Preacher: Finish the Song

"Finish the Song" is the eighth episode of season one of the supernatural drama series Preacher. It was directed by Michael Slovis with a script written by Craig Rosenberg. It first aired on AMC on Sunday, July 24th, 2016 at 9:00 pm. In this episode, the Cowboy relives the worst moments of his life over and over as he massacres a saloon full of people in Ratwater. Jesse Custer escapes from Hugo Root and steals the God-phone from the Sundowner Motel. Angels Fiore and DeBlanc take a bus trip to Hell. Tulip O'Hare enlists Emily Woodrow's help in feeding Cassidy. Mayor Miles Person has a very bad day.

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
 * Tyler L. Cook - Editor
 * Anne Johns - Unit production manager
 * W.M. McNair - Unit production manager
 * Philip Hardage - First assistant director
 * Jai James - Second assistant director
 * Dave Porter - Composer
 * Karyn Wagner - Costume designer
 * Kiira Arai, CSA - New Mexico casting

Episode notes

 * 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.


 * This episode is rated TV-MA. It is suggested for mature audiences.


 * This is the second episode of Preacher directed by Michael Slovis. He previously directed episode 1x05, "South Will Rise Again".


 * This is the second episode of Preacher written by Craig Rosenberg. He previously wrote episode 1x05, "South Will Rise Again".


 * Actor Jackie Earle Haley is given a "Special appearance by" credit in this episode.


 * Actor Ian Colletti is credited in this episode, but does not make an appearance.


 * The title of this episode is used as a line of dialogue spoken by The Cowboy in the first act of this episode. He tells the Chinese man to "finish the song" as he proceeds to kill every single person in the saloon.


 * This is the seventh and final appearance of Miles Person as a living being. He is killed by Cassidy in this episode.

Story notes

 * This episode reveals that the 1881 flashbacks in Ratwater, Texas are not actually flashbacks at all. They are the interpretation of Hell that the Cowboy now resides in. The scenes of the Cowboy shooting up the saloon and decapitating the Chinese man who is singing are from this episode. The other scenes leading up to that moment is recycled footage from "See" and "South Will Rise Again".


 * Reference is made to Eugene Root in this episode. He is the disfigured son of Sheriff Hugo Root. He has not been seen since Jesse Custer sent him to Hell in "Sundowner". He is presumed dead.


 * The woman in the bathtub in the Sundowner Motel is Susan. She is a member of the Seraphim and came to Earth to sanction the renegade angels DeBlanc and Fiore. The reason she is asking Sheriff Root to kill her is because she knows that she will regenerate into a new body.


 * Susan had her arms and legs cut off by Fiore in "Sundowner". The scene was not shown, but the audience is aware of Fiore's actions as he emerged from the bathroom with a chainsaw.


 * Tulip O'Hare finally catches up with Carlos in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She first got a lead on Carlos; location back in episode 1x03, "The Possibilities".


 * Odin Quincannon has to repeat himself to Donnie Schenck because Donnie blew out his eardrums in order to defend himself against Jesse's power. He did this in "El Valero".


 * The man sleeping on Tulip O'Hare's couch is her uncle, Walter O'Hare. This is his third appearance. In all three of his appearances, he has been unconscious or on the verge of drunken unconsciousness.


 * Jesse Custer does not use the Genesis power at all in this episode.


 * The movie that Emily Woodrow is watching in Walter O'Hare's home is the 1960 thriller Psycho by director Alfred Hitchcock.

Quotes

 * The Cowboy: I love my horse. I love my wife. Ad I love my little girl. And as for Jesus... he can join us all in Hell.

....
 * DeBlanc: You left a telephone with a direct line to heaven's throne under the bed?
 * Fiore: I thought it was clever. Who checks under a bed anymore?

....
 * Cassidy: God, eh?
 * Jesse Custer: Yup.
 * Cassidy: Coming to Texas?
 * Jesse Custer: Sunday morning.
 * Cassidy: That'll be something.
 * Jesse Custer: Yup.

....
 * Tulip O'Hare: I'm going to kill a man in Albuquerque.

....
 * Jesse Custer: I just wanted to say, for me, it's just you. Till the end of the world.