Saturday, October 24, 2009

Special Announcement

The first issue of the Jericho Season 3 - Civil War comic will be available on November 27th.

From the Devil's Due Newsletter:
The time is almost here! Jericho: Civil War: Season Three is wrapping completion, now in the final coloring / design stages and heading to the printer very soon.

Originally scheduled for late October, production has taken longer than planned, as extra care is being taken to work closely with the television series producers, and to handle the project with the care it deserves. Look for an excellerated schedule between issues 2 and 3. We know you've waited patiently and thank you for your support!

If you haven't already, call your local retailer and reserve your copy today, or order the whole series here.

Friday, October 16, 2009

October Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, buyer beware, and be sure to leave before nightfall!

Jericho Season 3 Issue 1

October 28th is the tentative release date of the first issue of the Jericho Season 3 - Civil War comic by Devil's Due Publishing. There will be three covers of this issue.



The first cover is the special preview cover. It is priced at $9.99













This is cover A, regular length. It is priced at $3.99.













This is cover B, regular length. It is priced at $3.99.








Per the DDP website, the first issue continues where Season 2 cliffhanger ended! Jake Green and Robert Hawkins are in the safe haven of Texas with the last remaining warhead from the devastating attack on America. As the Cheyenne army bears down on them, they must decide whether to side with a mysterious figure, possibly their former enemy, to fight an even greater one...

Check out the official website

You can order the comic now direct from the Devil's Due Publishing or via your local comic shop.

Reviews:

JERICHO Rises in Season 3 Comic


'Jericho Season 3, Civil War' off to an explosive start

Comic Book Review: Jericho Season 3 #1

Comic Review- Jericho Season 3 Issue #1 (Video Review)

Questions:
Where is the bomb?
How did the attack get through Texas airspace?
Who made the mysterious phone call?
Who was the mystery man smoking a cigarette and is he still alive?

Friday, September 18, 2009

September Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

We're back, after a one month vacation, and in this issue we will go over all the ways to order the Jericho Season 3 - Civil War Comic from Devils Due Publishing (DDP).

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, buyer beware, and be sure to leave before nightfall!

HOW TO ORDER THE JERICHO COMIC

The smash hit TV series returns with the original series writers! Continues where Season 2 cliffhanger ended! There will be six issues of Jericho Season 3 – Civil War. Each issue will have two covers - Cover A and Cover B. One cover will be a drawing and one will be a photo.

There is a special preview being released with issue one -PX - Special Preview is $9.99.

Please order the comic now, since the pre-order sales determine how many are actually printed of each issue.

1. Via Your local Comic Shop
You can contact your local comic ship: http://www.comicshoplocator.com/

Type in your zip code and find your local comic shop. Contact your local shop and ask them to pre-order the Jericho comic from DDP.

2. Order Direct from the Publisher

You can also order direct from DDP: Six Issue Subscription

There is also a five issue subscription, if you’ve already bought issue #1. The ashcan (collector’s preview) and the special preview are all available via this link: All Jericho Items

3. International Orders
International fans should try Forbidden Planet This link will have the current issues for sale.

If you wish to advance order the other issues go to the home page and click on “Advance Order”, then click on DDP’s icon (red circle with helmeted red-eyed devil).

Come back next month, as we take a look at the further adventures of Jake and Hawkins in issue one of the Jericho Season 3 comic.

Friday, July 17, 2009

July Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

In this issue, we will look at why we react so strongly to the post-apocalyptic story.

Operation Blackjack was a slide show story in the UK Telegraph that caused widespread panic among it’s readers. The story caught my attention because it was based partly on the Jericho story.

The strip started by showing a date in the future “June 20 . . . 2PM” and the following message: “MI5 REPORT WARNS GOVERNMENT OF IMMINENT TERORIST ATTACK …”.

The story added:
“…a coalition of home-grown-grown extremists, Islamists and Christian Doomsday Cultists may have acquired the means to carry out a mass-casualty attack …”

“such a strike may take the form of a biological, chemical or even nuclear attack in one of the main population centers…”

“…human intelligence indicates that this group is ready to strike at any time …”

Further in to the story you get this photo, showing London undergoing a nuclear explosion:



All slides had this notice beneath them: “The events portrayed in this slide show are entirely fictitious”.

