On C8, Jesus arrives early.
The channel is launching the broadcast on Monday, December 20 at 9.15 p.m. of “The Chosen”, an ambitious American series which traces the life of Christ.
A program that has not yet made noise, with the exception of Catholic circles, particularly targeted by this production.
It was born a little over five years ago in the mind of evangelical director Dallas Jenkins.
His ambition: to draw a portrait of Jesus of Nazareth through the future apostles or Mary Magdalene, who accompanied him to the cross.
The director initially plans no less than seven seasons to detail the Gospels.
But no channel is willing to take the risk.
Jenkins then had the idea of having the series produced by interested audiences, via a crowdfunding platform.
Viewers are going out of their own pockets and two years later, he announces that he has raised more than ten million dollars.
A record.
Better, the director created a dedicated site and a specific application… and free so that everyone can watch it.
The first two seasons are said to have been viewed by over 300 million people.
A special day already broadcast on August 15
So what is the value of “The Chosen” - “The Chosen One” - which lands on C8? We got to see the first two episodes. The story takes its time, draws up an inventory of the forces present at the time: Romans, Jews, Pharisees…. The characters are believable, the interpretation holds up. But some rather complex issues are incomprehensible to those who do not have a thorough knowledge of the Gospels. In addition, there is a staging that multiplies the easy effects: an insistent music during crucial scenes, or a Jesus who only appears at the very end of each episode.
The future will tell if the series will find its audience in France.
But his arrival on C8 could well be talked about.
In August 2021, the channel distinguished itself by broadcasting Mass on August 15 on a special 12-hour day devoted to religious programs.
What had made cringe on the eve of the programming of the film - unpublished in theaters - anti-abortion "The Unplanned".
Associations were then moved by so much religiosity, while C8 belongs to Vincent Bolloré, a fervent and practicing Catholic.
EDITOR'S RATING: 2/5
“The Chosen”
, American series by Dallas Jenkins (2017), with Jonathan Roumie, Elizabeth Tabish, Érick Avari… Season 1, episodes 1 and 2 on Monday December 20 from 9:15 pm.
