Preacher: Sundowner

"Sundowner" is the sixth episode of season one of the supernatural drama series Preacher. It was directed by Guillermo Navarro with a script written by Nick Towne. It first aired on AMC on Sunday, July 3rd, 2016 at 10:00 pm. In this episode, Jesse Custer has a sit-down with Fiore and DeBlanc, who explain that they are angels an tell him the true nature of his power. A Seraphim arrives to restore order and apprehend the angels, which leads to a drag-out knuckle-duster in Room 114 of the Sundowner Motel. Meanwhile, Tulip O'Hare bonds with Emily Woodrow and even helps out at the church. Miles Person makes some questionable decisions regarding Odin Quincannon's recent activities and Eugene Root makes some new friends.

Synopsis
At the Flavour Station, Jesse Custer sits down with Fiore and DeBlanc who explain to him that he is the host for an entity called Genesis and they need it back. Jesse uses the Voice to compel DeBlanc into explaining exactly what Genesis is. Genesis is the disembodied offspring of an angel and a demon, who's existence could shift the cosmic balance in both Heaven and Hell. The angels take note of a Seraphim that enters the restaurant. They bait her outside where they proceed to kick her repeatedly and then shoot her. Jesse runs out to help, but quickly discovers that this silent woman is an angel herself that regenerates upon death.

Fiore, DeBlanc and Jesse take off for the Sundowner Motel so the angels can use their God-phone. The Seraphim tracks them down and a massive fight between the three of them breaks out. The Seraphim kills Fiore and DeBlanc numerous times, but they automatically re-spawn fresh bodies and the fight continues. Cassidy arrives and helps out. They succeed in subduing the Seraphim, and Fiore cuts off her limbs so she won't fight back, but moreover, so she won't die and regenerate. DeBlanc pleads with Jesse to give up Genesis, but Jesse refuses. When they press the issue, Jesse uses the Voice to command them to leave him alone.

Meanwhile, Tulip O'Hare once again barges into Emily Woodrow's home looking for Jesse. She yells at Emily to leave her boyfriend alone, then breaks one of her kids' art projects. Tulip feels bad about this and offers to fix it. Through the course of events, Emily and she begin to bond, and Tulip offers to make amends by running some chores for her at the church.

Miles Person comes to sees Jesse as he is setting up chairs outside All Saints Congregational. He is seeking moral advice relating to something that he is going to do, but remains elusive and does not give Jesse any details. Jesse can't really help Miles in this situation unless he tells him what is going on, and says that he should just exorcise his best judgment.

Meanwhile, Eugene Root befriends Scott Loach at school. Scott and his friends invite Eugene to come hang out with them and they go to an underground drainage pipe to set off fireworks.

Jesse finds Tulip at the church and is surprised to see her helping out. Cassidy is present and now realizes that Tulip is Jesse's ex-girlfriend - a fact that he was unaware of when he first "fell in love" with her.

Before the church service, Eugene Root comes to see Jesse. He explains that he does not feel deserving of forgiveness and finds it wrong that Jesse used his influence to force people into being good. Jesse is on a spiritual high at this point, and is agitated by the fact that Eugene appears to be ungrateful for his help. Eugene continues to press the issue, angering Jesse to the point that he inadvertently uses the Voice to shout, "Go to Hell, Eugene!" When he turns around, Eugene is gone.

Later, Miles Person is on the side of the road standing next to an overturned car with burned bodies inside of it. He telephones Cynthia at the Green Acre group and informs her that there has been a terrible accident.

Notes & Trivia

 * Preacher is based on a comic book series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. They were originally published by DC Comics under their Vertigo imprint.


 * Production designer David Blass is credited as Dave Blass in this episode.


 * Actress Madelyn Henderson is credited as Madelyn Joan Henderson in this episode.


 * This is the first episode of Preacher directed by Guillermo Navarro.


 * This is the first episode of Preacher written by Nick Towne.


 * Actor W. Earl Brown is credited in this episode, but his character does not make an appearance.


 * Actor Derek Wilson is credited in this episode, but his character does not make an appearance.