The Jericho story and Operation Blackjack warn of a possible near future. These types of stories, where the alternate future has a starting point in contemporary times, often reflect society’s fears.

Heather Urbanski states:

“The tension between our cultural excitement for change and our concurrent fear of it often expresses itself in cautionary tales that reflect the nightmares the Unknown can cause. These stories, it is important to note, do not simply express the fear, nor do they admonish us for it. Instead, they attempt to warn about the possible nightmares that encounters with the Unknown might generate, in an attempt to prepare us for just such situations.”

Since the 9/11 attacks, our society has been inundated with warnings of future attacks. The warnings in the press, the government bulletins, and the changes in airline travel. In California, I’ve seen bridges closed, public facilities canceling events (Ranch Seco, a park around a dismantled nuclear power plant, often has to close if the warning level goes up), and the closing of many public bathrooms (like at the BART stations).

The website Transparency has many essays on speculative fiction. One states:

"Into these worlds, which are our own and not our own, post-apocalyptic fiction places one or a handful of main characters whose job it is to experience the pageant of the future, confront its demons, and often undergo an ethical transformation and bring about a new world. These characters escape from and destroy oppressive dictators or machines that control human life; they go on journeys to find better ways of life; and they found new societies in which civilization will get a second chance. Their role is often to fight so that humanity will have a second chance, and to manifest ethical qualities that demonstrate it deserves a second chance.

As we observe them in our role as the audience (or reader), our identification with their struggle puts us in touch with our own ability to think and care about the fate of the human race. Similarly, as we are drawn into their battle, we get a sense of what it would be like to sacrifice for this very large goal and all-encompassing value, the human prospect. This not only puts us in touch with our better selves, it gives us a sense that our location in the unfolding of events might not be so inconsequential after all. It tells us that we can change our own world-turned-upside-down, the way they try to change the one they are in, to prevent a world like theirs from developing."

As we study what the authors of speculative fiction are trying to show us, we realize why the stories we study are so important to us. The message these stories tell us, that we can change the world, is so powerful that we feel the need to move from the role of TV fan into a larger role of advocator for a better future.

This also explains why the stories are so popular and taken so seriously. The Operation Blackjack story also has Easter Egg websites that had to be found and identified. One of those hidden website got five million viewers. Just imagine how many viewers actually saw the slide show if the hidden website got five million views.

Not only was Operation Blackjack widely popular, but unless you saw the hidden website with a countdown clock ending in 2010, you assumed the attack would be in six months (the slide show began in January depicting attacks in June). The closer it got to June the faster the story flew in the on-line realms. It was actually hard to keep up with all that was written and beyond the scope of this essay.

Before the attack date, depicted in Operation Blackjack, the author came forward and confessed that it was a fictional story expressing his political views. It was reported there had been calls to Homeland Security in the US, the MI5 in England, the author’s identity had been hacked and he was receiving harassing messages.

Feel free to post how these stories affected you and what your learned from them.

Resources:

UK Telegraph:

Operation Blackjack Part 1

Operation Blackjack Part 2

Operation Blackjack Part 3

Operation Blackjack Part 4

Operation Blackjack Part 5

Urbanski, Heather. Plagues, Apocalypses and Bug-Eyed Monsters, How Speculative Fiction Shows Us Our Nightmares. McFarland & Company Inc., 2007, page 145.

Sanes, Ken. Post-Apocalyptic Fiction: Holocaust as Metaphor from Transparency.

Friday, June 19, 2009

June Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

Since The CW has finished it’s encore run Jericho on Sundays at 7/6c, Blackjack Fairgrounds finishes our review series with "Reviews/Musings for Season 2, Episodes 1-7".

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, buyer beware, and be sure to leave before nightfall!


Episode 2.01 - Reconstruction
When the Cheyenne government puts an end to the battle between Jericho and New Bern, Major Beck (guest star Esai Morales) leads the reconstruction efforts to restore Jericho’s power and communication with the outside world. Steve Boyum directed the episode written by Carol Barbee & Jonathan E. Steinberg. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Carl of iF Magazine

Margie & Edna’s Take from Beth and Jane, guesting on Remote Access.


