JERICHO is a drama about what happens when
a nuclear mushroom cloud suddenly appears on the horizon, plunging the
residents of a small, peaceful Kansas town into chaos, leaving them completely
isolated and wondering if they're the only Americans left alive. 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 (Skeet Ulrich), 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 (Gerald
McRaney) is conflicted with the return of his estranged son, but is called
to action when the town begins to riot. Johnston's
wife, Gail (Pamela Reed), 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 (Michael Gaston),
who is not above putting his personal agenda before the welfare of the very
community he wants to lead.
Though the cloud appears in the distance, it
affects all the residents in Jericho,
including Dale Turner (Erik Knudsen),
the 16-year-old trailer park kid everybody picks on, who finds himself in a
position that could change his status; Robert Hawkins (Lennie James), a mysterious stranger who seems to be a
jack-of-all-trades as he steps in to help restore order; Heather Lisinski (Sprague Grayden), a pretty young
schoolteacher on the bus with her students returning from a class trip when the
glare from the explosion causes a terrible accident; Emily Sullivan (Ashley Scott), Jake's high school
sweetheart who lives outside of town and innocently goes about her business
unaware of the catastrophe, Bonnie Richmond (Shoshannah Stern), a pretty 17-year-old who is hearing impaired;
and Bonnie's older brother Stanley (Brad
Beyer), Jake's best friend from childhood and an avid car lover who works
on the family farm. In this time of crisis, as sensible people become paranoid,
personal agendas take over and well-kept secrets threaten to be revealed, some
people will find an inner strength they never knew they had, and the most
unlikely heroes will emerge.