"Jericho" TV Serial

After few attempts to watch some documentaries about ghosts that freaked me out (not the best decision when living alone in the cottage under the castle) I remembered TV serial that a work colleague recommended a year ago and had a peek at "Jericho". I am always a little suspicious when it comes to recommendations concerning things like this,because I have my own peculiar taste that really depends on a temporary mood, inspiration and previous experiences, so for example TV serial really need to be original or else I get bored easily.

"Jericho" is not terribly original or innovative. The premise of the story is that there were nuclear explosions around USA and a little sleepy town of Jericho,Kansas s now cut of every communication with outside world, its citizens bravely fighting dangers of nuclear radiations, hunger, lack of electricity, crime and such. Decades ago,in the 1950s Pat Frank wrote a very interesting SF novel "Alas,Babylon" that describes exactly same story from the point of view of than-current "cold war" paranoia. Unfortunately now the same danger became current again so script writers played on viewer's fear after September 11 attack and built a story that basically reflects american point of view. In other words, its american production that plays on often seen clichés - there is a good guy, blonde beauty who screams and can't understand what's going on, people in a danger (just to make a point, a baby in incubator is also shown) , unruly crowd and city mayor who behaves like wild west sheriff & gives a speech (serious music in the background) how in present situation everybody should behave like a good,honest citizen. Symphony plays on.

I can clearly see where this is all leading to - my main problem with this TV serial is that characters are so completely unbelievable that there is not a single person I found interesting to actually like. Unfortunately I have seen with my own eyes how people behave in times of big danger and crisis - besides panic everywhere,there are actually much more tragicomical situations than heroism and big speeches. If one has sense of humor, it brings laughs even in the most inappropriate places - not that I suggest there is anything funny about post-nuclear world but citizens of Jericho are all either knocking each other like professional boxers, toting the guns like John Wayne, talking to each other like in a heartbreaking drama or (worse of all) are frozen with fear and simply shaking heads and screaming. This refusal to take in the present situation and simply run,hide or do anything no matter how illogical,annoys me the most. It makes me want to jump in the scene and shake character's shoulders and tell them to shut up. However, I did watch first three episodes and than had enough for one evening. It wasn't gripping like "True Blood" or interesting like "Lost" (although it seems to follow similar premise about bunch of people who can now be spread over 36 seasons) but i might give it another chance tonight.