Episode 2.02 - Condor

Jake (Skeet Ulrich) helps Major Beck (guest star Esai Morales) prepare for a special visitor from the Cheyenne government, while Hawkins (Lennie James) continues to work with Chavez (Chris Kramer) to uncover the secrets of this new regime. Chris Leitch directed the episode written by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Will of Premium Hollywood.

Episode Crossword


Episode 2.03 - Jennings and Rall

When Jake (Skeet Ulrich) discovers that the government official who is supposed to protect them is actually withholding a vaccine for the Hudson River virus, he and the Rangers take their survival into their own hands. John Peters directed the episode written by Joy Gregory. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Kystorms of TV @ It’s Finest.

Trivia/Quotes


Episode 2.04 - Oversight
Hawkins (Lennie James) receives another call from his mysterious new contact, John Smith, who continues to know his every move, and who informs Hawkins that he is one day away from being caught by Major Beck (Esai Morales). Steve Gomer directed the episode written by Robert Levine. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Tory of IGN.

Episode Crossword


Episode 2.05 - Termination for Cause

Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and the Rangers square off in a battle for survival against Goetz (recurring guest star D.B. Sweeney) and Ravenwood (Link Baker), while one of the Rangers takes a course of action that will alter his life forever. Rob Fresco wrote the episode directed by Guy Bee. (Summary from The CW website.)

Recap
by Derek of Starpulse

Trivia/Quotes


Episode 2.06 - Sedition
Following the Rangers' decision to take justice into their own hands, Major Beck (Esai Morales) goes to extreme measures to prove he's in complete control of the town, while Hawkins (Lennie James) receives a call from Chavez (Chris Kramer) telling him that it's time to transport the bomb. Carol Barbee, Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia wrote the episode directed by Scott Peters. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Amy of Remote Access.

Episode Crossword



Episode 2.07 - Patriots and Tyrants
Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Hawkins (Lennie James) have one final opportunity to prove to the independent Texas government that they hold the evidence to one of the biggest conspiracies in history, but first they'll have to get past the Cheyenne government. Jonathan E. Steinberg & Dan Shotz wrote the episode directed by Seith Mann. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Raoul of Windows Live, TV Filter

Trivia/Quotes


The theme of the July Edition will be a review of the new Jericho-like Alternate Reality Game, Operation Blackjack.

Friday, May 15, 2009

May Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

Since The CW is currently airing Jericho on Sundays at 7/6c, Blackjack Fairgrounds has decided to do a series of reviews/musings of the episodes. This edition has "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 17-22".

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, and be sure to leave before nightfall!


Episode 1.17 - One Man’s Terrorist
With no end in sight to the long, hard winter that Jericho has been experiencing, Gray (Michael Gaston) determines that the refugees have become a problem, taking valuable supplies that the citizens of Jericho need. Roger (Christopher Wiehl) goes off the deep end trying to remedy the situation and Jake (Skeet Ulrich) ends up acting as a hostage negotiator when Roger holds Gray captive. Christine Moore directed the episode written by Stephen Chbosky & Mike Ostrowski. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Angela of Popsyndicate.

Character recap by Lana of Tublar.


Episode 1.18 – A.K.A.
Faced with the possibility that Hawkins (Lennie James) is a terrorist, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) confronts Hawkins at gunpoint about the attacks and we learn Hawkins' true back story. Gail (Pamela Reed) and Johnston (Gerald McRaney) both try to come to terms with April's (Darby Stanchfield) death in their own ways. Sandy Bookstaver directed the episode written by Robbie Thompson. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Stephen of Mania.

Episode Crossword



Episode 1.19 – Casus Belli
When Eric (Kenneth Mitchell) doesn't return from New Bern with the other men, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) senses something is wrong and uncovers what their neighbors secretly have in store for the citizens of Jericho. Steven DePaul directed the episode written by Karen Hall. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Paul of TV Squad.

