The Chosen

My wife wanted me to watch The Chosen with her, and I avoided it for weeks, because I expected yet another well-intentioned but 'cheesy' Christian production. Then I finally gave in. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG. This production is amazing! The quality of the scripts, acting, and sets are all on a par with the production values of a well-regarded Hollywood 'short season' series. And the depiction of the historical culture and the conjectural backstories for key figures around Jesus are BETTER than anything I have seen elsewhere. If you are at all curious about a fresh take on the life of Jesus that still maintains rigorous effort to remain true to the New Testament record, I would HIGHLY recommend this series!

Well-written, well-cast, well-acted. So so happy this show exists.

Following the progress of this idea from dream to reality, I was excited to have access to the first four episodes. This series is unlike any Biblical portrayal of the life of Christ to date - the characters are fresh and real- check out Abigail!! And a Jesus who winks! And doesn't glow or act ethereal! These first four episodes bring the Gospels to life in a way that immerses us into a culture and recounting that feels authentic. Kudos to everyone involved- I can't wait for more.

Christian movies and shows aren't typically known for quality, good character development, or well-written, compelling stories. There are certainly some exceptions (e.g., The Passion of the Christ, I Can Only Imagine, Ben-Hur, I'm Not Ashamed, Faith Like Potatoes, The Case for Christ, and Narnia).

To cut straight to the point: The Chosen is far and away the best on-screen depiction of the life of Christ-either mini-series or movie. The writing and character development are exceptional. It's as captivating as The Passion, yet in so many ways more human and relatable. My family and I keep re-watching them just to get one more glimpse of the Son of Man. The miracles are deeply moving and will bring you to tears.

And now... the biggest problem is we'll have to wait for Season 2. The wait is going to hurt more than waiting for Stranger Things Season 3.

This show is really well done. The story moves at a great pace, taking time to develop characters, but still moving the story along without feeling like it's dragging out. The historical accuracy of the time period is excellent. And the actors are wonderfully cast.