Scott McPherson's Web Presence

After much anticipation, the inaugural season of the heralded post-nuke serial drama Jericho is available on region 1 (NTSC) DVD.

What, you say?  You never saw Jericho?  Now is your chance to play catch-up -- and you have almost an entire year to do so!  Just don't wait until then to buy the boxed set.  You can read the backstory on the television show and how its faithful followers brought it back from the dead here: http://www.scottmcpherson.net/journal/2007/7/2/jericho-returns-to-cbs-july-6th.html

Jericho, Kansas is a fictional town near the Colorado border.  Quickly it is caught in the crossfire of a terrorist act, as the terrorists detonate an uncertain number of nuclear bombs across America.  When the Denver nuke explodes, it plunges Jericho into a post-apocalyptic world of uncertainty, rumors, and forced self-reliance.  Where is the government?  What is happening in the adjacent towns?  Who bombed America?  How will they feed all of the townspeople in the winter?  How can they prevent lawlessness and chaos?  Who can they trust?  Who will step up and who will not?

Interspersed within this story are many intriguing subplots, some romantic, some involve deceit, infidelity, intrigue and possible treason, and some involving politics.  In other words, something for the entire family!  One continuing subplot involves the once-mayor, Johnston Greene, played in Emmy-caliber fashion by Gerald McRaney.  Greene has been defeated for re-election, partly because he is so focused on keeping the town together, he did not bother to campaign.  He also had a terrible bout with influenza during this critical post-nuke time, and almost died from the virus.  Thought I would throw that one in there for all us flubies!

The populist themes of his victorious opponent quickly give way to the grim realization that Greene has what it takes to lead and the new incumbent does not.  The new mayor then gives Greene authority to organize and train the Jericho townspeople to defend their territory against interlopers (rogue mercenary types with shadowy, Blackwater-esque tendencies) and, ultimately, against a rival town with a mad leader.

Which is where the first season ended:  With chaos, the fog of war, and the hint of some sort of New American intervention to stop the conflict before it gets any bloodier (see flag at left). 

To tell you any more would spoil the surprise!  And that surprise is how well the writers scripted, and well the actors played their roles, for this groundbreaking television show.   Jericho is a serious television program for anyone who enjoys good apocalyptic fiction, science fiction, or survivalist fiction.  Anyone in a post-9/11 world who speculates on what life would be like if "The Terrorists Win" should view this program.  Anyone who ever read Pat Frank's classic novel "Alas, Babylon" will flock to this show like crazy.  This show is also required viewing for anyone with a passion for emergency management and disaster preparedness.  In fact, one of the featurettes in the boxed set is titled "What If?" The featurette speculates on America's current ability (or lack thereof) to withstand and survive man-made or natural catastrophes. 

OK, here's the deal.  After bringing the show back from the dead (again read my earlier blog on how an Internet campaign brought back the show), CBS ordered up seven new episodes for the Summer of 2008.  CBS also threw down the gauntlet and said, "Show us the fan base is out there."   And CBS will order up more episodes, if they see boxed set sales doing well.  So this is your chance to view the phenomenon firsthand, and help bring back a show that we all can take notes from.