Trivia/Quotes


Episode 1.20 – One If By Land
The tension between Jericho and the neighboring town of New Bern escalates when several people are shot and injured while trying to steal from Jericho's salt mine. Seith Mann directed the episode written by Joy Gregory. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Erika on Remote Access.

Episode Crossword


Episode 1.21 – Coalition of the Willing
When the town of New Bern begins bombing the streets of Jericho with mortars, Mayor Gray Anderson (Michael Gaston) is faced with the decision to fight their formidable opponents or surrender in order to save lives. Guy Bee directed the episode written by Frank Military and Josh Schaer. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Jason of IGN.

Character Recap by Lana of Tublar.


Episode 1.22 – Why We Fight
Johnston (Gerald McRaney) leads a heavily outnumbered army of citizens from Jericho into battle against New Bern, where one of Jericho’s own will be lost during this fight for survival. Sanford Bookstaver directed the episode written by Carol Barbee and Jonathan E. Steinberg. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Mel from Buddy TV.

Trivia/Quotes

The theme of the June Edition is "Reviews/Musings for second season Episodes 1-7". If you've written a review of any of those episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is June 5th.

Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Special Edition

Parallels between ‘Jericho’ and ‘M*A*SH*’ by Captain Video

I would like to devote my standard digression to Ratkeeper and my fellow rangers, my people call them freedom farmers, for their intense support during my tenure as the “TV on DVD” Examiner for what turned out to be the interim government at Examiner.com. This support was particularly strong and especially appreciated when that relationship ended last Friday. A future entry will discuss the “Jericho” elements of this separation.

In related news, I am pleased to announce that I will be reviewing DVD sets of TV shows for http://www.tvparty.com. The liberal editorial policy of this site will also allow to me write general articles about “Jericho” and other great shows. My essay last week on the specific elements that make “Jericho” so special prompted a conversation with Ratkeeper regarding how the “Jericho” characters had special characteristics that were comparable to the characters on other shows; she made an insightful comparison to Kirk and the boys on the original “Star Trek.”

I agreed with Ratkeeper but found what I considered to be an even more fitting parallel while speaking with another friend. We were discussing 1970s shows that were very good but lacked compelling characters and other shows from that era in which we came to care about the characters. I mentioned “M*A*S*H*” as such a show and as one of the last in which I both eagerly awaited the series finale and cared about the fates of the characters.

This conversation combined with my exchange with Ratkeeper prompted thoughts about the similarities between “Jericho” and “M*A*S*H*.” At the outset, they were both low-rated shows on CBS during their first seasons; of course, CBS gave “M*A*S*H*” a chance to develop an audience.

The shows are also set in highly stressful wars and have characters who responded to this much better than I know that I would. I recall specifically that a special on “M*A*S*H*” commented that even Klinger, who cross-dressed in an effort to get discharged from the army, worked hard and well when duty called. I think that any of the “Jericho” men would look better in a dress than the extraordinarily hirsute Jamie Farr.

Many parallels also exist between characters on the two shows. In the interest of not turning this essay into a novella, I will limit my thoughts to the “big three.”

Jake has many similarities with Hawkeye that extend well beyond the scruffy look. Both characters are the de facto leaders of their groups and inspire tremendous loyalty despite being the equivalent of middle managers. They also never hesitate to speak up or literally put themselves on the firing line despite the consequences of their actions.

Stanley’s counter-part is B.J. Hunicutt, who was the second character that filled the role of Hawkeye’s sidekick. Both characters started out as clean-cut “aw, shucks” innocent types and changed in response to being thrust in a war. At the same time, their essence remained unchanged.

Dale and “M*A*S*H*” company clerk Radar are another obvious pair. They were far younger and much more naïve than Stanley and B.J. when they were thrust into war, and the maturity that their circumstances caused was much more noticeable. They also seemed to be more abandoned than the other characters and still had the role of kids despite their active involvement in the war-related efforts. Finally, both of these characters were the scavengers of the group.

I do hope that we are spared the pain of after “Jericho” in which characters are roadies for the rock band “Eric and the Raiders.” This would be worse than no new “Jericho’ content at all.

