I’m currently binging Community, which originally aired on NBC. The show has one openly christian character. While she is treated respectfully, her beliefs are pretty consistently mocked. Other main characters include a Muslim, agnostic, atheist, and cultist.
In one S2 episode, the Muslim character makes a movie depicting himself as Jesus. Any number of aspects of that show would be extremely offensive to many christians. (My heathen wife and I fond it hysterical!)
What other nominations do you have for network productions which seem to intentionally poke fun at christianity or offend christians?
My understanding is that many believers find it problematic to assert that any specific description of the après vie is the final word in, ummm, Final Words.
Although South Park took care not to show an image of Muhammad himself on the show (but had him dressed in a bear suit), they were forced to censor even that image and bleep the prophet’s name after receiving death threats.
I would think it would be much simpler to turn the question around. Is there any mainstream shows made in the lasts 30 years that have cast an overt Christian or Christianity in a positive light?
Just started watching this from the beginning. He is Lucifer, the fallen angel, taking a vacation from Hell by living in L.A. as a club owner and police consultant. He’s kind of changing or something, don’t know where this goes in the series. Hard to rank the potentially blasphemous parts, having Lucifer and other angels be characters in a police drama, their sexual activities, or Lucifer’s problems with ‘Dad’.
American Dad had some pretty odd religious storylines (e.g. Stan holds God hostage with a “heaven gun”, Francine dumps Stan and hooks up with hunky Jesus).
South Park is a cable show, isn’t it? If we’re including cable shows, I’d nominate Preacher.
The Community episode isn’t that offensive all things considered - Abed’s movie is terrible, and he gives it up; the better movie made during that episode is one that promotes Christianity through rap.
Now Family Guy has Jesus attempt to seduce Lois. That’s got to be worse.
I tend not to seek them out, and never watched them, but weren’t shows like Friended By God and Blessed By An Angel (names from memory) in the pro christianity camp?
And I think the VAST majority of TV is at the very least noncritical of christianity. Which is understandable - given the beliefs of prospective audiences.
If so, I nominate the opening bit from the episode “In Case of Rapture.”
Each episode opened with a scene in which someone dies. The dearly departed ends up at the Fisher’s funeral home.
In this episode, two guys are transporting a number of inflated party dolls in an open truck. A kid skateboards in front of them. Dead kid is the corpse of the week, no?
Actually, no. The driver slams on the brakes and misses the kid. However the net holding the party dolls in place shifts, and they begin rising up to the sky. Nearby a woman is driving in a car with a bumper sticker reading “I brake for the Rapture.” She mistakes the party dolls for the rapture and runs out into traffic and splat!
I related this scene to my bother-in-law, a devout Christian. He didn’t think it was funny at all, but I’m cracking up now just remembering it.
How about 7th Heaven? Never saw it myself, but it’s supposed to be christian friendly, and apparently disliked by the ‘liberal elites’ for " heavy-handed moralizing, Christian propaganda".
While I’ve never been a devotee of The Simpsons, I think Ned Flanders was consistently portrayed as a sincere and decent person (although a pain in the ass).
I don’t want to be overly strict in prohibiting suggestions. So sure, offer cable and other shows. But I think the general broadcast networks are in a sorta special category, re: their desired broad demographics.
Supernatural is a good suggestion. I liked it way back when, but stopped watching after 4-5 seasons. But I remember the arc w/ the angels.
