So I just finished watching NBC's newest drama, The Book of Daniel. In case you didn't see it or haven't heard about it, the show centers around an Episcopal Priest named Daniel and his family. Of course with clergy being the 'family career' in my family, I was interested to watch this show.
So there is Father Daniel, who is a pain-killer popping Priest. He's wife is very fond of the martinis. They live in a very nice home that we learn is a family home of hers. Daniel's father is the Bishop and Daniel's mother is suffering from Alzheimer. Daniel's father is also having an affair with another female Bishop who works with Daniel. Daniel's brother-in-law is a thief and his sister in law has been having an affair with a woman whom is suspected of helping to kill her husband.
And we haven't even started on the children yet...
The oldest son is gay. The daughter is selling drugs to support her animation habits. And the other son is an adopted chinese boy who is having sex with the most influential man in town's daughter.
Oh yeah, and then there is the Jesus figure. Probably the only character that I really liked. He was a very laid back Jesus with a sense of humor.
So, I am not sure what I think of this show yet. On the one hand it has the potential to show that clergy are just people like everyone else. But, on the other hand it seems to be playing up all of the vices of humans and almost making the church and clergy look very bad. I think I need to see a few more episodes before I form a complete opinion. Like I said, I like the Jesus figure and I liked the interactions the main character had with the Jesus figure. But I am not sure those few moments outweigh the negative picture that is being painted of the church.
The jury is still out.
What do you think?
-PK Hay
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3 comments:
Elizabeth and I watched it too and had the same feeling.
We thought it was unusual that they were kind of throwing all the issues at you at once instead of doing more character development. On the other hand, maybe they're getting it all out on the table so they can start devling into deeper issues.
We liked the Jesus figure too, although we had a debate over some of the theology like "Life is hard but that's why there is a reward at the end"
There were some moving/touching moments like when Daniel visits the woman in the hospital and Daniel saying he misses his mom, followed by the grandmother and grandfather's struggle as they left Sunday dinner.
We're like you, could be really good or just another sensational and unrealistic Desperate Housewives show.
I thought it was pretty much Desperate Housewives. The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am.
The jury is still out with me, but I think it has great potential.
I just felt they tried to show a year's worth of problems in one episode. Establishing characters should take time, and they crammed the first show with too much.
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