Thank you for this forum, which has also provided a valued outlet for my “Jericho” thoughts, and for indulging me as well by providing an opportunity to continue inviting folks to share comments as e-mail to:
tvdvdguy@gmail.com.

Captain Video (AKA John Stahl)

Friday, April 3, 2009

April Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

This will be a special edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds featuring Jericho articles from John Stahl (AKA Captain Video) We will return to our episode reviews in May.

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, and be sure to leave before nightfall!

Why ‘Jericho’ is special by Captain Video (AKA John Stahl)

Before sharing my thoughts regarding why “Jericho” is special, I would like to thank Ratkeeper and my other fellow rangers for their patience during this inexcusable gap between these essays. My duties as the TV on DVD Examiner for Examiner.com and other writing projects have made it difficult for “Captain Video” to contribute anything to this great forum lately.

Several rangers with whom I have corresponded have expressed that they shared my sense that “Jericho” is an exceptional program but cannot understand exactly why that is so. One answer came to me during my annual “thaw-out” trip to visit a friend in Florida last month.

My insight hit me while watching “American Idol.” I had never watched that show before but agreed to sit through “Michael Jackson night” because my friend followed the competition.

My comments started along the lines of “Appearing tonight on the Lido Deck,” but I was annoyed that the judges were not saying anything that I did not observe myself. I also became angry during the propaganda videos that appeared before each performance.

I truly did not care if someone began performing for relatives at an early age and did sympathize genuinely with the contestant who is raising a small child alone and the one who had a brother die recently of cancer. However, all of that is irrelevant regarding the singing ability of each contestant.

This reminded me of a camp counselor telling me more than 30 years ago that she did not watch television because the people that she knew were more interesting than those who were on television. I would say that this is true of the majority of modern television programs, but that I would love to have a beer with most of the “Jericho” characters and that this group has more “goodness” in them than a large portion of the population in which I would place myself.

These characters simply have the unusual mix of having personalities with which the average person can relate and responding to a crisis in an admirable way. This is similar to the technique of legendary suspense film director Alfred Hitchcock, who would purposefully bring the danger into a familiar settings that included a motel and a big city apartment. Further, his heroes would respond admirably to these perils in ways that most of us would not.

As a case in point, Johnston Green became the ad hoc leader of the town after losing the mayoral candidate and sacrificed his life defending it. I suspect that many of us would have retreated to our homes and let the town suffer the consequences of choosing another candidate.

Our recent presidents are a good example of this. Most of them are either not very active or are profiting greatly from their fame. I suspect that Jimmy Carter, who suffered a humiliating loss to Ronald Reagan, is also earning a pretty penny but is known best for building houses for Habitat for Humanity and travelling around the world trying to make it a little better.

Further, I would like to think that Stanley Richmond would have taken in the IRS auditor who was not showing him any mercy even if he was not falling in love with her. I know that I am not kind to people who harm me in far less severe ways.
Additionally, my roughly 20 essays about “Jericho” demonstrate that the show makes you think and prompts discussions about important issues. I recall reading that most communities are not prepared for any type of man-made or natural disaster. Further, I think that focusing on ways to be better citizens in these communities would benefit many of us.

On an unrelated note, I cannot attend the “Welcome Home to Jericho” event in a few weeks. However, my offer to participate on a panel via telephone stands. I have also volunteered to assist organizing next year’s event and plan to attend it. I do look forward to seeing fellow rangers with whom I will have been exchanging e-mail and telephone calls for 18 months by then.
_______________________________________________
If you missed any of John Stahl's earlier Jericho articles, then please check out these links:

Future Traditions - Episode 10 - John Stahl Interview
Top TV on DVD sets of 2008 awarded ‘Winstons’
Sunday night is bad fit for ‘Jericho’
‘Jericho’ was not rebuilt in a day
More reasons to watch 'Jericho' and thoughts on 'Atlantis' finale
'Jericho' depiction of law v. justice and follow-up interview announcement
'Jericho' tops list of Top 5 DVD releases
'Jericho' concepts that CBS would likely accept
'firefly' is a 'Jericho'-like fable of justice, community, and hope
Christmas illustrates 'Jericho' demonstration of hierarchy of needs theory
'Hogwash' is rallying cry for 'Jericho' second season
'Jericho' complete series extras solidify desire for apple pie with cast
'Jericho' S2: One war leads to another and fighting for truth, justice, and the American way
DVD set corrects poor treatment 'Jericho' received

Thank you John for all the wonderful articles you've written about Jericho.

