One Man's Terrorist

"One Man's Terrorist"
Jericho episode
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 17
Directed by	Christine Moore
Written by	Mike Ostrowski & Stephen Chbosky
Original air date	April 4, 2007
Episode chronology
← Previous "Winter's End" Next → "A.K.A."

"One Man's Terrorist" is the seventeenth episode of season one of the CBS drama Jericho.

Synopsis

Morse code	·-· --- -··· · -··- ·--· --- ··· · -··
Translation	ROB EXPOSED

After two children inadvertently discover the Marines' tank in Stanley's barn, the Greens and Grays are forced to admit to the increasingly impatient people of Jericho that the Marines were impostors, and that no help is really on the way.

The revelation that the Marines were fake and that there is no help on the way makes the town's people want to abandon the refugees. Gray and Roger face off over the refugee problem. Gray says that an analysis of Jericho's supply situation shows that they do not have enough food and other essential materials to survive the rest of the winter if all of the refugees stay. However, the refugees, for whom Roger acts as spokesman, believe that being forced out of town in the middle of winter onto the dangerous roads is tantamount to a death sentence, and will do anything to stay. When Gray refuses to back down, the refugees attack several Jericho policemen and barricade themselves in the church basement. After that Gray throws tear gas into the church and one of the refugees dies accidentally, from overexposure to the gas. Roger forces Gray into negotiations at gunpoint in the mayor's office, and after a struggle, Roger shoots Gray in the stomach. (He claims it was an accident.) A hostage situation ensues, and officer Bill eventually attempts to shoot Roger with a sniper rifle from a roof across the street. His life is saved only when Jake intervenes. The hostage crisis ends when Jake persuades Roger to come out of the mayor's office, and he then agrees to surrender and turn Gray over to the Jericho medical authorities. Gail Green pleads with the townspeople to allow the refugees to stay, living either with the people of Jericho or in the houses of Jericho citizens who were out of town when the bombs went off. The townspeople agree to this plan and it is implemented. However, because of Roger's shooting of Gray, he is exiled from Jericho permanently, and he does not protest the decision. Emily wants to go with him, but Roger refuses to let her come, not wanting to subject her to the perils of the outside world. Jake gives Roger a pistol to increase his chances of survival, and Roger tells Jake that he will try to reach New Bern, where he believes that the Jericho citizens at work there will help him to integrate into the new town.

Meanwhile, Hawkins receives a message from Sarah Mason's mysterious contacts, who still believe that the communications Hawkins sends them are coming from Sarah. They say that they are ready to buy Hawkins' atomic bomb, and they want to meet in McCook, Nebraska. However, Hawkins asks to meet at an abandoned warehouse instead of the coordinates given to him. Hawkins drives there but stays out of sight and succeeds in getting photographs of the heavily-armed men who arrive to buy the bomb, and places a tracking device on the truck they arrived in. After he returns to Jericho, Hawkins hooks into a satellite with his laptop and succeeds in tracking the men who had come to meet Sarah, and gets an aerial photo of "the old man" who seems to be the leader of the group. He posts the photos of the men he has seen on a board in his basement, forming a tree of the people who are involved with the group. Hawkins receives yet another message from them, intended for Sarah, in which they offer to pay double their original offer for the bomb.

Dale Turner and Skylar continue to resort to intimidation tactics to secure supplies for the supermarket from those who won't fulfill their obligations to them. Skylar helps Dale by stealing some gasoline that was owed to the store by one of the farmers, who refused to turn it over. Later as Dale and Skylar are readying the store to once again open for business, the farmer and his nephew show up to take the gasoline back. They find themselves instead at gunpoint as the store is now secured by Dale's new employees, who appear to be two of the refugees now staying with Dale per Gail Green's offer to refugees.

Jake decides to set up the radio that they got from the fake Marines in Mary's bar so that the townspeople can listen for news of the outside world. At the end of the episode, they pick up a news broadcast reporting that terrorists had been apprehended in New York, and that they had fake FBI badges. Jimmy soon becomes very uneasy about the news and a shot of Hawkins and his FBI badge is shown.

Radio Broadcast

At the end of the episode, the radio the town received from the fake marines in "Semper Fidelis" is fixed and set up in Bailey's Tavern where the townspeople listen to a local radio broadcast being transmitted. The transcription is as follows:

...bodies were found along Route 400 near Cimarron. We have also received reports that the bombers gained the trust of local officials which allowed the terrorists access to secure locations; to government buildings, military installations, and to research laboratories. In New York, the terrorists who were apprehended were all carrying nearly perfect fake FBI badges. Their identities have not been released. Authorities have increased security at all critical sites, and counter-terrorism forces are working to capture those responsible. In the mean time, all citizens are encouraged to be vigilant. As we receive more information we will bring it to you. Until then, all news is now local. Take care of each other, Kansas.

Music

The music played toward the end of the episode is Michael Andrews and Gary Jules cover version of Mad World, originally written by Tears for Fears, a rendition first made famous in the cult movie Donnie Darko. It was also used in the popular Xbox 360 trailer for Gears of War.

Notes

The Buyer's message to Hawkins indicates they are to meet in McCook, Nebraska. However the coordinates given, 40°49′57.28″N 96°41′47.8″W / 40.8325778°N 96.696611°W / 40.8325778; -96.696611, are located some 210 miles away at Lincoln, Nebraska.

References

• "One Man's Terrorist" at CBS.com