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The Bible (miniseries)

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Please do not use {{Infobox television film}} directly. See the documentation for available templates. The Bible is a television miniseries based on the Bible. It is produced by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett[1][2] and was broadcast weekly between March 3 and March 31, 2013 on History.[3] Burnett, best known for producing prime-time hit reality shows, considers the scripted 10-hour series to be the "most important" project he has undertaken. The project was conceived by Burnett and Downey, who are married, after watching Cecil B. DeMille's version of The Ten Commandments for the first time since childhood.

The series is Mark Burnett's first scripted project.[4] In addition to Burnett and Downey, executive producers include Richard Bedser and History's Dirk Hoogstra and Julian P. Hobbs.[5] The first episode of the mini-series was seen by 13.1 million viewers, the largest cable television audience of 2013 to date.[6] The second installment continued "to deliver blockbuster ratings" for the network, attracting 10.8 million viewers. The third installment on March 17, 2013 was once again the No. 1 show on all of Sunday night television with 10.9 million total viewers. In addition, the series garnered 4.2 million adults 25–54 and 3.5 million adults 18–49.[7] In total, with subsequent airings, 'The Bible' has been seen by more than 95 million viewers. [8]

Burnett has said that a three-hour theatrical film version, focusing on the resurrection of Jesus, is in the works.[9]

Description

The series covers "Genesis to Revelation" in "one grand narrative,"[10] within five two-hour parts,[11] each containing two or three biblical stories told through live action and computer-generated imagery.[1][2] According to Burnett, it included "obvious" stories such as Noah's Ark, the Exodus, and the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus.[1] Five hours are taken from the Old Testament, five from the New.[10] The series is based on the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.[2]

Downey and Burnett said their "greatest hope" in making the series was that it would "affect a new generation of viewers and draw them back to the Bible."[12]

"Part of what we hoped to accomplish with the series was to show the Bible is not simply a collection of unconnected stories which are often discussed and analyzed in snippets with chapter and verse numbers," the couple wrote in an op-ed in The Huffington Post. "Instead, we wanted to show how the Old Testament connects seamlessly to the New Testament. How they are one sweeping story with one grand, overriding message: God loves each one of us as if we were the only person in all the world to love."[13]

Development

In May 2011, The New York Times reported that Downey, Burnett and their production team were selecting stories for the series, with production scheduled to begin in 2012 for a 2013 broadcast.[1] The budget for the series was under $22 million.[10] Researchers and theologians were asked to verify accuracy.[1] Academic consultants included Craig A. Evans,[14] Helen Bond, Paula Gooder, Mark Goodacre and Candida Moss.[15] Shooting took place in Morocco and elsewhere.[2]

Burnett and Downey consulted "a wide range of pastors and academics," including their friend Joel Osteen, Joshua Garroway (a rabbi from Hebrew Union College), and a Catholic cardinal.[10] Geoff Tunnicliffe of the World Evangelical Alliance, read each episode's script and visited the set in Morocco: he "wanted to be sure that the final edits would hold together as a singular thematic message throughout the entire series" and "was not disappointed."[16] Another consultant, Focus on the Family President Jim Daly, applauded the couple's courage for making the series: "Let's face it, it takes some moxie to lift up the Bible in the middle of Hollywood. In fact, when they first proposed the project they were told to try and tell the story without mentioning Jesus. They refused."[17]

Other project advisors included: [18]

Days before the series premiere, Downey and Burnett authored an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal arguing that Bible teaching should be mandatory in U.S. public schools because "(t)he foundations of knowledge of the ancient world – which informs the understanding of the modern world – are biblical in origin."[19]

Cast

The cast is an "international ensemble" chosen to avoid "distract[ing] the audience with recognizable celebrities"; "many" of the actors came from a background in London's theatre district.[10] For the purposes of this list, each hour is a whole episode.

Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date US Viewers
(millions)
1"In the Beginning"Crispin ReeceRichard Bedser, Alexander Marengo, Colin Swash, Nic YoungMarch 3, 2013 (2013-03-03)13.10[22]
Noah tells of the Creation story and Fall while aboard the ark (Genesis 6-8); Abrahamic covenant; the Battle of the Vale of Siddim; Hagar and Ismael; birth of Isaac; Abraham is tested (Genesis 22); Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19); Moses learns of his roots, kills a soldier, and flees Egypt
2"Exodus"Crispin ReeceRichard Bedser, Alexander MarengoMarch 3, 2013 (2013-03-03)13.10[22]
God speaks to Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3); Moses returns to Egypt; ten Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-11); Moses leads the Israelites in The Exodus; Moses parts the Red Sea (Exodus 14); Moses receives the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai; Joshua becomes the leader of the Israelites; the Israelites camp outside of Jericho; Joshua sends spies into Jericho
3"Homeland"Tony MitchellRichard Bedser, Adam Rosenthal, Nic YoungMarch 10, 2013 (2013-03-10)10.80[23]
Joshua invades and conquers Jericho (Joshua 6); Delilah betrays Samson, a hero of the Israelites who battled against the Philistines (Judges 16)
4"Kingdom"Tony MitchellRichard Bedser, Colin Swash, Nic YoungMarch 10, 2013 (2013-03-10)10.80[23]
Samuel anoints Saul as king, a move that could throw the nation into civil war (1 Samuel 15); Saul is consumed with jealousy over the crown when David defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17); King David ushers a golden age for Israel, but is soon seduced by power and lust for Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11); God forgives David, and Solomon builds God's temple in Jerusalem
5"Survival"Crispin ReeceRichard Bedser, Nic YoungMarch 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)10.90[7]
The Jews are enslaved in Babylon (Jeremiah 39); the image of gold and the three Hebrews in the blazing furnace (Daniel 3); Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den, but when his faith endures and God spares him (Daniel 6); the Jews are allowed to return to Jerusalem
6"Hope"Crispin ReeceRichard Bedser, Nic YoungMarch 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)10.90[7]
During the time of Roman occupation, the Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will bear a child; Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem for the census, where Jesus is born (Luke 2); the Holy family escapes Herod’s order to kill Bethlehem’s male babies; Judea comes under the ruthless rule of Pilate; John baptizes Jesus (Matthew 3); Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4); Jesus calls his first disciples (Matthew 4)
7"Mission"Christopher SpencerRichard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Nic YoungMarch 24, 2013 (2013-03-24)10.30[24]
Jesus feeds crowds of thousands in Galilee (Matthew 14) and brings a dead man, Lazarus, back to life (John 11); Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey – a declaration that he is the Messiah; Jesus turns on the money-changers in the Temple (John 2)
8"Betrayal"Christopher SpencerRichard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Colin Swash, Nic YoungMarch 24, 2013 (2013-03-24)10.30[24]
Caiphas coaxes Judas into betraying Jesus; Jesus throws the disciples into turmoil at the Last Supper; Jesus is arrested and condemned to death as the disciples scatter (Luke 22)
9"Passion"Christopher SpencerRichard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Abraham Christen Liando, Colin Swash, Nic YoungMarch 31, 2013 (2013-03-31)11.70[25]
Peter denies Jesus and Judas hangs himself; the crowd clamors for Jesus’ death (John 18); Jesus is crucified (John 19) and buried, but when Mary Magdalene goes to his tomb, a figure walks towards her – he is back (John 20); Jesus commissions the disciples to “go and preach to all” before he ascends
10"Courage"Tony MitchellRichard Bedser, Christopher Spencer, Nic YoungMarch 31, 2013 (2013-03-31)11.70[25]
The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost (Acts 2); Paul has a vision and experiences a miraculous change of faith on a journey to Damascus (Acts 9); martyrdom of the Disciples, John's survival and exile to Patmos, John receives a revelation – Jesus is coming back, and all who keep the faith will be rewarded