Friday, March 13, 2009

March Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

Since The CW is currently airing Jericho on Sundays at 7/6c, Blackjack Fairgrounds has decided to do a series of reviews/musings of the episodes. This edition has "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 11-16".

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, and be sure to leave before nightfall!


Episode 1.11 - Vox Populi
When one of Jericho's own turns up dead, Gray (Michael Gaston) organizes a manhunt for Jonah (guest star James Remar), against the wishes of Mayor Green (Gerald McRaney). As the mayoral election nears, Gray seizes the opportunity to show his strength as a leader when. Gray is convinced he knows who committed the crime and launches a manhunt to capture Jonah and restore peace to Jericho. Meanwhile, as playful reminiscing continues to heat up between Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Emily (Ashley Scott), both are hit with a curve ball when an unlikely face returns to Jericho. James Whitmore Jr. directed the episode written by Carol Barbee. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Bob of TV Squad

Image Gallery from Episode 11 Vox Populi at Fallout: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.


Episode 1.12 - The Day Before
Parts of Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Hawkins' (Lennie James) pasts are revealed during a flashback to 36 hours before the bombs went off. The day before the explosions, Jake is in San Diego trying unsuccessfully to make an honest living, while Hawkins' mysterious past is furthered by his association with a woman named Sarah (Siena Goines). Also, Emily's (Ashley Scott) fiance, Roger (Christopher Wiehl), heads to Chicago for a job interview that Emily is not happy about. Meanwhile, in the present day, refugees including Roger and Sarah arrive in Jericho bringing more questions with them. Mike Kelley wrote the episode directed by Matt Earl Beasley. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Daniel of Blog Critics Magazine

Episode 1.12 CrissCross: Click on a word in the puzzle to get started.


Episode 1.13 - Black Jack
As winter approaches, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Johnston (Gerald McRaney) are joined by Dale (Erik Knudsen) and Heather (Sprague Grayden) on a trip to a trading post several hours outside of town in search of equipment to fix the local windmill. Heather knows how to fix the windmills if she has the necessary equipment and convinces Jake and Johnston to travel with her to "Black Jack," a trading post several hours outside of town. Against Johnston's wishes, Dale joins them in hopes of trading supplies from the market for something the town can actually use. Meanwhile, much to the dismay of his family, Hawkins (Lennie James) brings Sarah (Siena Goines) back to their home as they both try to figure out who is watching Hawkins. Jonathan E. Steinberg & Dan Shotz wrote the episode directed by Helen Shaver. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Jason of IGN.

Blackjack Fairgrounds Teeshirt


Episode 1.14 - Heart of Winter
Jake (Skeet Ulrich), Stanley (Brad Beyer) and Mimi (Alicia Coppola) find themselves fighting for their lives when they run into several dangerous strangers on a hunting trip. While traveling outside the city limits in search of wild game, a truck pushes the truck that Jake, Stanley and Mimi are driving off the road, leaving Stanley unconscious and Jake pinned underneath the vehicle. Mimi realizes that she is their only chance of survival and heads back to Jericho on foot. Meanwhile, Hawkins (Lennie James) discovers that he has put his family in grave danger, and Emily (Ashley Scott) and Roger (Christopher Weihl) continue trying to rebuild their relationship. Steve Gomer directed the episode written by Nancy Won. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Peter of iF Magazine

Countdown Episode #14


Episode 1.15 - Semper Fidelis
With the arrival of the Marines, the citizens of Jericho consider what their lives will be like when law and order is restored and the nation begins to recover from the bombings. But it all unravels when Jake (Skeet Ulrich), with Johnston's (Gerald McRaney) help, exposes the "Marines" as con artists who move from town to town taking supplies by playing on people’s faith in the future. Jake must decide if he should tell the truth to the town and extinguish their new-found hope. James Whitmore directed the episode written by Matthew Federman & Stephen Scaia. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Stephen of Mania.com.

