Jericho

Pilot

Season 1

Episode 1

Fear of the unknown propels Jericho into social, psychological and physical mayhem when all communication and power is shut down. The town starts to come apart at the seams as terror, anger and confusion bring out the very worst in some residents. Jake Green, the prodigal son of the town's mayor, becomes a reluctant hero when a school bus crashes as a result of the explosion.

Mayor Johnston Green is conflicted with the return of his estranged son, but is called to action when the town begins to riot. Johnston's wife, Gail, is the strong, savvy first lady of the town who runs interference between her husband and her favorite son. Attempting to usurp the mayor's power is Johnston's political adversary Gray Anderson, who is not above putting his personal agenda before the welfare of the very community he wants to lead. Jake's brother, Eric, longs for an identity outside of his father's shadow and resents the fact that Jake is so favored by their mother.

Though the cloud appears in the distance, it affects all the residents in Jericho, including Dale Turner, the 16-year-old trailer park kid everybody picks on who finds himself in a position that could change his status; Robert Hawkins, a mysterious stranger who seems to be a jack-of- all-trades as he steps in to help restore order; Heather Lisinski, a pretty, young school teacher on the bus with her students returning from a class trip when the glare from the explosion causes a terrible accident; Emily Sullivan, Jake's high school sweetheart who lives outside of town and innocently goes about her business unaware of the catastrophe; Bonnie Richmond, a pretty 17- year-old who is hearing impaired; and Bonnie's older brother Stanley, Jake's best friend from childhood.

In the premiere episode, Jake returns to Jericho after a long absence to claim a sum of money his grandfather put aside for him. With the past five years of his life shrouded in secrecy, Jake evades questions about his whereabouts. As he heads out of Jericho bound for San Diego, Jake witnesses a nuclear explosion on the horizon- an event which instantly changes the lives of everyone. As the town faces a potentially deadly crisis, Jericho's usually sensible people become paranoid, personal agendas take over and well-kept secrets threaten to be revealed, while others will find an inner strength they never knew they had and the most unlikely heroes will emerge.