Reception

TV ratings

The opening episode of the series premiered to very high ratings.[26] The miniseries was watched by 13.1 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.[26] In Canada, the premiere was watched by 1.05 million viewers.[27] The second installment saw a ratings slippage, but still brought in 10.8 million viewers, tops in all television for the 8-10 p.m. time period.[23] Week three's installment, meanwhile, garnered 10.9 million total viewers.[7]

Critical reaction to The Bible has been mixed. It currently has a "mixed or average reviews" rating at Metacritic, having a score of 44 out of 100 based on 13 critical reviews.[28] On March 19, 2013, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett offered remarks on the viewership and its anticipated diffusion. He said: "We've realized, on the journey around the country to churches and all over the place, many people cannot afford cable TV. And those people need to see this bible series. So we're rushing the DVD out April 2nd, also immediately with Spanish subtitles. This is very important. And this is only for America and Canada. Now we're about to start around the world. This will be in every country of the world. More people will see this series than everything we ever made; together, combined. Billions of people will see this series. Billions."[29]

Comparisons to the printed Bible

In the introduction to each episode, the message is displayed “This program is an adaptation of Bible stories that changed our world. It endeavors to stay true to the spirit of the book.”[30] And while Roma Downey stated in an interview, “we had a great team of scholars and theologians helping us, making sure that we told these stories accurately and truthfully,”[31] the following is a list of story elements in the series that have been criticized as deviating from the description in the printed Bible:

  • Noah's sons are depicted as boys in the series instead of grown, married men[30] (Gen 7:13)
  • Noah's ark was shown with many windows, when in the Bible the ark only had one window[30] (Gen 6:16, 8:6)
  • In the printed Bible, the angelic visitors were approached by Lot who insisted that they stay with him. Then they feasted with Lot in his home. The series shows the angels approaching Lot, begging for help. No hospitality is extended to them.[32] (Gen 19:1-5)
  • The printed Bible describes a male mob gathered outside of Lot's home wanting to have intercourse with his two angelic visitors. The series ignores this and gives the viewer no indication that homosexuality was even practiced in Sodom[33][34] (Gen 19:1-5)
  • At the destruction of Sodom, the series inaccurately shows the angels slaughtering some of the city's inhabitants. Critics refer to these as "Ninja Angels". This is not in the Bible.[35] (Gen 19:1-17)
  • The series shows Abraham traveling with Isaac, a very short distance to the place where he was to sacrifice his son. In the Bible it is a three day journey and the two are accompanied by a donkey and two attendants.[36] (Gen 22:1-4)
  • The series inaccurately shows Sarah running after Abraham once she realizes he is going to sacrifice Isaac. This is not in the Bible.[37] (Gen 22:1-19)
  • In the Binding of Isaac, the printed Bible describes a ram (adult) caught by its horns in a thicket, not a juvenile lamb caught by its leg[38] (Gen 22:13)
  • After David's affair with Bathsheba and the killing of Uriah the Hittite, he is confronted by Nathan. The series shows David as resistant or even indignant, where in the printed Bible David simply admits his guilt and later is believed to have written Psalm 51 in response which begs forgiveness from God[39] (2 Sam 12:13, Ps 51)
  • When the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem, Jeremiah is depicted as escaping unnoticed by the invaders. In the print Bible Jeremiah is captured, bound in chains and later released[38] (Jer 40:1)
  • The show depicts Daniel and his three compatriots being captured during the siege, when in fact, they were deported more than a decade before Jerusalem’s destruction[38] (Daniel 1; 2 Kings 24:10-16)
  • When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue, the TV series shows them tied up and a fire lit under them. However, in the Holy Bible, the king orders the three thrown into a furnace already heated seven times hotter than usual, so hot that the "strong soldiers" who threw them in where killed by the heat and flames while doing so.[40] (Daniel 3)
  • The TV series depicts the prophet Isaiah as a contemporary of Daniel during the Babylonian exile. This becomes problematic when Isaiah makes the prophecy that Cyrus the Persian would release the captives after a period of time. In the written Bible, Isaiah made this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus was born, 180 years before Cyrus performed any of these feats (and he did, eventually, perform them all), and 80 years before the Jews were taken into exile.[41] The real Bible's version is much more miraculous. (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; and 45:13).
  • It was Darius the Mede, not Cyrus the Persian who had Daniel thrown into the lions den[30][38] (Dan 5:31-6:1, 6:16)
  • For the Nativity, the wise men are depicted as visiting the baby Jesus as a newborn, at the same time as the shepherds, where as the Bible suggests the wise men came about two years later[38] (Mat 2:9, 2:16)
  • In the Bible account of the Temptation, the Devil took Jesus to a pinnacle of the temple when he tempted Jesus to throw himself down, not a high mountain. It was on a mountain that the Devil tempted Jesus to worship him.[31][38] (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13)

