Preacher Ep 209 – Puzzle Piece
So much for the holes Tulip spent last episode trying to patch up. All of her work goes for naught in the opening sequences of Puzzle Piece. As the action plays out like a level of one of the Rainbow Six video games mayhem explodes inside Denis’ apartment. Unimpressed with Jesse’s super power, Herr Starr has ordered a hit team to take out the trio but find more than they can handle when they arrive on the scene. The entertaining sequence sets the tone for one of the best episodes of the season that features the revelation that Denis’ is following in his father’s footsteps and the first face-to-face meeting between Jesse and Starr.
To make sense of the attack Jesse uses Genesis on the local police to get some information on the dead members of the assault team. The team’s failure raises Starr’s ire and renews his interest in the preacher. To make sure the events of the previous night aren’t repeated, Featherstone or Jeannie as she’s known to Tulip, suggests calling in their secret weapon known as B.R.A.D.
The Grail is the least of Jesse’s worries however as Tulip continues to spiral downward and Denis becomes Cassidy’s “enfant terrible”. The fractures in the group are beginning to grow and Jesse’s frustration over his inability to find God is taking its toll on him. Puzzle Piece also devotes a fair share of its narrative to the bad guys giving viewers glimpses into the inner workings of Starr’s psyche and the relatively dynamic duo of Featherstone and Hoover.
Featherstone is quickly becoming a formidable henchwoman and her deadpan approach to her job is amusing. Her relationship with Hoover is reminiscent of the Fiore/DeBlanc tandem that provided some comic relief earlier in the series and it will be interesting to see how faithful her portrayal will be to the comic books. In his own severely twisted way Starr, it seems is just like the rest of us, searching for fulfillment. After a brief mix up at his office he reaches an epiphany and decides to set his sights on Jesse.
Puzzle Piece is a strong episode that deftly mixes action, great character development, angst and darkly comic humor. With all these elements in play and Jesse now squarely in Starr’s sights the march toward the season finale promises to take Preacher to new heights.
