallet and walks out of the place. He goes to the church sign board that had letters rearranged to form dirty words.
He makes the All Saints sign read correctly then heads back to the church. Jesse preaches about Coach Tom Landry. No one pays any attention and some kids play video games. No one is into what he’s saying and he loses his place on the page. He’s got no preaching game.
Jesse says please stop messing with the song outside and the organ player interrupts him. Later, there’s a barbecue going and a kid sneaks a beer out of the cooler. Some redneck shoots a squirrel. Ted talks to Jesse about his TV schedule issues with his mom.
Jesse suggests he call her back after his shows are done. The kid hands Jesse the beer and says he doesn’t like his dad. He says he’s mean and Jesse sees the guy grabbing his arm hard. Jesse asks do you want me to talk to him and the kid says talking won’t work.
He asks Jesse to hurt him and he tells the kid it’s a sin. The kid says he sins worse and has it coming. The kid says people told him before he was a preacher, he did things. Jesse says bring me a beer and maybe I’ll do some things to your daddy.
He asks how hurt do you want him? How far should I go? One punch, two? He says if he hits him, his dad will fight back then his buddies will help out and he’ll have to defend himself and then it will escalate. He says violence makes violence.
He says he’ll help out and the kid asks how. Jesse says we’ll figure out something. The kid scoffs and walks away. The news talks about a new city mascot in Annville. A fight breaks out at the unveiling of the new mascot. Jesse watches frustrated then gets into his truck.
The sheriff walks over and tells Jesse that he told them changing the mascot would go over like cold shit on a biscuit. He says Eugene left him some messages. Jesse says he’ll call but the sheriff asks if he can swing by and Jesse says tomorrow.
Then he tells the sheriff that he heard about Donnie laying hands on his wife. The sheriff says if there’s a formal complaint, he can listen. Jesse says she’s probably too scared. Jesse says of course he doesn’t want to lose the squirrel murdering wife beating vote.
The sheriff says he was uneasy when he heard Jesse was coming back to town but is happy that he’s been quiet. On a private jet, Cassidy is snorting coke and partying with some rich guys. He talks about a night out partying where you need the Spanish word for “ass hamster.”
Cassidy goes to stink up the bathroom then notices a Bible stashed away near the air freshener. Crazy stuff is written it about wrath being love and pleasing him. He looks out the window and says why are we headed the wrong way on this flight?
He says what do I know, I’m a sh*t faced Irishman. Then he attacks a guy and it’s insane. One guy has a spear and another a crossbow. Another has an ax and Cassidy fights them all off. The pilot comes out and he murders him too – but it was all in self-defense.
A guy calls him an abomination and pours holy water on him. Cassidy rips the guy’s throat out with his teeth then drains one guy’s blood into a whiskey bottle. The plane is on fire so he opens the exit door, grabs an umbrella and jumps out 30,000 feet up.
Ted annoys Jesse at the diner and talks about how it’s not his fault his mom had a difficult birth and now has a colostomy bag. Emily the organist sits with Jesse and she tells him about a church with a Starbucks in the lobby. The Mayor, Miles, stops by and talks about the fracas last night.
Emily shoos him away and Jesse says her husband is dead three years and she might give the guy a chance. Back in Africa, a Jeep pulls up in the village and two white dudes get out dressed in khaki gear. They head inside the church looking serious.
Jesse goes to check on Walter who is asleep shirtless. Jesse sees a gun lying on the dresser and hears a woman singing in the shower. Jesse throws a shirt on him and walks out annoyed. He says thanks for the warning. The woman comes out of the bathroom and watches him drive away.
In Kansas, not that long ago, a car runs off the road and into the cornfield as a guy chokes Tulip who is driving and she tries to shoot him. A man tries to get a map from her and she tries to stab him. The car careens through the cornfield and the guy gets the knife.
Tulip fights him off and bites his ear and then we see there’s a guy in bad shape up front too. She gets control of the car and pulls it out of the cornfield then kicks the guy she was fighting in the crotch, stabs him in the face with an ear of corn and takes her map back.
Two kids are there and say that’s awesome. Tulip says it was a bad guy then asks if their parents are home. They tell her that their mom is dead and dad’s at work. Her phone alerts her to an incoming due in 23 minutes. She asks the kids if they like arts and crafts.
She says more bad guys are coming and she has them making coffee can bombs with moonshine. She starts ranting about bad men and how you need to track the guy down and eat him alive after he breaks your heart. She made a bazooka and says let’s play hide and go seek.
