The Book of Daniel -- A Review

I watched the entire two-hour first episode of The Book of Daniel on NBC Friday night. This is the controversial new series that I wrote about earlier (here and here), and that is generating a lot of telephone and email reaction from NBC viewers.

I thought that what might bother me most about the show was the Jesus character that appears to the main character, Episcopal priest, Daniel Webster. I usually don't like characters that speak as God. I never was comfortable with that movie where George Burns played God, for example. Anytime I watch anything like that I fear a bolt of lightening will hit me. For a long time I didn't even watch Touched by an Angel, until a friend told me how tastefully and respectfully done it was. The Jesus character on The Book of Daniel was not what bothered me so much about the show, though.

Actually a few of the best moments of the show included the Jesus character. For example, Daniel asked Jesus if he talks to everyone the way he talks to him. He told him that he does, but that few hear him. I thought that was a pretty thought-provoking line. It made me think about how seldom I actually stop and try to listen to what God might be telling me. Unfortunately, that was a rare moment in the show.

There are a few moments that are genuinely moving . One is when Daniel's mother who is suffering from Alzheimer's doesn't remember that he is her son and he talks about how much he misses his mother and asks Jesus if there isn't something he can do about it. Jesus tells him that it doesn't work that way. Daniel says he knows, but he just doesn't understand why.

Some of the plotlines in the show could have been used to present interesting and timely discussions about current topics. One example is when the priest tells the congregation that they really shouldn't be too hard on themselves when they sin, and that evil is necessary for good to exist. He then catches it from a higher up in the church who is worried about the flack the Episcopal church has been getting for taking so many liberal stands. Actually, that is one of the few storylines that does include some effective humor. After that sermon Daniel's kids tease him about coming out in favor of sin.

The thing that bothered me most about the show is that it really could have been a wonderful show. Instead, it is a bit of a mess that came across to me as an unfunny copy of Desperate Housewives. I had a hard time deciding whether the aim was to make viewers think or to make them laugh. I think it could have successfully achieved both if the all the humor was more similar to that I described in the previous paragraph. Instead, I think the goal was to shock. There is a caricature Catholic priest with mob connections, Daniel's brother-in-law (who ran off with over 3 million dollars from a church school fund) found by the guys dispatched by the connected Catholic priest dead in a hotel room with various objects protruding from his rear end, and Daniel's kids constantly making fun of the fact that one of them is gay, one an adopted Asian and one just got busted for selling pot. A barrel of laughs, huh?

It is possible to deal with controversial, and even very heavy subjects, with humor. I will never forget something my uncle said when his mother-in-law was suffering her final years with Alzheimer's. He said it was difficult, but one advantage was that she had forgotten that she didn't like him. It was an honest observation and we all laughed about it, but it was not at the expense of the ailing woman. It was just laughing at life. There isn't enough of that kind of humor in The Book of Daniel.

The biggest failure of the show, in my opinion, is that it is like a big cartoon. I have already mentioned the mob connected Catholic priest, the kids' jokes about one son who is adopted about being Asian, one son who is gay about being gay, and the daughter about being arrested for selling drugs. These are really heavy topics and they are laughed off and never really given any serious discussion. The show just jumps from one controversial or shocking situation to the next. Every character on the show that I can recall either has a sexual storyline (gay, lesbian, adulterer, priest's son sleeping with the 16-year-old daughter of church member, etc.) or is abusing a substance of some sort (Daniel constantly pops painkillers, his daughter sells pot and the maid smokes it, and his wife always seems to be looking for olives for her martini). The only church official on the show that is not having an affair is Daniel and he is constantly popping painkillers.

I thought I would hate The Book of Daniel because of the way Christians are portrayed in it. I do hate the way Christians are portrayed in the program, but the portrayals, in my opinion, would be objectional even if they were not of Christians, or church leaders, for all the reasons I explained above.

[This was also posted at Polipundit.com.]

Comments

[Maggie]

Doesn't it drive you crazy how every family on TV is now portrayed as dysfunctional?

Hollywood's continuing its agenda of a "nanny state" for the American people.

[Pamela]

I watched the new episode of "Desperate Housewives" last night. I had only started watching the show this season and thought it to be quite entertaining and clever, that is until last night. There were two separate scenes showing a couple of teenaged boys kissing and one of the scenes had them in bed. If they were trying to shock me, well they certainly succeeded. And this is prime time TV! I'm now reduced to watching "24," "Medium" and a couple of the reality shows, like "Dancing with the Stars."

No wonder the bookstores are brimming with people these days!

[Maggie]

PatriotPost.US sent me an e-mail which included this comment from one of their readers:

"Regarding 'The Book of Daniel,' I propose another TV drama—'The Krazy Koran' —with a Mullah who talks to an edgy Allah while his wife is a hooker, his son is a transvestite, and his daughter becomes a Christian. I, for one, am not holding my breath!" —Colorado Springs, Colorado

Don't hold your breath or put any money on it either!

[Lorie Byrd]

Maggie, that is hysterical.

Pamela, I started watching Desperate Housewives at the end of last season and felt the same way. My husband even enjoys watching it with me because it can be pretty funny. I missed all but the final 20 minutes of it last night and did not see the part you mentioned. I really don't like it when they throw stuff in for shock value. It is supposed to be about entertainment.

I like Medium, "24" and several of the reality shows, too. I love American Idol and get teased for it. I love that I can watch it with my kids and since most of the songs are old, I know most of the words to them. I tend to watch a lot of the CBS shows (CSI, NCIS, Without A Trace, etc.) for some reason -- I guess because my husband watches a lot of them.

I also watch Monk, Crossing Jordan, and Dead Zone. I also like the Food Network and HGTV. Of course, I watch lots of cable news television as well. Wow, I think I watch waaaay too much t.v., although most of the time I am doing other things, like blogging, when watching.

[Pamela]

Lori, it sounds like we have the same taste in TV. I have weaned myself off of the CSI series and the Law & Order ones too. I used to love Law & Order, but it has become way too political for me. I found myself screaming at the TV—not good for the blood pressure. My husband says to just turn it off.

Last night, though, I just wanted to gag. I cringed through the first scene, but then was hit twice again with images that I’d really rather not think about. And then, when I was watching HGTV, every other commercial was for Brokeback Mountain. Is there no refuge anywhere?

[singleton]

I must admire you. I was only able to watch 15 to 20 minutes before I started channel surfing.

This was definitely no Touched by an Angel (which I loved).

[singleton]

Maggie, I love your idea of The Krazy Koran, but I dont expect it to be produced, and if it was, I suspect the producer would not live long

[Barb]

To me, Jesus was too passive in the show. And, there wasn't really a story line, since every one of the characters had a problem.

The best thing on the TV today is the News. It gives you a little bit of everything and you never have to change the channel - especially Fox News. :)

[C.B.]

I think this show could of been a hit....but its ultimate demise was how the family had way...I mean way....toooooo many problems...it was as if the creators put too much into having a family that had a lot of hot button issues of the mainstream into one show.........

Beyond that...it was/is a cool concept for a show....