Of course, nothing in today's society can be free of woke agendas. So naturally, The Chosen television series has fallen prey to the clutches of wokeism. The appearance of a "Pride" flag in behind-the-scenes footage on the film set has caused an uproar among many Christian viewers. Quite predictably, a boycott is ensuing.
I find key differences between this event and the Bud Light or Target controversies. Most importantly, the show is not promoting the "Pride" flag or even sexual activity of any sort. The damning footage is from behind the scenes. Does every crew member working on the show need to be Christian? I would hope not.
In the Christian faith, "pride" is considered sinful. The source of our pride is insignificant. In our fallen human nature, it is pride itself that can lead us into trouble. I do believe that. So, I'm no supporter of "Pride Month." But I am a supporter of good television shows, and The Chosen is the best I've seen in several years.
If the "Pride" flag--or anything it represents--shows up in an episode of Season 4, I'll have a different stand. But so far, in my opinion, the depiction of Christ's teachings and miracles have been accurately portrayed. There are many objections to the fictionalized dialog along the lines of "it's not biblical," or "Jesus never said that." It's a television show, not a theological course of study. If it prompts people to read the Gospels, I'm more than fine with that outcome.
I especially enjoy the show's emphasis on the Apostles. The viewer learns each of them had an earlier occupation and a reason to begin following Jesus. In drawing them as vivid people, complete with character flaws, disagreements, and personality clashes, the writers bring the 12 Apostles to life. Their individual story arcs are very well done.
I am also impressed with the creativity in using ancillary characters from the Gospels as connective tissue to knit together various plotlines leading up to Jesus' miracles. Jairus, the Jewish leader whose daughter Jesus raises from the dead, makes his appearance in Season 3. The Roman officer who asks Jesus to heal his servant plays a strong supporting role throughout the series, first appearing as supervisor to St. Matthew, the despised tax collector.
I find The Chosen to be a quality production. I enjoy the set and costume designs along with the story. There are occasional hiccups in the dialog, when modern jargon is interjected. "You've got this," "Easy does it"--really? I can agree that "Jesus never said that." And whoever added the fist-bump handshake should take a seat. But these are tiny quibbles. Overall, I think The Chosen is well worth watching. In fact, I'm watching it for the second go-round.
Jonathan Roumie portrays Jesus Christ in a calm and convincing manner. I like the touches of humor that occasionally pop up in his fictional dialog. I've always believed that Jesus had a sense of humor. In one of his interviews, I heard Roumie tell the story of his own miracle. When he was a down-and-out actor, overdrawn at the bank, he got on his knees and prayed for help. Later that same day he received several checks in the mail for past acting spots, which got him out of his immediate financial crisis. Three months later he was cast as Jesus in The Chosen. That makes me wonder if maybe Someone up there wanted to watch The Chosen, too.
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| Scene from The Chosen |
