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)
Saturday, April 11, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, December 1, 2008
December Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds
Welcome to the December Edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.
This month's theme is "Holidays in Jericho". Unfortunately, due to all the excitement of Jericho's encore return on The CW, we didn't get any submissions. Not wanting to cancel the issue, I took a short stroll around the Jericho on-line fandom and found some festive items (some old and some new).
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!
Holiday Stories
At Jericho Kansas Inc., Chris from the UK gives us "Merry Christmas Jericho":
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
At Jericho Rally Point, Scifiaddict gives us "Christmas Eve in Jericho".
At Jericho Fan Fiction, Serendip gives us Christmas Day 2006:
Hope and Gladness
Sun gleams bright
Let it Snow
Festive Article/Threads
Cinema Blend lists Jericho in their 12 DVD's of Christmas, as:
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
The Show that wouldn't die
Radio Free Jericho has some wonderful Jericho Holiday E-Cards.
Jericho Net has a cute quiz about how well you know the Christmas Carols and Songs.
The Northern California Rangers are having "Gail Green's Famous Holiday Cookie/Food Exchange in combination with Casino Night at the Jericho Lodge". You can see the info here at JKI.
Even the networks are in the Holiday mood: "Please, Santa, have all those viewers who went away during the writers strike -- and who have stayed away -- come back."
This concludes this edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.
Since Jericho is encoring on The CW (Sundays at 7/6 c), the theme of the January Edition is "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 1-5". If you've written a review of any of the first five episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is December 31st.
Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.
This month's theme is "Holidays in Jericho". Unfortunately, due to all the excitement of Jericho's encore return on The CW, we didn't get any submissions. Not wanting to cancel the issue, I took a short stroll around the Jericho on-line fandom and found some festive items (some old and some new).
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!
Holiday Stories
At Jericho Kansas Inc., Chris from the UK gives us "Merry Christmas Jericho":
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
At Jericho Rally Point, Scifiaddict gives us "Christmas Eve in Jericho".
At Jericho Fan Fiction, Serendip gives us Christmas Day 2006:
Hope and Gladness
Sun gleams bright
Let it Snow
Festive Article/Threads
Cinema Blend lists Jericho in their 12 DVD's of Christmas, as:
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .
The Show that wouldn't die
Radio Free Jericho has some wonderful Jericho Holiday E-Cards.
Jericho Net has a cute quiz about how well you know the Christmas Carols and Songs.
The Northern California Rangers are having "Gail Green's Famous Holiday Cookie/Food Exchange in combination with Casino Night at the Jericho Lodge". You can see the info here at JKI.
Even the networks are in the Holiday mood: "Please, Santa, have all those viewers who went away during the writers strike -- and who have stayed away -- come back."
This concludes this edition of Blackjack Fairgrounds.
Since Jericho is encoring on The CW (Sundays at 7/6 c), the theme of the January Edition is "Reviews/Musings for Episodes 1-5". If you've written a review of any of the first five episodes please let us know. Submission deadline is December 31st.
Please send submissions to blackjack@jerichojki.com or gwen@az-technology.com.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Special Halloween Edition
JKI could not get a graphic corn maze web page ready in time for Halloween, so we decided to do a virtual adventure.
For the purposes of this game, all the Jericho groups listed below are part of Stanley Richmond’s Virtual Corn Maze and clues have been left on the boards of these groups.
On a dark and stormy night, a dead body was found on I-70 near Maple Dr. (near the Richmond Farm). Clutched in his hand was a note. The note was addressed to Jake and it had a lot of locations (see list below) written on it. It was signed "Pool Guy" and Jake immediately knew it came from Hawkins. Stanley recognizes the locations as being in his Corn Maze. Both Jake and Stanley are being watched, so they need the local rangers to help them find the information hidden in the corn maze.
Each clue will be in a thread named Virtual Corn Maze Adventure-Clue #. That number corresponds to a location in a sentence (Clue #1 is the first letter in the sentence, etc.). In the thread will be a letter, that is what will be in the sentence. Spaces are left out of the sentence.
Example: Clue #1 has the letter P in it. That means the first letter of the sentence is P.
When you have all 43 clues, assemble the sentence and you have the message that Jake needs. Please don’t post any answers until after midnight PT. If you wish to check your answer, then you can e-mail me at gwen@az-technology.com.
Hope you have fun participating in this adventure and Happy Halloween from Jericho Kansas Inc.
Locations in Stanley Richmond’s Virtual Corn Maze:
CBS Jericho Board
Jericho Board at IMDB
Jericho Channel
Jericho Fan Fiction
Jericho Forum at Buddy TV
Jericho Forum at Hallmark UK
Jericho Forum at Sci Fi
Jericho Forum at TV.net
Jericho Forum at UniversalHD
Jericho Kansas Inc.
Jericho KS
Jericho Net
Jericho Rally Point
Jericho Revolution
Jericho Wiki
Men of Jericho
Nuts for Jericho
Radio Free Jericho
The Richmond Ranch
We apologize for any Jericho groups we left out of this game.
For the purposes of this game, all the Jericho groups listed below are part of Stanley Richmond’s Virtual Corn Maze and clues have been left on the boards of these groups.
On a dark and stormy night, a dead body was found on I-70 near Maple Dr. (near the Richmond Farm). Clutched in his hand was a note. The note was addressed to Jake and it had a lot of locations (see list below) written on it. It was signed "Pool Guy" and Jake immediately knew it came from Hawkins. Stanley recognizes the locations as being in his Corn Maze. Both Jake and Stanley are being watched, so they need the local rangers to help them find the information hidden in the corn maze.
Each clue will be in a thread named Virtual Corn Maze Adventure-Clue #. That number corresponds to a location in a sentence (Clue #1 is the first letter in the sentence, etc.). In the thread will be a letter, that is what will be in the sentence. Spaces are left out of the sentence.
Example: Clue #1 has the letter P in it. That means the first letter of the sentence is P.
When you have all 43 clues, assemble the sentence and you have the message that Jake needs. Please don’t post any answers until after midnight PT. If you wish to check your answer, then you can e-mail me at gwen@az-technology.com.
Hope you have fun participating in this adventure and Happy Halloween from Jericho Kansas Inc.
Locations in Stanley Richmond’s Virtual Corn Maze:
CBS Jericho Board
Jericho Board at IMDB
Jericho Channel
Jericho Fan Fiction
Jericho Forum at Buddy TV
Jericho Forum at Hallmark UK
Jericho Forum at Sci Fi
Jericho Forum at TV.net
Jericho Forum at UniversalHD
Jericho Kansas Inc.
Jericho KS
Jericho Net
Jericho Rally Point
Jericho Revolution
Jericho Wiki
Men of Jericho
Nuts for Jericho
Radio Free Jericho
The Richmond Ranch
We apologize for any Jericho groups we left out of this game.
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