May 24, 2023 by Cathryn deVries, in Thoughts and Ramblings

Right from the very first episode, I knew The Chosen was going to be something special—and it hasn’t disappointed me. Dallas Jenkins and his team have produced, and are producing, a unique and masterful retelling of the life of Christ. And it’s not just for Christians. The production quality is so high that even non-Christians are watching and enjoying it—a fact which is telling.

Apart from a few stand-outs, such as Mel Gibson’s The Passion, so many faith-based productions have a certain element of ‘cringe’ that turns even Christians off. Maybe the actors aren’t top-notch. Maybe the story feels contrived. Maybe the ‘invitation to accept Jesus as your personal lord and saviour’ seems more like some sort of sales pitch than a challenge to surrender to the process of complete and utter transformation.

Whatever it is, these kinds of movies/shows tend to remain what conscientious parents pick for ‘family movie night’, because they think they ‘should’.

How different then, how freeing, to discover something the calibre of The Chosen. Something that you could recommend to anyone without the least bit of embarrassment, because it’s Just. So. Good.

But why? What makes The Chosen stand out from the crowd? Is it the actors? Well, they are great, no doubt about that, and I don’t think there is a person living who gives out more ‘Jesus vibes’ than Jonathon Roumie—but I don’t think that’s it. Is it the quality of the sets and costumes, and the camera-work? Again, they are usually very high quality—but I don’t think it’s that either. Is it the care that has gone into the research? The input and collaboration from Catholic, Evangelical and Jewish experts? Again, these things are important elements of the show—but I don’t think they are why so many people are watching.

It’s the story. The interwoven character arcs.

And the fact that we are discovering Jesus along with all the other characters.

Somehow, even though so many of us think we know him, the Jesus of The Chosen remains an enigma. He does things we don’t understand. He says things that blow our minds. He refuses to stay in our nice, neat boxes. Somehow, he feels very real. Very authentic. And very surprising.

And that is why, I think, so many people around the world, from all different backgrounds, can relate to The Chosen, and why it seems to speak to us where we are. It is brave—refusing to give trite, simple answers to our complicated and heart-breaking problems. It is bold—throwing pithy one-liners out there for us to chew on. And it is beautiful—weaving a tapestry of lives together in meaningful ways.

If you haven’t yet watched The Chosen, do yourself a favour. Seriously.

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