Anybody seen "The House of David" series?

[Sojourner]

I watched the first season, and enjoyed it. As is common with Bible-based TV shows (and movies), writers embellished the story line and padded the dialogue, adding entertainment value at the expense of accuracy. Though blatant divergence from scripture is generally avoided, there are a few discrepancies, which include:

The inordinate amount of attention given to Saul's bouts of insanity and machinations of his wife and children, well beyond the biblical narrative--weaving a convoluted, superfluous subplot.

Based on the imprecise dimensions of "6 cubits and a span, Goliath was probably in the neighborhood of 9'6, but in the series, he and his brothers look to be about 12 to 15 feet tall. There was also the matter of the gratuitous action before David slings the stone at Goliath, with the shepherd ducking a number of spears and sustaining an injury. Moreover, while Scripture tells us the stone sunk into Goliath's forehead, in the series, it  hits him in the helmet, though still incapacitating him.

In another vein, Samuel's anointing of David was depicted as a seditious act that jeopardized them both at the hands of Saul. That enhanced my perspective of the biblical David's conscientious reluctance to regard himself as king while Saul was the anointed king still on the throne.

Despite the discrepancies, the series is entertaining and worth a watch. Together with "The Chosen," and "Jesus Crown of Thorns," it represents what seems to be an encouraging resurgence in the popularity of bible-based fare, which is refreshing.

[Fenris]

Have not seen, but the reviews seem generally positive. I suppose I'll have to check it out.

[Sojourner]

Have not seen, but the reviews seem generally positive. I suppose I'll have to check it out.

It's a refreshing change from the usual representation of religious people as hateful bigots, insufferrable hypocrites or fanatical cult members.

[shepherdsword]

I have watched the first 3 episodes of the HOD so far. I am rewatching the Chosen seasons 1-4 before 5 comes out. I struggle a bit with the Chosen as it has so much extra-biblical nonsense. However, I still find it watchable.

[Sojourner]

I have watched the first 3 episodes of the HOD so far. I am rewatching the Chosen seasons 1-4 before 5 comes out. I struggle a bit with the Chosen as it has so much extra-biblical nonsense. However, I still find it watchable.

Yeah, "embellishment" has come to be a given with that genre, but I find a reasonable amount tolerable. As I alluded to earlier, it's rare to see faith-based programming presented in a positive light, and I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[RabbiKnife]

I have watched the first 3 episodes of the HOD so far. I am rewatching the Chosen seasons 1-4 before 5 comes out. I struggle a bit with the Chosen as it has so much extra-biblical nonsense. However, I still find it watchable.

Yeah, "embellishment" has come to be a given with that genre, but I find a reasonable amount tolerable. As I alluded to earlier, it's rare to see faith-based programming presented in a positive light, and I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Your pastor and Sunday school teacher do the same thing every week, just likely not as well

Everyone of us does the same every time we read scripture unless we have no brain

[Sojourner]

I have watched the first 3 episodes of the HOD so far. I am rewatching the Chosen seasons 1-4 before 5 comes out. I struggle a bit with the Chosen as it has so much extra-biblical nonsense. However, I still find it watchable.

Yeah, "embellishment" has come to be a given with that genre, but I find a reasonable amount tolerable. As I alluded to earlier, it's rare to see faith-based programming presented in a positive light, and I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Your pastor and Sunday school teacher do the same thing every week, just likely not as well

Everyone of us does the same every time we read scripture unless we have no brain

I guess it depends on how you define "embellishments." There is of course, a natural tendency to extrapolate information to "fill in the blanks" where necessary. My usage of the term was in reference to the gratuitous use of material not directly related to the narrative of a movie or TV show. Basically non-essential "filler" content, often  involving barely relevant sub-plots, or even a blatant deviation from the facts. I remember watching the TV mini-series, "Noah's Ark," and being dumbfounded when Noah (Jon Voight), drifting along on the ark after the rain had stopped, mused to his wife, "One day, people will probably think I lived before Abraham." Not sure what orifice the writers pulled that out of, but scripture definitely substantiates that premise as a fact.

[shepherdsword]

I am almost done with season one of the HOD. It is very well done. Although there are some "embellishments" I don't find them offensive. I rate it an A+.  One of the issues I had with the Chosen(B-) was it's policy of an outright rewrite of certain characters. They took great liberty and crossed the line a few times in my opinion. Although they claim it's just entertainment, one fact remains. The show will be all of the gospels some people will ever see. They don't have the benefit of our scriptural knowledge and will swallow the whole story as text, hook line and sinker.

ps:apologies for the thread hijack and making it about the chosen,I had to rant   

[RabbiKnife]

I am almost done with season one of the HOD. It is very well done. Although there are some "embellishments" I don't find them offensive. I rate it an A+.  One of the issues I had with the Chosen(B-) was it's policy of an outright rewrite of certain characters. They took great liberty and crossed the line a few times in my opinion. Although they claim it's just entertainment, one fact remains. The show will be all of the gospels some people will ever see. They don't have the benefit of our scriptural knowledge and will swallow the whole story as text, hook line and sinker.

ps:apologies for the thread hijack and making it about the chosen,I had to rant

Is the essential message of the Gospel compromised?  Is Jesus made to be less than He is? 

