‘The Bible’ returns to the History Channel after breaking rating records as it premiered last Sunday. If you did not know that the station not only broadcasts educational, historical documentary type programs, but also has miniseries as part of their line up, now you do.
In fact this past Sunday saw the debut of another historical miniseries, ‘Vikings’ to very positive and encouraging reviews.
In the case of The Bible, producer Mark Burnett (‘Survivor’, ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ and ‘The Voice’) and actress Roma Downey (‘Touched by an Angel’) team up to bring us the better known stories of the bible.
The series begins with the story of the patriarch Abraham and his wife Sarah who are trying to survive in the harsh times of the old testament and fulfill God’s promise that their descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Sarah is unable to get pregnant. When they finally conceive a child in old age, God tests Abraham and asks him to sacrifice his only son.
It is interesting to see the narrative of stories that one has grown up reading and listening to. As a practicing Catholic I found it extremely captivating and it even helped me remember forgotten facts.
Burnett has said he made the special effects-filled project to help tackle “Bible illiteracy” among young people. “In school, you have to know a certain amount of Shakespeare, but no Bible,” Burnett told the Christian Science Monitor. “So there’s got to be a way to look at it from a pure literature point of view. If it wasn’t for the Bible, arguably Shakespeare wouldn’t have written those stories.”
The series is based on biblical texts from the first book, Genesis, to the last one, Revelation. It will be shown in 10 episodes that will cover the different stories and religious figures that make up this most important book.
The ratings couldn’t have been better for the History channel which has stated that the series will have “unforgettable stories unfold through live action and cutting-edge computer-generated imagery, offering new insight into famous scenes and iconic characters.”
The total number of viewers for the two hour premiere was 13.1 million, which makes it cable TV’s number 1 entertainment program for the year.
‘The Bible’ returns to the History Channel after breaking rating records, this Sunday night.