Memorable Quotes from IMDb.


Episode 1.16 - Winter’s End
Faced with a catastrophic complication in April's (Darby Stanchfield) pregnancy, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) forces Kenchy (Aasif Mandvi) to confront his post-traumatic stress syndrome and perform a heroic operation. Timothy Omundson ("Judging Amy") guest stars as Phil Constantino, one of the people from a neighboring town who helped build Jericho's power-generating windmill. Kevin Dowling directed the episode written by Frank Military. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Angela of Pop Syndicate.

Factoids by Lana of Tubular.

This concludes this edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.

The theme of the April Edition is "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 17-22". If you've written a review of any of those episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is March 31st.

Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.

Friday, February 6, 2009

February Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

Since The CW is currently airing Jericho on Sundays at 7/6c, Blackjack Fairgrounds has decided to do a series of reviews/musings of the episodes. This edition has "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 6-10".

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, and be sure to leave before nightfall!

Episode 1.6 - 9:02
An electromagnetic pulse fries everything with a circuit board at 9:02 p.m., plunging the town into darkness. Before the power goes out, the citizens of Jericho watch as minutemen missiles are launched into the sky. One by one, the townspeople receive phone messages alerting them that the Federal government has been shut down and that everyone is under local or state jurisdiction. For the first time since the explosion, people realize they are on their own and must be responsible for maintaining law and order in their town. Meanwhile, Allison (guest star Jazz Raycole), Hawkin's daughter, starts to question her father's motive for moving to Jericho. J. Miller Tobin directed the episode written by Nancy Won. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Jason of IGN.

Thoughts on Jericho 9:02 by Lower Decks.


Episode 1.7 - Long Live the Mayor
While the town prepares to celebrate Halloween, Gray Anderson (Michael Gaston) returns after traveling outside of town and reports back on the horrific things he saw while he was away. Upon his return, Gray is able to provide more information about which cities were hit by bombs and which cities have not been affected. Having witnessed unspeakable terror, Gray is determined to protect the citizens of Jericho from danger. To this end, he wants to interrogate all the new families who came to town before or after the attacks, including Rob Hawkins (Lennie James). Meanwhile, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) tries to negotiate with Jonah Prowse (guest star James Remar), who came back to town to retrieve a member of his gang who was arrested for stealing horses and food. Also, while overseeing Halloween preparations for the town, Emily (Ashley Scott) tells Heather (Sprague Grayden) a bit more about her former relationship with Jake. Sanford Bookstaver directed the episode written by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Josh Schaer. (Summary from the CW website.)

Review by Stephen Lackey of Mania.

Memorable quotes by IMDB.


Episode 1.8 - Rogue River
Mayor Johnston's life hangs in the balance when he comes down with a bad case of the flu, and it is up to Jake and Eric to save him by traveling to another town to get the medicine he desperately needs. While traveling to Rogue River, Jake and Eric get a glimpse of what's gone on in the surrounding areas and discover that, since the explosions took place, the world outside of Jericho has changed immensely. Meanwhile, Gray questions the Hawkins family about their mysterious arrival. (Summary from the CBS website.)

Review by Angela of Pop Syndicate.

Countdown Episode 8


Episode 1.9 - Crossroads
When Jericho receives a surprise visit from several seedy out-of-towners, the residents realize they need a plan to keep intruders out. Emotions run high when the townspeople meet to discuss ideas for securing their borders. One solution that strikes a nerve with several citizens involves a strategy that would isolate a large part of the town from the other. Meanwhile, Emily (Ashley Scott) wakes up on the day she was supposed to get married and imagines how her wedding day would have gone if Roger was still there. Paul McCrane directed the episode written by Robert Levine. (Summary from the CW website.)

Review by Lana of Tubular.

Image Gallery at Kryptonsite, with funny captions:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.


