I know what those of you who haven't viewed "The Bible", a ten part mini series on the History Channel, must be thinking, "Oh great, another age old story about the Bible. Like that hasn't been done before".
At least, that's what I was thinking. I had seen a few trailers for "The Bible" and many of my family and friends were hyping up the show before it aired, but for some reason I was still quite resistant. My last experience with a big mainstream production around Easter was the movie "The Passion". Even though "The Passion" was a great movie, it's something that was difficult to watch, especially the long and gory scene of watching Jesus' flesh being whipped off of his back. So, maybe I was a bit scarred by "The Passion" and I wasn't really ready to give Hollywood's interpretation of the Bible another shot. But, I'm so glad I did.
This past Sunday, I happened to see that it was on while I was channel surfing. I promised myself that I would only watch the show for a few minutes and then I would move on to others things because I was "busy". But, lo and behold, from the second I tuned in I was absolutely hooked.
I would say the biggest surprise about "The Bible" is that it's a cliff hanger. It's nearly impossible that if you already know how a movie ends, that it would still be a cliff hanger. But with this mini series nothing ceases to amaze me. I've never in all my years of watching various movies and seeing eclectic interpretations of Easter plays, seen such a well developed, high budget movie executed with cutting edge special effects but at the same time preserving historical and biblical accuracy. It is at its best a story of faith while also being a strong medium for entertainment. This mini series also features a diverse cast, which is unlike the many other adaptations of its kind that I've seen. The aspect of diversity in this mini series, is enough to turn other adaptations on its head. Overall, this mini series brings the Bible to you in a way that you've never experienced it before.
Even if you don't consider yourself to be religious, you must give this mini series a chance or you are seriously missing out. According to ABC news, this series has scored blockbuster ratings, with 13 million viewers on the first night alone. If you're behind, there's plenty of time to catch up. From the mainstream point of view it's solid entertainment with themes of scandal, power, love and war. From a faith standpoint its the best way to renew your beliefs this Easter Season.
Check out the trailer below and tune in on Sunday!
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