Interview by Christine Thompson
The Chosen, the first multi-season TV show about the life of Jesus Christ and the #1 media project in history (#1 on Kickstarter) delivers on it’s promise…high production value, great scripting, and relatability. The Chosen manages to jump the hurdle that has thus far eluded Christian filmmakers, which however well-meaning tended to be a little heavy handed – of creating an enjoyable, contemporary look at the dynamics of the people in Jesus’s inner circle.
As a result, Director/Creator Dallas Jenkins is already into the planning of Season 4, fueled by the success of the previous seasons…so how do you see it?
Season 2 is available exclusively on The Chosen app, with Season 1 available worldwide via The Chosen app, BYUtv, Pureflix, Peacock, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and VidAngel, while DVDs are in Walmart stores nationwide.
From the press release:
- The series is presented free, and viewers can choose, if desired, to “pay it forward” to finance future seasons and keep the show free.
- The Chosen has achieved unprecedented success having been viewed over 200 million times and translated into more than 50 languages.
- Not on any traditional streaming platform or TV network, the Season 2 premiere was viewed live by 750,000 people, which rivaled HBO’s hit Mare of Easttown that attracted 1 million viewers to its launch. With five seasons still to come, The Chosen is in every country in the world and aims to introduce 1 billion people to the authentic Jesus.
- The Atlantic wrote, “Take it from a critic and a Christian with an aversion to Christian entertainment: The show is good. . .the acting is as strong as you’d see on a mainstream network series such as Friday Night Lights or This Is Us.”
- Via crowdfunding, over 19,000 people invested $10 million to film the first season. Season Two generated over $12 million from over 125,000 people who paid it forward.
- Season 1 of The Chosen along with the pilot episode took viewers from the announcement of Jesus’ birth, through the gathering of those chosen to follow him to the story of the woman at the well from John’s gospel and the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.
- Season 2 charted his growing popularity and growing conflict with the authorities, culminating in the upcoming final episode.