[shepherdsword]

I am almost done with season one of the HOD. It is very well done. Although there are some "embellishments" I don't find them offensive. I rate it an A+.  One of the issues I had with the Chosen(B-) was it's policy of an outright rewrite of certain characters. They took great liberty and crossed the line a few times in my opinion. Although they claim it's just entertainment, one fact remains. The show will be all of the gospels some people will ever see. They don't have the benefit of our scriptural knowledge and will swallow the whole story as text, hook line and sinker.

ps:apologies for the thread hijack and making it about the chosen,I had to rant

Is the essential message of the Gospel compromised?  Is Jesus made to be less than He is?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "less than He is". Does interjecting unverified facts make the truth less than what it is? Would it be accurate court testimony? Since He is the way, the truth and the life any tainting of the truth is diminishing. I mean, did Mary backslide? Did Peter call John the baptist "creepy John"? Was Nicodemus called to be an apostle but refused the call? Was Matthew an autistic savant?
These sort of unnecessary additions muddy the waters a bit in my opinion. However, I still watch the show so I will shut up...lol

[Sojourner]

I am almost done with season one of the HOD. It is very well done. Although there are some "embellishments" I don't find them offensive. I rate it an A+.  One of the issues I had with the Chosen(B-) was it's policy of an outright rewrite of certain characters. They took great liberty and crossed the line a few times in my opinion. Although they claim it's just entertainment, one fact remains. The show will be all of the gospels some people will ever see. They don't have the benefit of our scriptural knowledge and will swallow the whole story as text, hook line and sinker.

ps:apologies for the thread hijack and making it about the chosen,I had to rant

Is the essential message of the Gospel compromised?  Is Jesus made to be less than He is?

I guess it depends on what you mean by "less than He is". Does interjecting unverified facts make the truth less than what it is? Would it be accurate court testimony? Since He is the way, the truth and the life any tainting of the truth is diminishing. I mean, did Mary backslide? Did Peter call John the baptist "creepy John"? Was Nicodemus called to be an apostle but refused the call? Was Matthew an autistic savant?
These sort of unnecessary additions muddy the waters a bit in my opinion. However, I still watch the show so I will shut up...lol

I don't have a problem with the use of artistic license in faith-based entertainment as long as the integrity of scripture is not compromised--particularly with regard to the person of Jesus and the Gospel message. I think the Chosen's writers take some liberties with the characters in an effort to make the characters more relatable, but I agree that the contrived characterizations you cite are examples of gratuitous and unnecessary embellishments. (Viewers unfamiliar with the NT could assume they are scripture-based, which does a disservice to the truth). It's worth noting that the series' distributor, Angel Studios, was founded by a small group of Mormons, though the Chosen's evangelical creators retain full control over the content, negating any LDS propaganda. All in all, the series portrays Jesus and His followers in a positive light, so the value outweighs any peripheral inconsistencies.

[Fenris]

Does interjecting unverified facts

I mean it's the bible we're talking about here. It is a book of beliefs, not facts. We accept things in the bible as fact, but they are not.

[Athanasius]

Does interjecting unverified facts

I mean it's the bible we're talking about here. It is a book of beliefs, not facts. We accept things in the bible as fact, but they are not.

It's when people see a 100% faithful to the New Testament rendition that they realise, as RK pointed out, that not even they are that stiff. Like, do people want personality or do they want a table reading?

[shepherdsword]

Does interjecting unverified facts

I mean it's the bible we're talking about here. It is a book of beliefs, not facts. We accept things in the bible as fact, but they are not.

It's when people see a 100% faithful to the New Testament rendition that they realise, as RK pointed out, that not even they are that stiff. Like, do people want personality or do they want a table reading?

I don't know....the "Gospel of John" in the word for word good news translation holds up pretty good

[Athanasius]

Does interjecting unverified facts

I mean it's the bible we're talking about here. It is a book of beliefs, not facts. We accept things in the bible as fact, but they are not.

It's when people see a 100% faithful to the New Testament rendition that they realise, as RK pointed out, that not even they are that stiff. Like, do people want personality or do they want a table reading?

I don't know....the "Gospel of John" in the word for word good news translation holds up pretty good

This is the same thing you're taking issue with, except that you like how it's done here, so for you it's not an issue, but an ideal. But it's the same thing.