I Wanna Talk About John From Cincinatti

HBO's show "John From Cincinatti" is certainly a beguiling little show. Tonight's episode was revelatory (I think), and I wanted to share a few thoughts I had about John's "Sermon From The Motel":

The line: "Can I bone Kai, and Butchie know my father instead?" to me indicates that John is directly the Son of God. Maybe I'm just coming at this from an outsiders (i.e. non-Christian) perspective, but to me that indicated that John was possibly the second coming? I dunno.

That by the end of the speech, there were a large number of disparate groups of people all standing together. These are, I believe, supposed to be the places they are supposed to be in order to make their lives better. You had the core family (Butchie, Cissy, Mitch, Shaunie, and Tina); you had the core relationships (Butchie and Kai. Yes, I'm pretty sure Butchie was in two groups). Bill Jacks and the drug dealer. Barry's secret/problem was finally out in the open (the dead body). Abogado Dickstein (possibly the best way a lawyer has been referred to on TV in a while) was simultaneously with everyone and with his fiancée. By the end of the speech, Vietnam Joe was standing next to the vato who stabbed John, indicating that Vietnam Joe has to lose his anger and find peace in order to find enlightenment. Linc was forced to stand alone. The doctor also stood alone, stuck between his faith from Shaunie’s recovery and his scientific background. And John was in the center of it all, preaching messianically, with Cass near him. Which leads me to my next point.

I believe that that speech just made Cass the protagonist of the show. Because, arguably, what we saw is how the show is supposed to progress down the line, with those relationships solidifying. And John said that the vision would all be seen through Cass' camera. So wouldn't that make Cass the portal through which the viewer watches these people, i.e. making Cass the person with whom we assimilate and sympathize. Maybe I'm completely wrong though.

I also think that the speech made Linc Stark arguably the villain of the show, if it has one. Linc is the bad influence, the one who is driving apart the family that John wants to see together. He has worked to separate Mitch and Cissy. He, as recently as earlier in the episode, was paying Tina for sex. John’s line to Linc about getting back in the game to me seemed like a warning to stay away from the Yost family.

The staircase that appeared in the parking lot was indeed the staircase from Bill Jacks’ home, but I believe it was also supposed to represent the staircase to heaven. After all, in Bill Jacks’ home, it leads to where Bill Jacks’ wife was, who has now passed and gone to heaven. And there did seem to be an eerie glow to the top of that staircase.

The speech that began as bringing these people together ultimately, though, brought out John and his father’s fallibility. Ultimately, we’re not to see this as John sees this. We have to see it though Cass. And John repeatedly mentioned how things have deviated from “My Father’s” plan. Which ties in to why I agree with you that the sermon will be the Rosetta Stone for deciphering the entire show. These people are deviations from the plan. John has been sent to correct this. To bring all of these people back into the fold. And it is possible.

Finally, and, again, this may just be because I’m coming from it with an incomplete knowledge of Christianity, but the last bit with Bill Jacks, Vietnam Joe, and John, with the mentions of Judas Priest was proving that all redemption is possible. Because John says “Judas Priest was my father’s son.” Judas was the betrayer of the first coming, but he was still the Father’s son. Maybe I’m wrong about this one though.

All in all though, this episode has completely restored any wavering faith in this show I have. I follow John Monad. Even If I am completely wrong about this perplexing show. There are some things I know and some things I don't know. Or, if you prefer: I don't know Butchie, instead.