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TV Media Weekly | June 24 - 30, 2017 By Kyla Brewer TV Media T here is no such thing as typ- ical television anymore. While traditional dramas and sitcoms are still key landmarks on the prime-time landscape, the rise of cable giants has produced TV series that push boundaries in ways network shows cannot. One of those boundary-pushing series is AMC's "Preacher," and it returns with a two-night event be- ginning Sunday, June 25, and con- tinuing Monday, June 26, on AMC. Dominic Cooper ("Captain Ameri- ca: The First Avenger," 2011) stars as West Texas preacher Jesse Custer, who's on a mission to find God — literally — in the drama, which has garnered a reputation for its stunning visuals, offbeat comedy and thrilling horror. Based on the '90s DC Vergito comicbook series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, "Preacher" was created by Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up," 2007), Sam Catlin ("Breaking Bad") and Evan Goldberg ("Su- perbad," 2007), and picked up by AMC in September 2015. Its 10-episode first season premiered in May 2016 and proved so popu- lar that an expanded 13-episode second season was announced before the end of June that year. AMC executive Charlie Collier had high praise for the series when the renewal was an- nounced: "What Sam, Seth, Evan and the entire creative team have achieved in bringing Garth Ennis' graphic novel to the screen is extraordinary," Collier said. "We look forward to more time with these unforgettable characters, be it in heaven, hell, Texas or beyond." In the series, a disillusioned Custer has been possessed by a mysterious entity known as Gene- sis, which gives him the power to compel others to do exactly what he wants. Known as "the Word of God," the power forces listeners to obey Custer's commands, so long as they can hear and under- stand them. Armed with the Word and deadly hand-to-hand combat skills thanks to his sordid and vio- lent past, the preacher sets out to find God and make him answer for his actions. The entity Genesis is apparently the product of a union between an angel and a demon, giving it elements of both good and evil. This season, "Preacher" fol- lows Custer as he embarks on an epic road trip with his allies, who include Tulip O'Hare, played by Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga ("Loving," 2016). A fan fa- vorite, Tulip is Custer's gun-toting, highly capable ex-girlfriend. Custer's best friend is a charis- matic Irish vampire named Cassi- dy, portrayed by English actor Jo- seph Gilgun ("Misfits"). Ian Col- letti ("Jimmy," 2013) also returns as Eugene Root, a young man with a disfigured face. Through- out season 1, and presumably season 2, Custer and his friends must elude a bounty hunter with god-like powers known as The Saint of Killers (Graham McTav- ish, "Outlander"). Trailers for season 2 have fans excited about catching a glimpse of Herr Starr, a villainous character from the comics who works for The Grail, a sinister organization out to get Custer. However, pro- ducers have been keeping mum about who will play this season's big bad. With a large portion of the regular cast wiped out by the end of last season thanks to a massive explosion that destroyed Annville, Texas, there are several new cast members hopping on board for season 2. The general consensus among fans and critics is that actor Pip Torrens ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens," 2015) will play Herr Starr, but nothing official has been released to confirm the casting. Other new regular cast members include "Game of Thrones" alum Noah Taylor and Julie Ann Emery ("Fargo"). Also, Malcolm Barrett ("Timeless"), Ronald Guttman ("The Hunt for Red October," 1990) and Justin Prentice ("13 Reasons Why") have landed recur- ring roles in season 2. As with other comicbook adap- tations, "Preacher" has fans won- dering whether the TV show will follow the source material or devi- ate from it as other series such as "The Walking Dead" and "Game of Thrones" have done. As the group ventures further afield this season, it seems as if the show is about to take a cue from the com- ics, which were known for hop- ping around from place to place as Custer searched for God. This sea- son whisks viewers to New Or- leans and even Sin City as Custer continues his quest. He and his friends end up entangled in a bat- tle spanning heaven, hell and many points in between. New locations have the poten- tial to add even more thrills to a program that's already doing well. More than two million viewers tuned in to the pilot, and the dra- ma held fairly steady throughout its first season. AMC's latest comicbook adaptation was among the top cable dramas of 2016 — part of a list that included ratings juggernauts "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead" and "Fear the Walking Dead." Season 1 proved popular enough to spawn "Talking Preach- er," a live after-show hosted by Chris Hardwick, in which guests discuss the night's episode. View- ers can tune into "Talking Preach- er" immediately following each new episode. Highly praised for its visuals, "Preacher" has earned a number of industry accolades, including nominations for the American So- ciety of Cinematographers Awards and the Art Directors Guild Awards. The show is also up for a coveted Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Television Series, but fans will have to wait until the awards ceremony June 28 to find out if the quirky horror comedy-drama is a winner. In the meantime, don't miss the season premiere of "Preacher," airing Sunday and Monday, June 25 and 26, on AMC. Ruth Negga as seen in "Preacher" Praise prime time Gritty comicbook series 'Preacher' returns to AMC 2 | Cover story A/Grindstone Charlie's B/Norris Insurance 1 x 4" 455-2700 3833 S. LaFountain • Kokomo, IN 46902 www.norrisinsurance.com • Home • Auto • Business • Life Call for a FREE Quote! Serving You For Over 50 Years Bill Neher