Black Jesus

Didn't have any expectations for this show. Only knew that it was a comedy about a black Jesus. So, in need of good laugh, I watched and was happily entertained. Love Jesus' interaction with the folks in the hood. Aaron Mcgruder's jokes are hysterical and quick. One right on top of another. I had to "rewind" a couple of times to catch some of the jokes because I was laughing so hard. I love how McGruder has taken the sensitive subjects of race, religion and economics and managed to fold them into a comedy. All of this and social commentaries.

I'm looking forward to future episodes and will definitely recommend to others.

I didn't even know this show existed until a few weeks ago...which, as fate would have it, was during the early days following George Floyd's death at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department. It showed up on Hulu, and I gave it a shot based on nothing at all; no info, no recommendation, nothin'. Just a whim.

And now, three weeks later it's just about my favorite TV show. In the interest of full disclosure,it's worth pointing out that I'm a pasty-white, irritable mid-20th century caucasian. Not a MAGA angry white guy, but I love George Jones, Lawrence of Arabia, and looking down on young people (they are just awful). You know: your basic complacent oppressor. Not The Man, exactly, but close enough...

So, I checked out "Black Jesus" with no expectations, I'm just flippin' through the streaming channels looking for something to distract me from my feelings of diminished worth and deepening angst, not expecting anything. I was not prepared.

What I discovered was a show that combined what I think might be the most naturalistic portrayal of black vernacular culture that's ever been on television, along with biting wit, social criticism and liberal doses of the philosophy of Jesus, AKA the light of this world. And a lot of weed.

Slink Johnson is brilliant as Jesus. I realize now that I've seen him in minor roles in some not-very-good movies, but he is just fantastic in this. I'm pretty much an atheist, but he makes me want to believe in a a benevolent and loving savior for mankind who smokes a lot of weed.

There is really nothing wrong with this show. It's comical and actually shows positive values and will help people young and old who don't quite know about Christ, or even going to church for that matter. Jesus is actually showing the morals and giving scripture, the only thing is he's cussing when he's doing it. Why? He's from Compton! He's in the hood. This is based off somebody's imagination, if Jesus was in the hood and could say what he wanted, how would he say it? How do people feel about Christ and what would you actually want to say to Christ? I'm born and raised in the church and I'm laughing. It's hilarious! My father who has been in the church for over 30 years was even laughing. He didn't know what it was, he just happened to sit down to see what I was watching. My point is, you really have to an open mind and not jump to conclusions so fast about what something is about until you sit down and watch it. It may not be everyone's taste, but it doesn't make it bad just because you disagree with how someone is presenting their imagination if Jesus was from Compton.

'Black Jesus' is funny and has a good heart. Even though Christians might fear the worst from a TV show about a Jesus of color leading disciples in Compton, the show is in fact a tribute to the Gospels and in its own way spreads the Good News.

One of the keys to this show's success is its excellent cast, all of whom are funny and believable, with none more so than 'Black Jesus' himself. Miscasting the title role could easily have led this show to disaster, but the producers got it right. Maybe God Himself had a hand in picking Gerald Johnson because he brings a warmth and sincerity along with a streetwise credibility which makes 'Black Jesus' believable.

'Black Jesus' solves all his problems the way Real Jesus did, by praying, preaching, and practicing love and forgiveness, and in this way is a faithful tribute to the Gospels. What might offend some viewers is that 'Black Jesus' occasionally swears and smokes 'herb'.

I would counter this by saying two things. First, Jesus was a man of the people who spoke the language of the people, so swearing a bit doesn't seem unreasonable. Second, weed is a plant created by God that has a long, mostly harmless history, and since this is just a TV show, viewers should really just relax.

I am writing this review after the airing of episode five, so I can only hope – and pray – that 'Black Jesus' will continue to spread both laughter and the Good News for a long time to come.

Aaron Macgruder (The Boondocks) and Mike Clattenburg (Trailer Park Boys) team up to bring you what could be one of the freshest new comedy series in years. The basic premise of Black Jesus is as follows: An African- American male has apparently proclaimed himself to be Jesus and appears to perform miracles to his friends and neighborhood, such as turning water into Cognac. Most people around him accept that he is Jesus, but it's not clear if he really is or if he's a fraud, at least in the pilot episode. And it's not explained how Jesus came to be a typical black man living in South Central LA. And a typical black man he is. Beyond his constant attempts to help people and be a good person, preaching love and forgiveness, he's really a complete jackass to everyone and is totally oblivious to this fact. He uses typical urban slang like calling his bros pimps and catcalling women, he smokes all his friends weed, wastes their money, leeches off of people and generally he's just a lazy homeless bum. And this is why I think this show is brilliant. It gives his character a lot of room to develop, while providing an interesting commentary on both religion and racial stereotypes. And there's something uniquely hilarious about seeing a guy callously wasting his friend's mother's tax return money and then shrugging it off by saying that his friend still has the love grace and forgiveness of our Lord and Saviour. It's not really important whether he's actually Jesus or not because he's not supposed to be the hero. It's more of a cautionary tale. What they're trying to do with this show is try to tell us how to use religion and love, and power to be better people and make our world a better place, not use it for our own selfish ends like is so easy to do. I think our hero will eventually learn how to really be like Jesus, but it's more fun to watch him completely mess it up for a while. Lastly for all of the people calling this show blasphemous, I really don't think the creators intended this as an actual portrayal of Jesus, and I refer back to my theory that the character is actually a fraud. I'm sure they never meant it as an attack on Christianity or against the black community. It's a satire, so lighten up people!