Jericho Season 3: Civil War

On the Internet there are stories galore published by conspiracy theorists talking about the end of days, or an impending apocalypse. Of course, many of these are deep rooted inside strange interpretations of prophecy and the rise of the antichrist, but there are some stories that are spawned from a deep-rooted fear of the government and the military industrial complex that falls under control of the New World Order.

Incredibly, many similar theories were brought to life in pop culture by the cult television sensation Jericho in 2006. While Jericho was not for everyone and was cancelled due to failed ratings, many of the storylines in this post-apocalyptic series resonated throughout the underworld of conspiracy theorists, especially those who view the military industrial complex and the government as the biggest enemy to the country’s sovereignty. 

Through this remarkable show, viewers were able to see the emotional gambit of surviving a nuclear attack on American soil, and the turmoil that arrives when the country is turned into two nations. As America discovered in the 1800s, two nations is not an optimal situation. Unfortunately, CBS pulled the plug before fans could see the completion of the impending civil war and many were left with too many unanswered questions. 

In 2009, the shows’ creators and writing staff came together with Devil’s Due Publishing to produce Jericho, Season 3: Civil War. This six issue series (and eventual IDW graphic novel) from the minds of Dan Shotz, Jason Burns, Matthew Federman, and Robert Levine and the artwork of Alejandro F. Giraldo, Matt Merhoff, and Michael Stribling gave fans everything they wanted to know about what happened after CBS shut them out. 

This series starts at the exact moment the show ended and transports the reader to the safety of Texas, where antagonists Jake Green and Robert Hawkins present evidence from the initial bombings that destroyed the United States. While there, mastermind John Smith, who needs their help, contacts Jake and Robert and they must decide how to venture into the future. 

There is at least a small flashback for those unfamiliar with the show, which will potentially open their eyes to the layered backstory from the show and the vile depths that a corrupt government would go for power. However, that also shows how comic series and the graphic novels were clearly written for the fans of the original show and filling in the gaps that remained after the cancellation. While the fan base of the classic show continues to grow, because of the material covered inside this series of books, a new reader may not be able to completely relate to what is going on unless they have digested the full backstory of the television series. 

Seeing the storyline evolve from television to comic form is powerful and thought provoking, with each issue acting as an episode of the show, even leaving off as a cliffhanger? From the ease of transitioning between issues, the influence of the shows experienced writing team is apparent. Unfortunately, because of the authentic feel and relationship to the source material, this graphic novel feels like it ended too soon, even if it was not able to truly capture the emotional feel of the show. 

The artwork throughout the series was amazing, and consistently captured the likeness of the characters throughout the season and portrayed the dismal atmosphere of the show surrounding the main antagonists in a believable way. More importantly for fans of the original show, the subtle imagery that was always present inside the town is still present. The only flaw with the artwork surrounds the new cast and characters that were sprinkled in, as they did not have the same detailed feel of the main cast members that came to life on the television. Of course, this could be the fan in me becoming overly critical and those minor elements do not hurt the overall product in any way. 

As a fan and a closet conspiracy theorist, Jericho Season 3: Civil War gave me enough answers to keep me intrigued, and leaving me to find Jericho Season 4 (released as a graphic novel in 2014) to find the answers to the cliffhanger. While this format may not truly capture the full emotional toll and detailed characterizations that helped propel Jericho into the hearts of fans, it is still a great way for the creative team of the landmark show to continue to build a following and keep those like me enthralled by the complex nature of the storyline.

Jericho (2006 - 2008)

Everywhere you look, it seems as though the United States as you remember is disappearing. The economy is in the dirt, unemployment at an all-time high, a president more intent on pushing his radical progressive agenda that doing what is right for the country and lawlessness in the government that has left a bad taste in the mouth of many Americans. Government approval is tanking, as even the most hypnotized sheep are starting to wake. Ironically, these same overtones existed on the State Run Media in the form of Jericho, which ran from 2006 to 2008 on CBS.

Plot/ When Jake Green returns to his Kansas small-town home Jericho, where his dad Johnston is mayor, everyone is preoccupied with petty private business and family matters, but that changes drastically after a completely unexpected explosion. It soon becomes clear there has been a nuclear attack, but neither by whom nor on which scale. Suddenly life in Jericho, and as the inhabitants gradually discover all over the disintegrating USA, becomes a more primordial struggle for survival, where unexperienced dangers, primitive as well as technological, have to be weighed against pressing primal needs, such as food, fuel and self-defense against plunderers, invaders and even each-other.

While I do not usually review television series as a whole, in this case, I feel it is my continuing duties. As Veterans Day nears, I have been drawn into this series and could not get enough of it. Over this past week, I have been able to watch all 29 episodes on Netflix, and I can see exactly why it was removed from the air, as it digs into the hearts of Patriots and shows how the United States is being destroyed by rogue elements within the government and military industrial complex. It is so well done, that it addresses reality in a fictional setting better than any documentary can.

Yes, there are some unbelievable moments that take away from the story, and some of the characterizations leave a bit to be desired, but those are not many. If anything, the biggest negative was the fact that many storyline were never able to be fully developed and a lot of loose ends were left dangling. However, what was accomplished in this series is amazing and should be seen, thought about, discussed and appreciated.

The story is thought provoking, the main characters draw you in and the parallels to our society cannot be ignored. Sure, some sheeple will not ever agree that this series is anywhere near reality, and they would be wrong. The rise of the military industrial complex and their influence on America is truly devastating in reality, and they sit at the heart of all of the programs that are destroying the fabric of America. They talk a good game, taxing the rich, redistributing wealth, unified health care, but those are the hallmarks of Communism, ideologies that we military veterans fought against for generations.

Jericho has a huge following and has been transformed into a comic book series, but it deserves even more attention. There has been a push to bring Jericho back, either on CBS or on Netflix and you can count me in the group. This show must be seen, it must be thought about!