Episode 1.10 - Red Flag
As bombers fly over Jericho dropping parachutes with palettes of supplies attached, citizens are both thrilled and cautious about their much-needed relief. As the citizens scramble to retrieve the food and supplies that are dropped from the sky, Mayor Green (Gerald McRaney) tries to convince them to wait until everything is tested to prove that they are safe. Meanwhile, Jonah (guest star James Remar) attempts to commandeer two of the palettes for himself. Martha Mitchell directed the episode written by Mike Ostrowski. (Summary from the CW website.)

Review by staff of TV Babble.

Countdown Episode 10

This concludes this edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.

The theme of the March Edition is "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 11-15". If you've written a review of any of those episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is February 28th.

Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

January Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds

Since The CW is currently airing Jericho on Sundays at 7/6 c, Blackjack Fairgrounds has decided to do a series of reviews/musings of the episodes. This edition has "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 1-5".

We hope that you enjoy your time at Blackjack Fairgrounds. Remember the rules: no guns, thieves will be strung up, and be sure to leave before nightfall!


Episode 1.1 - Jericho Pilot
After mushroom clouds appear on the horizon, fear of the unknown propels Jericho into social, psychological and physical mayhem when all communication and power is shut down. The town starts to come apart at the seams as terror, anger and confusion bring out the very worst in some residents. Jake Green, the prodigal son of the town's mayor, becomes a reluctant hero when a school bus crashes as a result of the explosion. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Vic of ScreenRant.

Pilot Quiz


Episode 1.2 - Fallout
With only an hour before the fallout from the nuclear blast in Denver hits Jericho, Jake (Skeet Ulrich) rushes to get the townspeople inside and away from the rain so that they won't get radiation poisoning. When Jake and the others find that the official shelter is in disrepair and unusable, they have to come up with other protection fast. Meanwhile, Emily (Ashley Scott) and Bonnie (Shoshannah Stern) are held hostage by two men posing as police officers. Jon Turteltaub directed the episode written by Stephen Chbosky. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Bob of TV Squad.

Memorable Quotes.


Episode 1.3 - Four Horsemen
Jake (Skeet Ulrich) organizes a group to gather more information about the explosions after a satellite television in the local bar broadcasts a signal from an Asian news program shows the extent of the nuclear attacks. In addition to the television broadcast, Stanley (Brad Beyer), who is hospitalized for radiation poisoning, claims to have seen tanks headed toward Denver. With Jericho still cut off from communication and the people craving information, Jake recommends sending four search parties out in different directions to get a sense of what is going on outside of town. Meanwhile, when one of the inhabitants of the mine who sought shelter during the fallout dies unexpectedly, Heather (Sprague Grayden) questions the cause of his death. James Whitmore directed the episode written by Dan O'Shea and Dan Shotze. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Robert of TV Babble.

Musings by Lower Decks.


Episode 1.4 - Walls of Jericho
When Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Heather (Sprague Grayden) locate a stranger on the side of the road who is sick and disfigured from radiation poisoning, they must decide whether to help him and risk contamination or do nothing and allow him to die. After they decide to help the stranger and take him to the hospital, Jake and Hawkins (Lennie James) sit vigil in the hopes that he will be able to give them information about what's going on outside of Jericho. Meanwhile, when the generator at the hospital is low on gas and supplies in town begin to dwindle, the police must ask disgruntled and panicked townspeople to siphon gas from their cars. Martha Mitchell directed the episode written by Ellie Herman. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Jason of IGN.

Quotes.


Episode 1.5 - Federal Response
The people of Jericho receive a pre-recorded phone call from Homeland Security telling them that help is on the way. The townspeople start to think that life might be returning to normal when the power and phones return. Their hope is dashed, however, after the power surges and electrical lines go down, causing fires to break out all over town. While Jake (Skeet Ulrich) and Hawkins (Lennie James) work together to fight the fires, they discover that neither one of them is who they claim to be. Meanwhile, still desperate for information, the townspeople vigilantly watch the satellite television in Mary's (Clare Carey) bar with the hope that another signal will come through. Duane Clark directed the episode written by Mike Ostrowski. (Summary from The CW website.)

Review by Make Me Watch.

Musings from Lower Decks.

This concludes this edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.

The theme of the February Edition is "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 6-9". If you've written a review of any of those episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is January 31st.

Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.