"The storyline centers on the residents of Jericho, a small, rural Kansas town, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States. The series begins with a visible nuclear detonation of unknown origin in nearby Denver, Colorado, and a loss of power and modern communications, effectively isolating Jericho. Later, power is restored to Jericho by what is alluded to as the efforts of the U.S. government, but soon after, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) disables all electronics. Several themes regularly addressed in the show included the gathering of information, community identity, public order, limited resources, the value of family, hardships of fatherhood and internal and external threats. The show also features several mysteries involving the backgrounds of major characters, the perpetrators of the attack, and the extent of damage to the United States and its government.

       The pivotal character in this story is Jake Green, the 32-year-old son of Mayor Johnston Green. Jake Green fled the town of Jericho 5 years earlier when he became mixed up with the wrong people and became involved in questionable activity. Jake briefly returns home to claim his inheritance before becoming stranded as a result of the catastrophe. After a somewhat awkward return home and a tense reunion with his father, Jake steps up to become a leader in Jericho, fighting to protect the town and its citizens. As the people of Jericho struggle to survive in a changed world, most remain unaware that one of the newest residents, Robert Hawkins, knows a lot more about the attacks than he lets on." Wikepedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_(TV_series)

       Simultaneous to Jake Green’s return to Jericho the mushroom cloud appears. He stares at the explosion and has a massive car accident. The pilot episode does not reveal that Jake would become the town’s greatest hero in catastrophic times. Also, two criminals have hijacked a police vehicle and have dressed themselves as cops. They manage to convince two young women to let them inside of their house to figure out how to handle the looming crisis outside. The town’s mayor Johnston Green is fighting for his political life against an opponent just given the unfortunate crisis necessary to lay claim to the office of mayor. Meanwhile Johnston’s other son Eric is suffering from marriage phobia. He is in love with the town’s hottie bartender and is preparing to leave his wife April. To throw in the intriguing X factor we are treated to one of the most charismatic television characters/personas of all time, Robert Hawkins. Hawkins is either a terrorist, an FBI Agent, a CIA Agent, a member of the former U.S. government, or one of the great terrorist masterminds of all time. The road to discovering this is riveting.

       The writers carefully crafted a roster of actors and characters to accompany one of the most daring premises on television history, the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. Every episode contains a mixture of action, drama, feel good moments, and a suspenseful conclusion. This is one of the series that actually starts somewhere and builds toward an ending. It is, nay it was, compelling television. Canceled after only one and a half seasons is a disgrace. The second season existed only because fans clamored for more. The second season has only one bad episode, the first episode. It is clear the actors needed a warm up session to become reacquainted with one another and with their prior roles. This is a series filled with tragedy and with tearful moments. I sure wish I had not been so obsessed with football because I would have watched Jericho when it aired. On DVD this is worth every penny, or the trip to your local library to rent a copy for free. Four stars, and here is a toast to the forthcoming Jericho movie.