JERICHO: THE FIRST 17 HOURS {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this dramatic science-fiction series about life in a tiny Kansas town after a terrorist-created nuclear disaster. In this episode, Jake Green drives from Denver to his hometown of Jericho, Kansas, and encounters his old friends Stanley and Bonnie Richmond, who mention that the IRS is currently inspecting their farm. Jake then runs into his former flame, Emily, a schoolteacher now engaged to another man, Roger, and she questions him suspiciously about his recent whereabouts. Jake's mother Gail is thrilled to see him, though his brother Eric and father Johnston, the mayor, are less so, particularly when Jake points out that he has "made amends" and asks for his inheritance. Johnston refuses, but Gail attempts to slip Jake some money as they visit his grandfather's grave, and he begins to head back out of town. Everyone is then shocked, however, when an enormous mushroom cloud blooms over nearby Denver as a result of some sort of explosion. Johnston springs into action, assuring everyone that it could have been an accident rather than an attack, though he is annoyed by the presence of his political opponent, Gray Anderson. He then learns that a school bus filled with young students on a field trip has not returned, while elsewhere Jake is involved in a head-on car collision.
The police struggle to find a working radio frequency as a dazed Jake finds that the two occupants of the other car are dead, and is then found by two frantic children and taken to the crashed school bus. A Robert Hawkins arrives, claiming to be a former St. Louis cop and offering his assistance, warning Johnston that "the wrong people" cannot know that Jericho is unharmed. Elderly Oliver, sure that it is an alien attack, allows the police to use his ham radio, while elsewhere teenager Dale Turner hears a phone message from his mother during which she is apparently killed by the explosion. The lights soon go out as Jake attempts to assist the injured children on the bus, performing a risky life-saving tracheotomy on one girl, Stacy. The sheriff and his deputy come across a bus, but realize too late that it is actually from the prison rather than the school and are killed by one of the convicts. Everyone is further horrified when Dale plays the phone message and reveals that his mother was in Atlanta, not Denver, meaning that multiple cities have likely been attacked. Jake battles a concussion and a dwindling gas tank as he attempts to drive the bus to safety, and a fight breaks out at the gas station as citizens begin to panic. Robert advises Johnston to use construction lamps to light the town, and Gail tells her husband about the Atlanta explosion.
Johnston tries to intervene at the gas station, and Anderson challenges him to do his duty as mayor and handle the situation. Jake then arrives on the school bus and everyone is relieved to find their children safe, and Jake officially introduces himself to the teacher, Heather. Johnston rallies the townsfolk by urging them to stick together until answers are found, and he praises Jake's bravery in saving the children. Elsewhere, however, Emily drives down a dark road and finds the street mysteriously littered with dead birds. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 20, 2006 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:39:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:89175
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Drama, mystery/suspense
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 2006-2008
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Carol Barbee … Executive Producer
- Jon Turteltaub … Executive Producer, Director
- Stephen Chbosky … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Robert D. Simon … Producer
- Dan Shotz … Producer
- Karim Zreik … Producer
- Josh Schaer … Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jonathan E. Steinberg … Producer, Created by, Writer
- Keira Morrisette … Associate Producer
- David Lawrence … Music by
- Skeet Ulrich … Cast, Jake Green
- Ashley Scott … Cast, Emily Sullivan
- Lennie James … Cast, Robert Hawkins
- Michael Gaston … Cast, Gray Anderson
- Sprague Grayden … Cast, Heather Lisinski
- Erik Knudsen … Cast, Dale Turner
- Kenneth Mitchell … Cast, Eric Green
- Brad Beyer … Cast, Stanley Richmond
- Shoshannah Stern … Cast, Bonnie Richmond
- Pamela Reed … Cast, Gail Green
- Gerald McRaney … Cast, Johnston Green
- Alicia Coppola … Cast, Mimi Clark
- Beth Grant … Cast, Gracie Leigh
- Leon Russom … Cast, Sheriff
- Alex Carter … Cast, Fire Chief
- Vic Polizos … Cast, Shep Cale
- Richard Speight Jr. … Cast, Bill
- Bruce Bohne … Cast, Old Man Oliver
- Bob Stephenson … Cast, Jimmy
- Candace Bailey … Cast, Skylar Stephens
- Taylor Nichols … Cast, Norman Perry
- Clare Carey … Cast, Mary Bailey
- Darby Stanchfield … Cast, April Green
- Joseph Castanon … Cast, Woody
- Al Vicente … Cast, EMT Crew Chief
- Kristen Rodriguez … Cast, Lisa Whalley
- Joey King … Cast, Sally
- Mackenzie Hannigan … Cast, Lucas
- Stevie Wash Jr. … Cast, Danny
- Ariel Winter … Cast, Julie
- Madison Pettis … Cast, Stacy Clemons
- Germaine de Leon … Cast, Alvie Clemons
- Beau Dremann … Cast, Irate Father
- Thom Williams … Cast, Burly Man
- Robert C. Koch … Cast, Riley
- Helena Barrett … Cast, Clerk
- Princess Lucaj … Cast, Sara