She hides them in the storm cellar and says don’t come out til the noise stops. They hear gunfire and explosions and dust sprinkles down on them. They hear a man begging then more gunfire. The door opens and they come out. A helicopter is down on their lawn.
They tell Tulip it’s awesome and she says sorry. They ask her name and she rattles off a long list of names then says her friends call her Tulip. The kids smile as she roars away in a car.
Jesse makes a promise to his dad in his dream then Jesse wakes in his truck and gets out. The vampire creature is in a crater and he’s in pieces – his entrails are all over. A cow stares at him and he says come give Cassidy a kiss. He drags it into the crater and the cow screams.
Jesse is making pleas for donations at a local business. He’s talking to Donnie’s wife Betsy at the cow butcher. He asks her if Donnie ever hurts her, would she come to him. She says he hurts her all the time and Jesse asks how he hurts her.
Betsy tells him that he beats her routinely and says just yesterday he scalded her with a tea kettle. He asks if she can tell the sheriff and she says she doesn’t want that. Jesse says he can help. Betsy says he doesn’t understand what’s going on with them.
Betsy says she likes it. Jesse asks what she means. She says she likes it when he hurts her. Jesse says no and she says she does. Jesse leans back away from her and we see the company sign says it’s a meat and power company – weird.
In Russia, there’s a crime scene and people are at a disaster at church. It looks like it was some sort of satanic church and the Magister went splat and his brains and guts were all over. Two men go into the church and close the doors which have a pentagram on them.
Tulip thanks Jesse for checking on Walter. She lights up and says let me tell you about this job. He says no more jobs but she says she has the map and that was the hard part. He asks if that’s an ear in her car. She says it’s just a little bit of her lunch from earlier (it’s an ear…).
He says let me guess, this is the job to end all jobs. She says he must miss it and he says he doesn’t. She asks how he likes being a preacher and says she heard he sucks at it. She asks why would he come back here and he says culture and cuisine.
She says he’s trying to fil his daddy’s shoes. She comments on his shorter hair and says she hates it. She says sorry and he responds in kind. She says she’s done crying about what they did and they are who they are. She says don’t waste time wishing we were different.
She says it’s easier since they still hate each other. She threatens him if he doesn’t do the job with her. Jesse says he doesn’t hate her and doesn’t know how to. She says she can teach him and he gets out of the car.
Jesse goes to the sheriff’s house and says he’s there for Eugene. He tries to talk to Mrs Root. Hugo fixes a shake of raw meat and tabasco and hands it to Jesse to take to Eugene and says it’s his dinner. Jesse goes upstairs and knocks on the door.
Eugene greets him – he has no lips and part of his jaw seems to be gone. He sips the meat shake and says he’s sorry he hasn’t been to church because his dad thinks he’d be a distraction. Jesse says come of you want to. Eugene says God doesn’t want him there.
He says God is mad at me because of what I did. Jesse says what he did was wrong but then asks if he’s sorry. Eugene says he’s so sorry and Jesse says then God forgives you. Eugene says God used to talk back when he prayed but now it’s real quiet.
Eugene asks if some things are so bad God can’t forgive them. Jesse says no, God will be there for you. He says God doesn’t hold grudges. He tells Eugene to get on his knees and listen hard, he’ll talk to you. The news reports that Tom Cruise spontaneously exploded while leading a Scientology service.
Jesse listens to the news at a bar while he drinks. The vampire Cassidy comes into the bar and orders a whiskey. He calls it rat water but drinks it anyway. Jesse looks at him and Cassidy belches. He slides down beside him and calls him Padre.
He asks Jesse where he is and he says a bar. Cassidy says the town. Jesse says he can’t understand anything he’s saying – his accent is thick. He walks away. Donnie comes into the bar dressed in his reenactment gear and punches him in the face.
He says how dare you talk to my wife and then punches him again. Cassidy calls a pal and says they keep finding me and I had to jump out of a plane. The man who he talks to says lay low and hangs up. Donnie says he heard he was tough but he’s not then says he’s got to whoop his son now too.
Jesse gets up and says don’t touch the by. Donnie says or what. Jesse asks him not to do this but Donnie pushes things. Donnie says what if I don’t listen and Jesse says he’d hear a noise, kind of a high pitched noise like a bunny in a bear trap.
Jesse says he’ll be making it. Donnie takes off his jacket and tells everyone he’s going to beat the shit out of the preacher. He tries but Jesse beats him severely. Then Donnie’s pals come at him and he smiles and keeps kicking butt.
