The Return of Jericho: Season 2

When we were last in Jericho, Kansas, in a horrific alternate universe in which twenty or so American cities had been reduced to radioactive waste with suitcase nuclear weapons, war had broken out between the city state of Jericho and the nearby city state of New Bern.

It is now four weeks later and peace has been restored by the "Allied States of America" with the capital in Cheyenne, Wyoming and the new President the former junior Senator from the same state. Not only peace has been restored, but so have utilities, roads, communications and even some measure of trade. But, this being an episodic TV show, all is not right with the world.

First, there is still some measure of resentment left over from the Jericho-New Bern War with people on both sides still wanting payback for various atrocities. Major Beck, the military governor of this part of Kansas, played by Esai Morales, is not having any of that. People trying to collect that payback tend to get shot.

In the meantime, an evil, multinational company (of the sort that only exists in Hollywood) called Jennings and Rall, is handling all of the reconstruction work. Their representatives are cheerful, fresh faced young folks wearing blue golf shirts with the corporate logo on. One can tell from a mile away that the company is up to no good and was probably involved in the conspiracy that murdered the United States.

The Cheyenne government is using the airways to broadcast propaganda that would seem heavy handed even by Soviet standards. It seems that the new President is sort of like Barack Obama, only white, right wing, and willing to use nukes. In fact his first act, apparently, was to dust Iran and North Korea. Mind, as horrific as that sounds, it would seem to be a good idea under the circumstances. It removes two countries likely to take advantage of America's difficulties by making trouble. And it tends to serve as a warning to others that the Eagle, while wounded, still has sharp talons. That's probably why China was dropping food and medical supplies and not occupation troops in Season One.

Still, it begs the question: how does a junior Senator from Wyoming get a hold of the nuclear codes? There's a standard procedure involved in these sorts of circumstances that involve the surviving official in the Line of Succession taking over. That official seems to be running things east of the Mississippi in Columbus, Ohio. But the government in Cheyenne seems confident of being able to take over the entire country soon, depending on where the Republic of Texas jumps.

But then again we "know" that North Korea and Iran were not responsible for the murder of the United States, as it was established in Season One of Jericho that the responsibility lays in a weird alliance between the Religious Right and Al Qaeda. Doubtless the new President was a party (possibly the leader) of the conspiracy, made up also-no doubt-of evil "neo cons."

The conspiracy, at least as we understand it now, is outlandish, politically biased, and something that happens only in Hollywood. Still, Jericho, newly risen from the dead (sort of like America in the series), is a unique show that dares to go beyond most convention. So we look forward to the remaining six episodes of the new season.