Writer(s): Matt Chastain, Meredith Johnson, Jarod O’Flaherty, Alan Tregoning, Micheal Willbanks
Director(s): Jarod O’Flaherty
Producer(s): Jarod O’Flaherty, William Carroll, William Curtis, Corey Cannon, Abby Wilkie, Micheal Willbanks, Michael Dennis, Candace Collier, Katherine Johnson, Kat Steffens, Nene Nwoko
Starring: Todd Terry, Peggy Schott, Emma Elle Roberts, Steve Mokate, Matt Holmes, Ben Davies, Venus Monique, T.C. Stallings, Cameron Arnett, Andrew Cheney, + more
Plot Synopsis: Vindication is an episodic faith-based crime-drama series that follows the small-town investigative work of Detective Travis.
The Critically Acclaimed Hit Series Completes Its First Season
Plot Summary
After Jesus chose a majority of His followers, He began to slowly but surely reveal His nature to the world through public miracles and teachings. Though He mostly ministered in obscurity, His work drew the attention of multiple different spheres of influence: common people, powerful politicians, and power-hungry religious leaders. However, Christ never discriminated in who He chose to follow Him as He broke down social and cultural barriers in order to proclaim His love for all humanity.
Production Quality (2.5 points) Much like the first half of Season 1, this season’s second half boasts a very high-quality production that both lives within its means and makes the most of what it has. Though camera work can be a bit shaky at times, much like the former half, there are virtually no other production flaws to note here. Video quality and audio quality are both flawless as the camera captures poignant scenes that feel like real life. Sets, locations, and props are incredibly authentic and demonstrate extreme care for historical accuracy and attention to detail. Perhaps the most impactful element of the production is the exquisite soundtrack that is creatively and artistically placed to enhance key moments and to draw the audience into the story’s emotional experiences. Further, editing is seamless and presents a well-crafted plot in a professional manner. In the end, Dallas Jenkins and his very talented creative team have once again showcased their God-given talents in a very responsible manner that has revolutionized Christian entertainment at a time when it was desperately needed.
Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points) However, there’s still more to say. It’s undeniable that the extreme humanity of The Chosen’s characters are what make the series more than a run-of-the-mill Bible drama. Tyler Thompson and the other writers clearly went great lengths, as prompted by the Holy Spirit, to not only ensure the accurate cultural profiles of the characters but to also make them very flawed and relatable to all audiences, which is something other Biblical productions have been allergic to. The Chosen doesn’t just show the viewers a collection of well-known miracles and stories: the lead-up and fallout of each important event is carefully crafted and woven together with other intriguing subplots. All of this is good enough without even mentioning the way some scenes are presented in artistic manners that are nearly flawless in their presentation. Dialogue and conversations between characters are very deep, meaningful, and even philosophical at times, which is something we rarely see in Christian entertainment. Basically, there are more positive qualities in this section than can be named, which has warranted a separate discussion on how the subplots interlock and interact. In the end, The Chosen creative team has transformed the development of series and characters in Christian entertainment, and there’s no going back from here.
Acting Quality (3 points) With virtually the same cast from episodes one through four plus others who add more life than there already was, the acting of episodes five through eight does not waver from its previously perfect score. In fact, many of the cast members build off of their roles and become even more comfortable in their characters. Emotions are right on target such that they can be felt by the viewers, and line delivery is basically perfect. This cast is so heavily talented that it’s posing a good problem for Box Office Revolution’s upcoming Actor and Actress of the Year Awards, which is a type of dilemma we have unfortunately never been faced with in our reviewing experience.
Continuity Quality (3 points) Continuity is where many Christian series completely drop the proverbial ball because the episode are often disconnected and self-contained. However, every episode of The Chosen that has been released so far are somehow able to be both self-consistent as well as connected to the bigger picture, which is an important component of a great series. One way the continuity is best demonstrated in through the use of flashbacks to cover both previously overlooked New Testament stories along with relevant Old Testament accounts, and this latter inclusion is one of the added bonuses of episodes five through eight. Finally, the ending of each episode is epic and demonstrates how much this creative knows what they’re doing and how much they have relied on God to get this project right.
