"Two NBC Affiliates Throw the Book at 'Daniel'"

AOL News ^ | January 5th 2006 | Reuters

[LauraleeBraswell]

ERRE HAUTE, Ind. (Jan. 5) - Two NBC affiliates in Arkansas and Indiana are turning the page on upcoming series "The Book of Daniel," which has been drawing criticism for its portrayal of Christianity.

The series depicts an Episcopalian minister, played by Aidan Quinn, struggling with an addiction to Vicodin, among other problems in his diocese. Jesus is actually a character on the series, depicted in imagined conversations with the minister.

Last month, the conservative American Family Assn. began calling on affiliates and advertisers to bail out of "Daniel." Many stations have been flooded with e-mails and calls from viewers objecting to the series.

[LauraleeBraswell]

It's all yours. It's looks like a funny show, however I could see it being offensive.

[gondramB]

I wonder how many total affiliates there are and how many affiliates skipped previous controversial series?

[Cicero]

If it were a satire against the latest stupid pet tricks performed by liberal Protestants, it could well be funny. But I suspect it's just another feeble satire intended to make Christians look stupid.

It would take a conservative network and director to do the satire right. I don't think that's what we have here.

[xcamel]

um...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1552318/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1552047/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1551905/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1549778/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1547804/posts

[marron]

"We are not in any way satirizing Christianity or Jesus," he said. "It's done with love, honoring those things."

This may be true. The problem is that, coming out of Hollywood, no one will believe it. Believers are regularly mocked and slandered in film and TV, and can be forgiven if they pre-judge that this is going to be more of the same.

If it isn't, a smart PR guy might have got out front, and got some favorable buzz going among conservative Christians, to at least give it a chance. They haven't done that, probably for good reason, and consequently run the risk of seeing this thing go down in flames, big time.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

Just from the commericial I saw I believe it is NBC's way of rivaling Desperate Housewives. It seems to have the same type of dark humor. Still I have no desire to watch it.