Look-a-like controversy

There have been claims of a resemblance of the character in the role of Satan (played by Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni) with U.S. president Barack Obama. The resemblance was first pointed out notably by Glenn Beck ahead of the episode's premiere.[42][43]

This has led the History Channel to announce,

History [C]hannel has the highest respect for President Obama. The Bible series was produced with an international and diverse cast of respected actors. It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History’s "The Bible" is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history."[44]

Burnett and Downey responded in a joint statement,

This is utter nonsense. The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouazanni, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics – including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our President.[44]

Downey added separately,

"Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love for our president, who is a fellow Christian. False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of The Bible.[45]

Worldwide syndication

DVD release

The series became the biggest-selling miniseries on DVD in its first week of release, and biggest on Blu-ray and Digital HD of all time.[49] In its first week on home video, 'The Bible' series sold 525,000 copies. It was the fastest selling television show on DVD since 2008. [50]

Novel

Roma Downey and Mark Burnett have also released a novelization of this miniseries, entitled A Story of God and All of Us: A Novel Based on the Epic TV Miniseries "The Bible." It debuted at No. 27 on the New York Times Best-Seller List.[51]

Potential theatrical release

Mark Burnett announced in April 2013 that a three-hour version of The Bible is being prepared for global theatrical release. He claims that he has had no distribution arrangements yet, though he could possibly release it himself.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Carter, Bill (May 24, 2011). "Reality-TV Producer Mark Burnett Tackles the Bible". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. p. C1. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Elber, Lynn (May 24, 2011). "'The Bible': History Channel, Mark Burnett Creating CGI 10-Hour Miniseries". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  3. ^ Littleton, Cynthia. "Mark Burnett, Roma Downey promo 'Bible' mini to faithful". Variety Media. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  4. ^ Levin, Gary (May 24, 2011). "Mark Burnett to produce 'The Bible'". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  5. ^ Porter, Rick (May 24, 2011). "Mark Burnett producing 'The Bible' miniseries for History Channel". Zap2it. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  6. ^ Hibberd, James (2013-03-04). "Mark Burnett's 'The Bible' begets record ratings". Entertainment Weekly.
  7. ^ a b c d Patten, Dominic (March 19, 2013). "History's 'The Bible' & 'Vikings' Rise In Week 3". Deadline Hollywood.
  8. ^ publisher=Hollywood Jesus "#1 TV on DVD in the last 5 years". 2013=04-08. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing pipe in: |url= (help)
  9. ^ a b "Mark Burnett Prepping 'The Bible' Miniseries For Theatrical Release". PMC. April 22, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d e Marrapodi, Eric (March 2, 2013). "Reality TV Goliath takes up Bible miniseries challenge, hopes for better outcome". CNN Belief Blog. CNN. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
  11. ^ Lyons, Margaret (May 24, 2011). "Mark Burnett Declines to Make Bible Reality Show". New York. New York City, New York: New York Media, LLC. ISSN 0028-7369. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
  12. ^ Crosby, Robert (2013-02-25). "From Survivor and Touched by an Angel to the Bible". Christianity Today.
  13. ^ "Making The Bible a Daunting, Deep Experience". The Huffington Post. 2013-02-28.