Conclusion
The second half of The Chosen’s first season also receives two x-factor points for presenting the greatest stories of history in the ways they should have been portrayed all along as well as for being re-watchable and binge-able. There’s hardly anything we would want changed about The Chosen at this point except for an even bigger budget to do better things with since Jenkins and the rest have demonstrated an ability to responsibly steward the resources God’s given them. As a side note, we receive no compensation or reward for our reviews and advertising of this series, but we wholeheartedly support its full release and strongly encourage you to both watch Season 1 during this year’s holidays and to share it with as many people as you can. This is first time a season of a Christian series has been critically acclaimed and placed on the Box Office Revolution Hall of Fame. We believe The Chosen has a rare, God-given opportunity to change not only the Christian entertainment world but also Christian culture as a whole because it’s a fresh, high-quality look at well-known stories that are timelessly relevant for all people.
Filming Fall 2020 and Winter 2021; releasing Spring 2021
Writer(s): Ryan Swanson, Tyler Thompson, Dallas Jenkins, Kurt Gebhards
Director(s): Dallas Jenkins, Adam Drake, Mitch Hudson
Producer(s): Chad Gunderson, Justin Tolley, Derral Eves, Ricky Ray Butler, Earl Seals, Matthew Faraci, Dallas Jenkins, Ryan Swanson
Starring: Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Issac, Paras Patel, Noah James, Elizabeth Tabish, George Xanthis, Abe Martell, Giavani Cairo, Jordan Walker Ross, Joey Vahedi, Yasmine Al-Bustami, Vanessa Benavente, Brandon Potter, Kirk B. R. Woller, Lara Silva, Kenneisha Thompson, Vanessa DeSilvio, Maz Siam, Shaan Sharma, Ivan Jasso, Amber Shana Williams, Noé de la Garza, Yoshi Barrigas, Austin Alleman, Joseph Campbell, Alaa Safi, Nene Nwoko, Elijah Alexander, David Amito, Josh Zagoren, Luke Dimyan, Charan Prabhakar, Aalok Mehta, Anne Beyer
Plot Synopsis: Season 2 of the groundbreaking new series follows Jesus and His disciples during his earthly ministry outside of Capernaum. The season overall focuses on group dynamics between the disciples and introduces at least two more key characters. Jesus and His followers encounter both love and hatred as a result of their newfound popularity.
***CONFIRMED SPOILERS BELOW***
Overarching Season Themes: People finding their place in Jesus’ earthly ministry and the group dynamics of the disciples
Returning Characters: Jesus, Simon, Andrew, Mary Magdalene, Matthew, John son of Zebedee, Big James, Little James, Thaddeus, Mary the mother of Jesus, Thomas, Ramah, Eden, Photina, Neriah, Shmuel, Yussif, Tamar, The First Paralytic, Quintus, Gaius, Rivka, John the Baptizer, Barnaby, Shula
New Characters: Philip, Nathanael, Simon the Zealot, Melech, Rebecca, Chedva, Gershon, Nedim, Kaphni, Yanni, Atticus
Episode 1, Thunder: Jesus and His current disciples enter Samaria and meet up with Thomas and Ramah. Jesus preaches to the people about the parable of the lost sheep, and many believe in Him. Rama’s father Kaphni, after talking to Jesus, gives his daughter permission to travel with the group. After introducing them to everyone in town, Photina invites the whole group over for dinner, but her husband, Neriah, doesn’t know what to think about this. Jesus and His disciples stay at an inn for the night, and they spend several days in Samaria. The Sons of Thunder (John and Big James), after tilling some soil for a disabled farmer, are mistreated by some of the townspeople, who throw rocks at them for being Jews. After being spit on, John and Big James demand that Jesus let them call down fire on the Samaritans, but Jesus tells them that their work is for future generations. Elsewhere, Thomas takes issue with Matthew being in the group due to Matthew’s former tax collection work. Simon and Matthew continue to feud with each other.
Episode 2, I Saw You: Matthew begins to find his place among the disciples, despite the fact that some of them don’t like him. Philip and Nathanael are introduced as characters since John the Baptist refers Philip to Jesus, which prompts Philip to talk to Nathanael about the new Rabbi. Nathanael, an architect, has just gone through a career failure and is skeptical of Jesus. This career failure is related to a building collapsing, and Nathanael believes it’s due to his overconfidence. By the episode’s conclusion, Philip brings Nathanael to Jesus, Who invites them to follow Him.
Episode 3, Matthew 4:24: Based on its titular verse, this bottle episode depicts the current disciples taking turns helping Jesus with the many who are coming for healing. Many of the disciples are tired from their journey and previous work, so as they rest, they discuss what has been happening in the past few weeks. Mary the mother of Jesus joins the group at the beginning of the episode. Mary the mother offers unique insights of her perspective on the situation.
