I know this review plays up the "manly men and stoic women" aspect of Jericho, but personally I love this show because it has so many down-to-earth characters. You can actually put yourself in their shoes as they struggle to make hard choices and survive lawlessness. What would I do if my wife fell sick and the nearest medicine was nearly 20 miles away through bandit country? Would I give up everything I believe in to seek vigilante justice against the man who killed my father? In last night's season premiere, I especially liked the twist on the "cavalry comes riding over the hill just in time." The citizens of Jericho are saved by the US Army from their neighbors, but now they're under marshal law, lorded over by a general who's obviously become jaded to human suffering after years in Iraq.

While I like Lost and can see parallels between the two shows (especially when it comes to unseen dark forces lurking in the background), I do find myself more emotionally invested in the people of Jericho. Lost has long ceased to offer for me the "what would I do stranded on an island" fantasy, but Jericho still makes me think about what I would do in a given situation. This is a show that people of all different backgrounds and political persuasions can enjoy.