Posted on 07/20/2005 6:57:04 AM PDT by ZGuy
A modern-day Jesus is coming to prime-time television.
The NBC network, eager for new hits to reverse a ratings slump, said on Friday it has given a mid-season 2005-06 commitment to a new drama titled "The Book of Daniel," depicting Christ as a contemporary confidant to a pill-popping priest.
The series stars Aidan Quinn ("Legends of the Fall") as conflicted Episcopal minister and family man, the Rev. Daniel Webster, and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn as his bishop.
The character of Jesus is portrayed by relative newcomer Garret Dillahunt, a regular on HBO's gritty, Emmy-nominated western "Deadwood." He played the man who murdered Wild Bill Hickok.
"Book of Daniel" was one of several high-profile projects NBC touted to advertisers at a special presentation in March, but it was left off the upcoming fall schedule unveiled by the General Electric Co.-owned network in May.
In announcing a mid-season pickup of the show, NBC did not say how many episodes were ordered or give a premiere date.
"This challenging new series is our first announced drama for mid-season as we continue to seek different, out-of-the-box projects," NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said in a statement.
Reilly has said NBC's development of the show was inspired in part by the success of religion-themed novels like the "Left Behind" series and Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ."
"Daniel," however, is a far cry from "Passion" or the conventional Easter-season TV specials that portray Christ in a biblical context. According to NBC promotional materials, the Jesus character on "Daniel" is depicted as a "contemporary, cool" figure who appears only to the minister.
The show is hardly NBC's first foray into themes of God, faith and afterlife.
The network's newest prime-time success, "Medium," stars Patricia Arquette as a crime solver who communicates with the dead. And NBC aired a six-part miniseries this spring titled "Revelations," about a scientist and a Catholic nun who team up in a race to thwart Armageddon.
CBS, meanwhile, recently canceled a drama about a girl who talks to God, "Joan of Arcadia," and picked up a new show, "Ghost Whisperer," starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, as a young newlywed who communes with spirits.
A very different take on religion, NBC's animated comedy "God, the Devil and Bob," angered many Christians and flopped several years ago.
Sounds like it will appeal to the "Passion" demographic.
< /> sarcasm
That would've been quite a coupe...if it had been announced by NBC's news division.
What do you want to bet it will be an anti-conservative, pro gay marriage screed?
Puke - these idiots must have just bought a "Christianity for Dummies" book and decided to make this - pagans attempting to speak a language they neither hear nor understand.
I wonder how long it will take them to turn Anne Rice's forthcoming book on Jesus into a miniseries? That one ought to really set off the alarm bells.
"Ah mean c'mon I wuz born fer dis role."
4: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Anne Rice has a new book on Jesus coming out? Cool..
If they think that this approach will net them the Passion demographic, they're popping whatever pills their fictional minister is hooked on.
Anyone else think this may be just a LITTLE blasphemous?
The media and the demoncrats are gonna show YOU that they have morals.
Does she make Him a vampire?
The statesman Daniel Webster must be rolling in his grave to see his name abused this way.
Oh you've just got to see this one!
I wonder how often the "new Jesus" will contradict Scripture? I mean, they won't be satisfied with doing it every now and again, two or three times per show is probably a requirement for the writers.
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