It is difficult to review Preacher. It is only because, in any given episode, a lot of things happen. Barring a cap episode or an episode focused on a particular character, there’s a lot of subjects to cover. To quote an example, in “The Lost Apostle,” every major character in Preacher is involved and active throughout the episode. Granted, some of the scenes are not complex, Hitler, and Starr are snacking and negotiating around a conference table—but it’s still a crucial subplot to ignore and has the potential to discuss, and figuring out what to talk about is a challenging task.
There’s something about the scenes in which Tulip and Cas are speeding around the deserted roads of the Australian Outback that gives the viewers very strong Mad Max vibes, and it had to be intentional on the part of director Jonathan Watson. Obviously, it’s not a Ford Falcon, but Tulip’s gorgeous 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle is more than a sufficient stand-in for Max Rockatansky’s 1973 Ford Falcon MFP Interceptor, due to its 350 cubic inch V-8 engine (which is a match for the Falcon’s 351 cubic inch Cleveland V-8)
And Preacher’s production crew clearly has a blast that screams of Mad Max. There are various shots, especially tracking shots in which Tulip outraces the camera car, that are exact pairs for Mad Max, and the vibe of the dingy Outback dinner in which Tulip and Cas have a conversation about their search for Jesse feels like something totally out of an Ozsplotation movie.
Of all the matches of characters on Preacher, and this episode is clearly divided into pairs, it’s the pairing of Tulip and Cassidy that peaks during the episode. Watching the two go on a rampage across Melbourne is just a treat to witness, considering the characters lean very hard into the Ugly American stereotype. Tulip’s reaction to not understanding the cops behind the desk at Melbourne’s police station is to speak out much louder and slower; Cas’s American dialect is bad—comes across repeatedly during the interaction the two have with Melbourne’s police commissioner.
The episode has a lot of flaws thereafter which include a few massive spoilers and hence won’t be part of the review. It’s questionable whether the directors can keep it going but going by the previous season, all we can do is hope.
