The Chosen
This crowd-funded faith based production has earned its place as a must-watch series for audiences seeking inspiration and connection.
During Lent. many like to watch The Chosen — some for the nth time — not only because it’s “the seasonal thing to do”, but also because it can put one on reflection mode, and possibly revitalize one’s faith. The Chosen — which is touted as the most watched faith-based TV series in history with close to 400 million views up to Season 3— is a remarkable production from Angel Studio that breathes new life into biblical storytelling. Fired by an evangelical spirit and strength of conviction, its creators have made it watchable online for free since its inception. And now it’s on Netflix.
Many things set it apart in the television/movie industry, foremost of which is its ground-breaking approach to production. The Chosen is not your garden-variety Hollywood blockbuster produced by moviedom’s moguls — it is crowd-funded, moving from episode to episode, through season to season, on a life force coming from a passionate audience.
What is it about The Chosen that attracts donors, keeping the series alive as a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives? For one, The Chosen offers a fresh perspective on familiar biblical narratives, an immersive storytelling that makes the series accessible and relatable to modern and younger audiences. By its popularity it seems it is filling a need in a generation that secretly yearns for God while rejecting the God they have known from their elders.
What is truly new and innovative in The Chosen is the imaginatively crafted background stories — invented, yes, inspired even — that are intended to enrich the Bible material by offering context, depth, and explanations to fill story-telling gaps in the Gospels. When one reads the Bible questions may come to mind, for instance: What did Jesus and His disciples do during their free time? What happened to that woman after she was rid of seven devils? Did Jesus ever smile? Or laugh? Or trade jokes? What would His followers fight over, and how would fights be settled?
Thus The Chosen boldly takes us behind the scenes, so to speak, giving us engaging side stories involving His disciples and their families, helping us appreciate what life must have been during those times when Jesus and His disciples walked the earth. One example of such stories is the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law. In Matthew 8:14–15 the miracle is over in two verses. In The Chosen are shown the events leading up to it — the tension between Peter and his wife Eden, her brothers’ anxiety that their mother might be dying, et al — and what happens with her after Jesus’s healing touch. (She could give Wonder Woman a run for her money).
The Chosen director and co-creator Dallas Jenkins stresses that this use of creative license aims to enhance understanding, engagement, and emotional resonance with the biblical narratives while remaining faithful to the core teachings and messages of the Gospels. Theologians and Scriptures experts would observe that, indeed, The Chosen upholds the integrity of the Bible and does not attempt to introduce new or contradictory teaching to the series.
Then there’s the cast of relative unknowns whose convicted portrayals of their roles lend life and humanity behind the biblical figures — Jesus, His disciples, and all whose lives they touch — allowing viewers to connect with their struggles, triumphs, and spiritual journeys on a deeper level
Somehow the series dares to introduce the audience to biblical characters that are “different” — beginning with an accessible Jesus (played by Jonathan Roumie), and followed by His disciples, ordinary working class guys with their own dreams, hopes, and issues. Jenkins must have known that using A-list actors would have been a colossal mistake. Imagine what the outcome would be with Leonardo di Caprio playing Jesus and Robert Downey Jr. playing Peter!
While The Chosen actors may not be widely recognized, Jenkins prioritizes finding individuals who can authentically embody the essence of the biblical figures they portray. Rather than relying solely on fame or star power, Jenkins and his casting team focus on selecting actors who possess the right blend of skill, passion, and emotional depth to bring the characters to life. By choosing authenticity and emotional resonance over celebrity status, Jenkins ensures that each actor is perfectly cast for their role, enabling them to deliver nuanced and impactful performances. (Speaking of perfectly cast, note that The Chosen’s Jesus is not white, blonde, and blue-eyed).
Jenkins also reveals in his many interviews that he encourages actors to bring their unique insights and interpretations to their characters. Considering that key playors come from different religious persuasions — Jenkins the director is Evangelical Christian, Jonathan Roumie (Jesus) is Roman Catholic, Shahar Isaac (Simon) is Jewish, Elizabeth Tabish (Mary Magdalene) grew up Catholic and is still moved to tears when she enters a Catholic cathedral or a church with uplifting images of Saints), Paras Patel (Matthew) grew up Hindi, and Erick Avari (Nicodemus) follows Zoroastrianism , etc.— this synergy allows for a rich and dynamic portrayal that captures the essence of the biblical narrative. The result of this open-minded collaboration is an exquisite tapestry woven from different threads bound together by a shared passion for bringing the stories of Jesus and His disciples to life, to accurately tell the Christian message in a compelling and authentic way.
This meticulous attention to casting and dedication to authenticity contribute to the success of The Chosen, prompting film critics to call it “the biggest surprise on the movie charts”. Besides the movie charts, the overwhelmingly positive feedback, comments, and widespread acclaim in various social media platforms The Chosen has received further underscore its ability to touch hearts, inspire minds, and foster a sense of unity and shared humanity among its viewers.
Overall, the show is an inspired production that allows audiences to imagine what it must have been like for the people who knew Jesus during the 1st century. In an era where traditional portrayals may feel distant, The Chosen bridges the gap between ancient tales and contemporary sensibilities, inviting viewers — believers and non- believers alike — to engage with timeless truths, earning its place as a must-watch series for audiences seeking inspiration and connection.
CINEMA gently reminds one and all that no matter how deeply The Chosen tugs at your soul, don’t let it replace the Scriptures in your faith life. Go ahead and watch it, love it, swoon over it, shout to the world about it, but let it not lead you to idolatry. The Chosen may be inspired fiction, but only fiction just the same — man made, and therefore not infallible.