Episode 4, The Perfect Opportunity: This episode includes some type of mid-season cliffhanger where success is within the grasp of the characters yet also far away. It presents a well-known Bible story in a fresh way and somehow involves a wedding and the Healing at the Pool of Bethesda. The episode begins with a montage of scenes depicting a character’s early life, possibly that of the paralytic by the pool. The paralytic is friends with Simon the Zealot. At some point, Simon the Zealot is tasked with assassinating Atticus but is distracted by his friend’s sudden ability to walk. Sometime during this episode, some of the characters enter Jerusalem. Either in this episode or after it, Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand in a synagogue, which draws the ire of Yanni and other Pharisees, who plan what they will do about Jesus.
Episode 5, Spirit: A character goes to a place of ill repute, which may have something to do with Mary Magdalene facing someone from her dark past. At some point, not necessarily in this episode, Jesus and John the Baptist have a long conversation about Jesus’ future ministry. Also, not necessarily in this episode, Shmuel and Yanni begin looking for Jesus by interviewing people in various areas. Yussif also begins looking for Jesus but does so in more covert ways and not necessarily in this episode.
Episode 6, Unlawful: Matthew and Simon son of Jonah search for Mary Magdalene in Jericho. On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man with a shriveled hand in a synagogue. Also on the Sabbath, the disciple group picks heads of grain to eat, possibly to deal with a food shortage. John the Baptizer is taken into Roman custody.
Episode 7, Reckoning: If Jesus and His current disciples return to Capernaum by this time, He will have encounters with Quintus and Gaius. In this episode, it seems like, for some reason, that the disciples are split up into pairs of two each. Andrew and Philip try to stop Tamar and the first paralytic from preaching about Jesus. Yussif is somehow involved in this. At some point, not necessarily in this episode, Jesus gives Matthew the text of the Sermon on the Mount before Jesus delivers the sermon in person. Shmuel and Yanni go to a wailing wall in the city of Tiberias.
Episode 8, Beyond Mountains: This episode focuses on a big moment that takes Jesus’ earthly ministry to a new level. It presents a well-known Bible story in a fresh way and very likely involves the Sermon on the Mount. Also, a character wonders if there’s more to life than what he’s currently experiencing. The disciples are struggling with forgiveness and other painful events that have happened throughout the season. Nathanael and Thaddeus construct a stage for Jesus to deliver the Sermon on the Mount from. Eden and Tamar are present at the Sermon on the Mount.
When Jesus first began His earthly ministry, He had already chosen those He would minister to and use to transform the world around them. They came from all walks of life: lower class fishermen, upper class religious leaders, well-to-do tax collectors, and lowly street prostitutes. Regardless of background or belief, Christ determined to use regular people to carry out His work…however, it couldn’t happen until they had life-altering experiences with Him.
Production Quality (2.5 points) The highest independently crowdfunded effort in entertainment history has certainly paid off. There’s no question that a lot of hard work was put into making this first season, and it shows in nearly every aspect of it. Though the perspective camera work is a bit rough at first, it definitely gets better and isn’t noticeable at all in later episodes. Similarly, the lighting is realistically dark in many scenes, which was hard to perfect at first, but again, it greatly improves as it goes on. Other than the poorly animated opening sequence that has a great idea behind it, there are no other problems to point out in this nearly flawless production. The sets, locations, and props feel very realistic and authentic as the series creators demonstrate a clear commitment to looking at the characters in accurate cultural contexts. Video quality is crisp throughout, and audio quality is seamless, including a very engaging and creative soundtrack that reflects historical themes. As a whole, this production is a reflection of how this series is a much-needed breath of fresh air in the industry, and thankfully, the positive qualities didn’t stop with just this section.
Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points) It would’ve been very easy to spend all the time on making the production worthwhile after all the money and time that was invested in it, but Dallas Jenkins and company refused to settle, yet the storyline is a major reason why this series will transform Christian culture and even reach outside the church. The reason why it’s so transformative is because it demonstrates a profound understanding of the real people who encountered Jesus and portrays them in very accessible, down-to-earth ways. These Bible characters are no longer “heroes of the faith”–they are imperfect people with backstories, motives, flashbacks, and personality tendencies just like us. Not only do they feel like everyday people, but the writers also wisely chose to focus on them in their cultural contexts as a heavy emphasis on Jewish tradition is subtly explored. The use of flashbacks to build character motive and backstory is also highly effective in helping us understand where they’re coming from and why they do what they do; this is often a missing ingredient in most depictions of Bible characters. Besides the characters being so well-developed, their subplots are interwoven very well as their stories realistically cross back and forth and creatively weave together to prepare for the next steps. Further, the psychological themes and artistic concepts of the series are presented in very natural ways without forcing too much on the audience while still being creative. In the end, there are many more positive aspects to highlight about this season (more than can be listed here), which is a very surprising feat in Christian entertainment. There’s no doubt that this is the best Christian series season to date, and it’s the first one to be inaugurated into the Hall of Fame.
Acting Quality (2.5 points) The casting and acting of The Chosen show a commitment to cultural authenticity in more ways than one…where a fully cultural cast member couldn’t be used, correct accents were taught and coached, which adopted a model similar to the one used in Nativity Story. No matter what, dedication to effective coaching is evident as the cast members showcase subtle talent in their line delivery and emotional portrayals. While there are some minor costuming issues, it’s nothing much to write home about, and we can’t wait see how these recurring cast members will continue to shine in future seasons.
Continuity Quality (3 points) Never before have we seen a Christian series (other than some parts of A.D.) that actually tries hard to interweave its subplots in ways that make them cross at appropriate times and keep the audience engaged in what may happen next. These are actually storylines you want to follow as the character arcs bend at realistic times and flow dynamically into each other. While it can be difficult to interest a Christian audience with familiar Biblical accounts, The Chosen sets up great backstories for well-known stories and provides great reasons for why things happen the way they do. In the end, there’s no question that this is the best Christian season to date.
Conclusion
Hence, The Chosen, Season 1 wins two x-factor points for re-watchability and for presenting important content in very audience-friendly ways. Dallas Jenkins and his team have established themselves as the future of Christian small screen entertainment, so your support of VidAngel is greatly appreciated (go to the link to watch the first season)! The more we support Christian entertainment that’s actually worthwhile and worthy of promoting to the people we know, the more likely it is we will see a real change in both the field and the culture as a whole. If you’ve already supported this first season, make sure to tell a friend that it’s well worth their time and money. We expect great things from this crew in the coming days.
Jon is a pastor who likes to express himself by dancing and running around, but this practice is condemned by his employers since they run a stiff white church. Thus, they reassign him to new duties: to be the pastor of an African-American church who is begging for a new pastor. All seems well at first, yet the former pastor of the African-American church is jealous and Jon and seeks to have him removed. Will they all be able to find a compromise for the sake of the people?
Production Quality (2 points)
Unlike their previous production disaster Hiding in Plain Sight, Poorchild Films has discovered a better production formula in A Man Called Jon. Video quality is good, as is camera work. Audio quality is also professional, even though the soundtrack is a bit generic. Sets, locations, and props are appropriate and well-used. The main issue to point out here is, of course, the editing as there are too many lagging and dead sequences as well as some scenes that are confusing and seem unscripted. But overall, this is a decent production that shows a lot of good effort.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Unfortunately, this plot is an extremely limited idea and is completely uncreative as it has been done before in movies like The Rev and Brother White. The awkward white guy is kicked out of the stiff white church and is reassigned to a struggling African-American church in a supposedly comedic fish-out-of-water plot—we’ve seen it all before. Besides this, there is truly barely any plot content to speak of here as a lot of scenes appear to just be filling time. Dialogue is fairly empty and does nothing to improve the already cheesy characters. The scope of this story is severely limited and really doesn’t have anything going for it. Any attempts at comedy fall awkwardly flat. Thus, due to lack of character and story development, this plot can’t muster any points.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
This cast demonstrates some potential as at least some of them appear to know what they are doing. Some cast members appear to be phoning in their lines, while others are cheesy, but there is enough good here to make this section average. Emotions and line delivery are not quite what they should be, but they are adequate.
Conclusion
It’s possible that the Poorchild team means well and just doesn’t know what they are doing. They obviously learned how to improve their production quality, so perhaps they have more improvements in store down the road. They need to write some more creative plot ideas and coach their cast members to be more engaging and realistic. Also, their characters need to be more accessible and down to earth without being caricatures. In the end, they have plenty of potential if they will make some improvements.
Box Office Revolution 