# Most blasphemous network TV sitcom/show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992 "2020-05-01T17:08:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/61 "2020-05-05T07:37:34Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > It’s been over 20 years since I’ve watched it, but doesn’t _South Park_ also have Jesus himself as a recurring character? I don’t think the show treats him too reverently. > > I was never a fan of the show but one of my friends, a deeply religious Mormon, would always insist on watching it together. He found the scenes with Jesus uproariously funny, which I always found strange. Jesus is a positive character mostly, though he’s not above breaking heads. Not like Family Guy where he’s kind of creepy. The SP take on Mormonism (and also in their Broadway show) is that a lot of their beliefs are probably made up by Joseph Smith and they get a lot of ridicule, but that Mormons are basically well-meaning and decent people. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/62 "2020-05-05T08:55:42Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > The fifth episode of the first season, “Parliament of Dreams” has both hilarious and solemn religious depictions. I wanna go to a Centauri “thanksgiving” bash. Best party ever! The best part of that episode was the ending, when the Captain gave a demonstration of [Earth’s dominant belief system.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hg_TRynRIs) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/63 "2020-05-05T11:54:23Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > 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? _Jane the Virgin_? I always assumed _Ugly Betty_ was about a Catholic family but on reflection, have no idea what (if any) religion the Suarezes were. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/64 "2020-05-05T14:51:49Z")
Indeed, the chief authority of the Church of Latter-Day Saints (I think his title is “President”?) gave his approval to the musical _The Book of Mormon_ (though, he pointed out, the book was better). ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/65 "2020-05-05T15:13:00Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > _Jane the Virgin_? I always assumed _Ugly Betty_ was about a Catholic family but on reflection, have no idea what (if any) religion the Suarezes were. How could I have forgotten about Jane the Virgin! I was actually quite a bit shocked how overtly religious the characters were - you don’t really see that on a lot of shows (like if you just watched American TV, you’d be surprised that for a lot of people their religion is a major part of their identity). Like one of the most heart-wrenching moments on the show is when the family gets some terrible news and they all get down on their knees an say the Lord’s Prayer. And it shows some of worst of religion - the purity culture - with some of the best. Fantastic show. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/66 "2020-05-05T15:22:00Z")
Anything with Michael Landon. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/67 "2020-05-05T15:30:02Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > How could I have forgotten about Jane the Virgin! I was actually quite a bit shocked how overtly religious the characters were - you don’t really see that on a lot of shows (like if you just watched American TV, you’d be surprised that for a lot of people their religion is a major part of their identity). Like one of the most heart-wrenching moments on the show is when the family gets some terrible news and they all get down on their knees an say the Lord’s Prayer. And it shows some of worst of religion - the purity culture - with some of the best. Fantastic show. It was adopted from a Spanish language telenovela. Catholicism is still quite strong in the Spanish speaking areas of the New World. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/68 "2020-05-05T15:38:01Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > It was adopted from a Spanish language telenovela. Catholicism is still quite strong in the Spanish speaking areas of the New World. Indeed. I was just convinced they would have ‘secularized’ it for the US version. Friday Night Lights was also very open about showing the impact of religious faith on people. Most US shows don’t really show it or go into it, even when set in areas you’d think it’d be relevant (I mean did anyone go to church in “Nashville”?) ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/69 "2020-05-05T15:49:36Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > 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? Miracle Workers. The whole premise is that God is bored and decides to end the world unless two angels can get two sad-sack humans to kiss each other. He then wants to create a restaurant called Lazy Susan’s with diners eating from rafts floating on a circular lazy river with food on the banks as they drift by that you grab with a long claw. God is portrayed by Steve Buscemi as a stupid, vacillating, illiterate boob who is easily manipulated by his staff. ---
**Author:** ![mtnmatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@mtnmatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mtnmatt)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/70 "2020-05-05T18:20:22Z")
Along with Father Ted, two other Irish sitcoms have some bits that even I, a Catholic who will laugh at most anything, felt were getting pretty close to blasphemy (not that I stopped watching): Moone Boy - lots of jokes at the church’s expense, including stealing communion wafers as snack foods Derry Girls - no specific incidents I can recall but the head nun doesn’t seem particularly devout and admits she joined up for the free housing ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/71 "2020-05-05T18:35:31Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > 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. Yeah, I mean, if Preacher counts, it’s hard to beat that Jesus is a mentally handicapped chronic masturbator for blasphemy. ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/72 "2020-05-05T18:49:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Isn’t there a show on now where the protagonist is literally Lucifer? I’d say Sabrina, on Netflix, comes closest in that respect. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/73 "2020-05-05T18:52:54Z")
> [@TimfromNapa](#): > > I’d say Sabrina, on Netflix, comes closest in that respect. Please no spoilers for Sabrina. I’m waaaay behind on that series. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/74 "2020-05-05T18:53:58Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Yeah, I mean, if Preacher counts, it’s hard to beat that Jesus is a mentally handicapped chronic masturbator for blasphemy. Actually, the one who was mentally handicapped was the inbred direct descendant of Jesus. Jesus himself was of normal intelligence, but out of favor for having an affair with a married woman. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/75 "2020-05-05T19:06:58Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I _totally_ didn’t read the question properly, did I? Nope. 😃 Hell, in that show, is just really hellish …and wildly funny. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/76 "2020-05-05T19:33:42Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It’s hard to beat South Park’s depiction of God as [a horrible mutant creature.](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/southpark/images/3/33/316.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160413182429) Huh…never thought of the South Park “God” in such terms. I always thought of it as having features of all different creatures to indicate that everything in the world has some aspect of the divine in it. (Though of course species-centric humans wouldn’t have expected such. Too many humans also think of angels as looking completely human plus two wings, while the Bible itself says that they have four faces, only one human, and six wings.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/77 "2020-05-05T19:56:12Z")
> [@TimfromNapa](#): > > I’d say Sabrina, on Netflix, comes closest in that respect. I’d say the show Lucifer, where the lead is literally the devil, comes closer. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992/78 "2020-05-05T22:20:49Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > I’m surprised that [Father Ted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Ted), possibly the best TV show ever made, about three priests living on the remote Craggy Island, off the coast of Ireland has not been mentioned. > > Mainly its a very comprehensive take-down of organised religion (Roman Catholic Church) which is its main target, but it also works on the premise that most of the clergy do not actually believe in God to begin with, and that most of what is claimed about him/her/it is really just a secular construct - a combination of people seeking power or, in the case of Craggy Island, the result of very human failings. (I was going to say fecklessness, but its actually feckfull). Fr. Dougal: “God, Ted, I’ve heard about those cults. Everyone dressing in black and saying our Lord’s going to come back and judge us all.” Fr. Ted: “No… no Dougal, that’s us. That’s Catholicism you’re talking about there.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-blasphemous-network-tv-sitcom-show/852992.md?page=3)