He takes a couple of punches but takes them all down. He then goes to Donnie and grabs him by his hair and asks if he’s ready for the noise. The Sheriff is there and says that’s enough and Jesse says he’s almost done. He snaps Donnie’s arm and, sure enough, Donnie makes the noise that Jesse described.
Cassidy is in a jail cell with Jesse and asks what kind of preacher he is. Jesse says a bad one but Cassidy says as long as you don’t have your finger up a boy’s butt, you’re not a bad one. Jesse says she was right that he shouldn’t have come back here.
Cassidy asks why he’d come back to Annville, Texas and asks Jesse about himself. He says he came back because he made a promise that he broke 1000 times. He says promises matter and Cassidy says have you seen the news lately.
He says misery loves company and it’s hope that sets men at each other’s throats. Cassidy says he has no hope and that’s why life is fantastic. They tell Jesse his bail is up and he and Cassidy introduce themselves before he leaves.
Cassidy asks the cop if he has curtains for the windows since he’s a light sleeper. Emily picks Jesse up from the jail and he says he’s quitting. He says he’s done and he’ll announce it Sunday. Emily says okay. Jesse says he thought he could make it work but he is who he is.
Emily says guess so and Jesse says he appreciates all she’s done for him and the church. He gets out of her car and she says she won’t beg and try to talk him out of it. She says he was never really there so him leaving should make no difference.
He goes into his house. Her kids bicker over the iPad and she bashes it on the dash. Jesse gets a call from Ted who says his mom told him that his eczema is his own fault. Jesse says he can’t talk and hangs up on Ted because he hears banging at the church and a light flickering.
He goes to check it out. The lights won’t come on. He goes inside the sanctuary and sits down in a pew. He says Eugene was right, it’s quiet. He says one last time but this time I want an answer right now or that’s it and I’m done.
Jesse kneels and says God, please forgive me. He has tears in his eyes and sighs then says thought so. He sits back in the pew and lights a cigarette. He says you too. The door creaks open and he looks back. There’s a whooshing sound and the entity that’s been blowing up preachers comes inside.
It knocks pews out of the way as Jesse stands in shock watching. He hears the crying baby sound and then it rushes into his body.
Jesse thinks about the promise to his dad. His dad says we Custers don’t cry, we fight then young Jesse saw his dad shot in the head. Jesse wakes to Emily in his room and she says his fever was bad and says they were worried.
She says the guy moved into the church attic and moved in three days ago and fixed the air conditioning. Jesse he’s stunned he’s been out for three days. She says weren’t you going to make the announcement that you’re leaving.
She says sorry and he says okay and then asks if she put out the programs. She rushes out while he pulls on his pants. Ted runs up to him and Jesse says not now. Ted says his mom told him he smells like sweat all the time and rants about his mother.
Jesse tells Ted, be brave and tell her the truth and open his heart. Ted repeats his words back to him. Jesse hears strange noises and Ted marches off with determination. There’s a packed house in the church. There’s a girl playing Amazing Grace on an electric guitar and Tulip even shows up.
Cassidy sits up on the back pew as Jesse takes to the podium. He says no sermon today and you’re welcome for that. He says he’ll try not to punch anyone – he looks at Donnie. Jesse says someone asked why he came back to Annville and he didn’t have a good answer.
Jesse says he’s let them down week after week and has been just another man that hurts by not helping. Eugene and his parents are there. Jesse says he’s had to force himself to face them and has been a bad preacher and he’s sorry for that.
He says that doesn’t change anything and his shortcomings are not news to them. He says what is news that he decided that he can’t… then he stops and looks around. He says he can’t quit and then sighs. He says he’s been quitting on this church for too long and they deserve better.
He says they deserve a good preacher and that’s what they will get. He says he will fight like preachers have done since man fell to the serpent and will pray, offer peace, avenge the innocent, cool the wrathful, and welcome those who are lost.
We see Cassidy sitting in the shade and sticking his hand into the sun to watch it burn. Ted is on a flight to Sarasota to see his mom and confront her. He goes to the old folks home where she lives down in Florida. Ted sits down by his mother and says he’d appreciate if she would stop calling to criticize.
He tells her the truth and says he’s her only son and he’d appreciate some kindness. He says he has to open his heart to her. He pulls out a knife and stabs himself and then pulls out his heart and throws it on the table. She screams and it sounds like the baby crying.
Jesse says this is why I’ve come home – to save you. A guy sips his tea and winces because it’s thot. Then he eats the tea bag. The other guy comes up and says – it’s here. They are the ones that have been chasing the chaos at the churches all over the world.
They get out and look up the road at the All Saints church.
THE END!