  14. ^ Evans, Craig. "Dr Craig A. Evans". Homepage. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  15. ^ Goodacre, Mark. "More Bible Series News and Video Clips". NT Blog. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  16. ^ Review: 'The Bible' – This Time, Hollywood Got It Right, a Christian Post review by Geoff Tunnicliffe, one of the film's consultants. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
  17. ^ Draper, Electa (2013-03-10). "Focus on the Family CEO Jim Daly consulted on TV mega-hit "The Bible"". Denver Post.
  18. ^ About the Bible - Outreach.comRetrieved 2013-03-04.
  19. ^ Roma Downey and Mark Burnett: Why Public Schools Should Teach the Bible - WSJ.com
  20. ^ "The Bible" Courage (TV episode 2013) at IMDb
  21. ^ Peter Guinness at IMDb
  22. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (March 4, 2013). "History's 'The Bible' is the Number 1 Cable Entertainment Telecast of the Year". TV by the Numbers. A+E press release. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  23. ^ a b c "History's 'The Bible' & 'Vikings' Slip In Week 2, Still Tower Over Competition". Deadline Hollywood. 2013-03-12.
  24. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie. "History’s ‘The Bible’ & ‘Vikings’ Slip In Week 4", Deadline Hollywood, March 26, 2013.
  25. ^ a b O'Connell, Mike (April 1, 2013). "TV Ratings: History's 'The Bible' Pulls 11.7 Million Viewers With Easter Ender". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 1, 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  26. ^ a b Collins, Scott. 'The Bible,' 'Vikings' premieres tell a ratings epic for History, Los Angeles Times, March 4, 2013.
  27. ^ TV Feeds My Family: Good start for Screenies, Vikings and God
  28. ^ The Bible - Season 1 Reviews - Metacritic
  29. ^ Roma Downey and Mark Burnett Interview at The Bible Experience in New York (Video clip recorded March 19, 2013, located at YouTube)
  30. ^ a b c d Owen, Rob. "Miniseries tries to stay true to spirit of the Good Book". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  31. ^ a b Higginbotham, Steve. "The Bible: The Mini-Series". Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  32. ^ "The Bible: first episode, first impressions".
  33. ^ Garvin, Glenn. "Reviews of 'The Bible,' 'Red Widow' and 'Vikings'".
  34. ^ Kovacs, Joe. "Just how unbiblical is 'The Bible'?".
  35. ^ Hallowell, Billy. "Is The Bible TV Series Really Filled With Historical Inaccuracies?".
  36. ^ McClarty, Jim. "The Bible according to the History Channel".
  37. ^ Dawn, Randee. "One scholar takes issue with 'The Bible': 5 things the series got wrong".
  38. ^ a b c d e f Jonathan Merritt, Jonathan. "Inaccuracies in The Bible . . . the miniseries, not the book". Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  39. ^ Murrell, Steve. "When Leaders Fail, Grace Must Abound". Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  40. ^ Daniel 3:1
  41. ^ Ross, Hugh. "Reasons To Believe: Fulfilled Prophecy". Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  42. ^ "Anyone else think the Devil in #TheBible Sunday on HIstory Channel looks exactly like That Guy?". @glennbeck. Twitter. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  43. ^ "Why does the devil in 'The Bible' look exactly like President Obama?". Daily Mail. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  44. ^ a b "'The Bible': Satan Actor Looks Like Obama In History Channel Miniseries". Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  45. ^ "History, Mark Burnett Defend Satan's Similarity to President Obama in 'The Bible'". Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  46. ^ (two 5 hour episodes) "A Bíblia - - Sic - Sapo". SIC.
  47. ^ Benzine, Adam. "MIPTV '13: Channel 5 to bring "Bible" to UK". Realscreen. Toronto.
  48. ^ "The Bible TV series to screen on Channel 5". guardian.co.uk. United Kingdom.
  49. ^ 'The Bible' Shatters Home Video Sales Records in First Week
  50. ^ [1]
  51. ^ "'The Bible' Miniseries Novel Hits National Best-Seller Lists". Charisma News. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
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