Jonathan Roumie, center, portraying Jesus in The Chosen
By Dan Murphy
What is the reason for the success of the series “The Chosen,” the groundbreaking historical drama based on the life of Jesus Christ seen through the eyes of those who knew him? Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, The Chosen series has been viewed more than 770 times in 175 countries.
Despite the fact that fewer Americans are going to church, the popularity of The Choses tells us that Americans still have a deep interest in God, and they want to know more about Jesus’ revolutionary life and teachings.
The Chosen has completed four seasons. The first two seasons were aired during COVID online and on Cable TV for free, and the third season is also available on many TV platforms for free.
The series is funded by viewers who have the ability to “pay it forward,” and an initial crowdfunding effort.
Recently, The Chosen has become available in movie theaters, and the fourth season has only been released in theaters.
The creator of The Chosen, Dallas Jenkins, never dreamed of the global phenomenon his series has become. What does he think is the reason for the demand?
“I think that we are removing the veil and the walls that we’ve sometimes put up between us and the authentic Jesus. Even though we have lots of stuff in the show that isn’t directly from scripture, I do believe we’re accurately capturing the character and intentions of Jesus in the gospels. And I do think that does contribute to people who don’t believe, being able to appreciate the show. We like to say that we’re taking Jesus down from statues and stained-glass windows,” said Jenkins.
The Chosen website, (thechosen..tv,) explains, “As we’ve said from our very first episode, The Chosen is based on the true stories of the Gospels of Jesus Christ. Some locations and timelines have been combined or condensed. Backstories and some characters or dialog have been added.
“However, all the bible and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures. Viewers are encouraged to read the scripture and the Gospels.”
The success or failure of any movie or TV series lies with the main character, and in The Chosen, Jonathan Roumie’s, portrayal of Jesus is according to comments, a human and relatable Jesus, thought provoking, inspiriing, enlightened, and for many of us who love the series and his performance, leaves us wanting more.
Some fans of The Chosen belileve that Roumie was “Chosen”, to play Jesus by a higher power. More comments include, “At the heart of this docuseries is Jonathan Roumie, an humble, tenderhearted man who is deeply committed to taking good care of the greatest story ever told. His story of surrender to Jesus paved the way for his glory. One can clearly see why God chose him to play His Son.”
And “Roumie really does a great job of demonstrating just how much Jesus loves us. His portrayal definitely deepened my love for Christ as well as my desire to be more like him.”
And “Jesus is portrayed not only in a calm and authoritative way but also in a very reverent way. He even has an amazing sense of humour ! He is quite relatable and conveys a sense of caring and calmness even in the midst of difficulties.
Roumie said about his role, “You cannot strip away his Jewishness. It is imperative that all of what he did fulfilled the prophecies of Jewish culture of his time. So, I think to pretend it’s not there does him and the story a disservice.”
One reason many viewers, and binge watchers of The Chosen love the show is that “it brings Jesus to life. It’s real”
“Sometimes the language of the past makes it hard for you to connect and really understand the context of what happened. But when I see The Chosen, I see how Jesus was, and lived his life. Jesus and The disciples were only human and he went through life and felt everything. It physically hurts me to know what is ahead in the future of The Chosen, but that is important, because we should all feel that. The Chosen Is About Hope and Inspiration. It fleshes out a lot -all of this happened so long ago,” said my wife Val Murphy, who is a binge watcher of The Chosen, again and again.
We have also gone to the theaters to watch Season Four, which has not yet been released online yet. It’s a good reason to go to and support your local theater. We go to the Regal in the Cortland Town Center. The theater was set to close at the end of last year but has stayed open.
Another friend of our family and fan of the Chosen explained, “For me the best part is that I can play it at my house. My family is not as devoted to Christ as I am. So when I get to see the scenes from The Chosen and hear verses straight from The Bible on TV it feels like Jesus is in my home.
“I also like how it gives the people in The Bible personality and makes them relatable. I feel like I know who Peter and the other disciples are on a deeper level than just names on a page. The Chosen has inspired me to read more of the New Testament and learn as much as I can,” said Gab.
Those of us who enjoy The Chosen would recommend that you give it a chance, and watch an episode online for free. See if you enjoy it and watch more if you do.
If it isn’t your cup of tea then think of it this way; for the millions who are enjoying it, there are far worse things that we can be watching on TV or online.
And what better a time to watch The Chosen then this Easter and Passover Holiday Season.
The Chosen Season 4 will extend its run in theaters for three days before Easter at a discounted price. Episodes 1 to 3 will premiere on March 28, episodes 4 to 6 will come out on March 29, and Episodes 7-8 on March 30.
Visit thechosen.tv, and watch on www.youtube.com/@TheChosenSeries.
