The Chosen is the first multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus. Its success and popularity have been a huge surprise to Hollywood because it is completely independently funded, produced, and directed apart from any influence from any of the mainstream studios. Rated by Rotten Tomatoes at 100%, it is the largest crowd-funded (meaning it has been financed by individuals and investors independent of the usual process for TV series or movies to go forward) media project of all time, and the first two seasons have been watched by 450 million people to date. Episodes one and two of season three were premiered in theaters over the past three weeks. The first weekend, it was rated #3 at the box office, beating many other movies showing. It has been translated into 62 languages. It is free to watch, and viewers are given the opportunity to “pay it forward” for others to watch for free. 

How can you see it? You can download the Angel Studios app free on your phone or tablet and watch it there or cast it to your TV with Roku or Chromecast. Season one is also available on Netflix now, and both seasons one and two are available on Amazon Prime Video. You may also purchase the DVDs from the studio website, watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen.

I have watched the first two seasons twice, and I saw the first two episodes of the third season at the movie theater.  I have been greatly impacted by how well the series builds the characters of the disciples as completely relatable and like us in all of their fallen humanity. Then there is the Lord Jesus in the series. For me, the Jesus portrayed is the closest to any other attempt to represent Him that I have ever seen. Yes, The Chosen has increased my love for and understanding of the Lord and His Word. 

The writers and director Dallas Jenkins have consultants from three Christian traditions and Hebrew, Catholic, and evangelical scholars. At the beginning of the series and in its description, The Chosen makes this statement: “All biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures.” There is also a great deal of information available on the internet about the series, and Wikipedia did a surprisingly thorough and fair review of the series. 

The series is true to Scripture and yet artistically builds the lives of the disciples as they could have been. For instance, the character Simon has gotten himself in a lot of debt and every time he goes out to fish to try to pay some of it off (even on the Sabbath, “Shabbat”), he comes up with nothing. The scene of him with Andrew fishing for the last attempt before all the money is due is just so completely astounding. How they created the fish in that scene apparently was a miracle itself according to the computer graphic artists!

The scene with Nicodemus at night is one of my most beloved scenes. How the Lord loved him! The scenes are so very believable, and you are right there.

A “defaced” billboard in Boston, MA

The Chosen crew recently produced a novel satirical marketing tool reminiscent of The Screwtape Letters. Knowing that once people know the series is faith-based, many will quickly dismiss it, the crew put up hundreds of billboards, some of which they defaced themselves with a web address (thechosenisnotgood.com) and words like “boring.” The website takes you to a short video with the devil instructing his student demons why they must keep as many people away from the series as possible. 

Watch The Chosen! You won’t be disappointed!