 * Actor Graham McTavish is credited in this episode, but his character does not make an appearance. Of all of the main cast members, he has made the least amount of appearance on the series at this point.


 * This is the first appearance of the Seraphim, who is identified as Susan in the closing credits of this episode.


 * This is the fifth appearance of Eugene Root. He appeared last in "South Will Rise Again".


 * The Angelic ability to re-spawn inside a new body is called reinvigoration.


 * The means by which Genesis can be pulled out of Jesse Custer requires DeBlanc to sing to it. Fiore reveals that there is an alternative method, but no other information is given.


 * Only one with "Angel hands" can use the God-phone.


 * This episode reveals that Tulip O'Hare once worked as a waitress in Hollywood, California.

Allusions

 * Some unknown prankster is constantly changing the sign outside All Saints Congregational. In this episode the sign reads, "You don't have to go home, but you can't pray here". This is a reference to the famous bar phrase, "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here". The phrase was also made popular in the song "Closing Time" by Semisonic.


 * Jesse Custer and Cassidy make reference to the 1994 movie Pulp Fiction while doing their laundry. Jesse compares himself to John Travolta's character, Vincent Vega, while Cassidy compares himself to Samuel L. Jackson.


 * Cassidy continuously quips about how Genesis is a terrible name. He references the British pop band, Genesis, founded by Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford.


 * Tulip O'Hare makes reference to Elizabeth Taylor in this episode. Elizabeth Taylor a major Hollywood star of the silver screen known for films like The Last Time I Saw Paris, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Cleopatra. According to Tulip, Elizabeth Taylor was a shitty tipper.

Jesse's commands
Jesse Custer uses his command power three times in this episode. Of important note, this episode also reveals a new application of his power. He tells a character to go to Hell, and in the next moment they disappear from view. This goes beyond someone simply following Jesse's orders and actually involves altering reality.


 * Jesse commands DeBlanc to tell him exactly what Genesis is.


 * Jesse commands DeBlanc and Fiore to stay away from him. They both take a step back as Jesse gets into his truck.


 * In a moment of anger, Jesse accidentally uses his power to tell Eugene Root to "Go to Hell".

Quotes

 * DeBlanc: Stab her gently. [random three-way fight continues] I said stab her gently!

....
 * Fiore: Oh! She's got an axe!

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 * Jesse Custer: So, you're saying this Genesis is some sort of... angel/demon baby?
 * DeBlanc If by "baby," you mean the most powerful entity ever known, the singular force that could shift the balance of power, threaten all of creation, the, yeah, it's a baby.

....
 * Jesse Custer: What about you? You look like a men's room wall.
 * Cassidy: I went through a period of low impulse control.
 * Jesse Custer: Thank God that's over with.

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 * Cassidy: I doubt everything all the time, all right? It's the only way to live.

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 * Cassidy: God may not make mistakes, but people are bloody famous for it!

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 * Emily Woodrow: You broke my kid's art thing!

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 * Jesse Custer: Go to Hell, Eugene!

Crew

 * Jeanie Bacharach - Casting
 * Matt Tauber - Producer
 * Craig Rosenberg - Consulting producer
 * Garth Ennis - Co-executive producer
 * Steve Dillon - Co-executive producer
 * Sara Goodman - Co-executive producer
 * Michael Slovis - Co-executive producer
 * Mark McNair - Co-executive producer
 * Ken F. Levin - Executive producer
 * Jason Netter - Executive producer
 * Vivian Cannon - Executive producer
 * Ori Marmur - Executive producer
 * Neal H. Moritz - Executive producer
 * Seth Rogen - Executive producer


 * Evan Goldberg - Executive producer
 * James Weaver - Executive producer
 * Sam Catlin - Executive producer
 * Rebecca Moline - Co-producer
 * John Grillo - Director of photography
 * Dave Blass - Production designer
 * Hunter M. Via, ACE - Editor
 * Anne Johns - Unit production manager
 * W.M. McNair - Unit production manager
 * Brett Dos Santos - First assistant director
 * Louis Lanni - Second assistant director
 * Dave Porter - Composer
 * Karyn Wagner - Costume designer
 * Kiira Arai, CSA - New Mexico casting