It’s been busy at Camp Cape, but amid the chaos of modern life (and possibly mild radiation), one thing became clear: the entire Jericho saga deserved a deep dive. And what a ride it was.
If you missed Jericho during its original, slightly rocky broadcast run, here’s the deal. The show kicks off with a bang—literally—as a nuclear mushroom cloud appears on the horizon, signalling the destruction of 23 major U.S. cities. The small rural town of Jericho, Kansas, finds itself cut off from the rest of the country. Power? Gone. Phones? Useless. Internet? Dead as disco. And just when things seem like they might stabilise, an EMP hits, frying anything remotely electronic. Think The Day After meets 24, with a touch of Little House on the Prairie (with guns).
What sets Jericho apart from the usual post-apocalyptic playbook (you know the hits: Survivors, The Last Train, Book of Eli) is the execution. You think you know where it’s going—rogue militias, food shortages, townsfolk turning on each other—but Jericho throws in enough curveballs to keep you guessing. Just when you feel like you’re ahead of the game, it flips the chessboard.
Skeet Ulrich (yes, that guy from Scream who looked like Johnny Depp’s evil twin) leads the charge as Jake Green, a man with a murky past and a habit of walking into danger like it’s a supermarket clearance sale. He’s part reluctant hero, part John McClane, and watching his evolution from black sheep to town saviour is one of the show’s biggest strengths.
And it’s not just the lead. Jericho boasts a strong ensemble cast and some surprisingly emotional character arcs. People come and go—sometimes via noble sacrifice, sometimes via “wait, they what now?”—and the emotional weight hits every time. You feel the loss. You root for the survivors. You pray the generators hold.
Despite a troubled production history (Jericho was cancelled after its first season, only to be revived by a passionate fan petition and some well-aimed peanuts—seriously), the series delivers a tightly plotted, emotionally engaging survival story across two seasons.
If you’re into tense, character-driven tales of post-bang America, and your idea of fun is watching people rebuild society while dodging nukes, warlords, and really awkward dinner conversations, Jericho is a must. Fans of The Walking Dead, Survivors, The Last Train, Book of Eli, or audio drama gem We’re Alive—this one’s got your name scrawled on a dusty fallout shelter door. – Alex