The Book of Daniel. Where to start. Genesis? We don’t need to go that far back. Joan of Arcadia will do.

There’s a character named Adam (just like “Joan of Arcadia” no less) and a character named Grace (a must for anything God related these days, it appears). I suppose they thought that was clever.

Save for Aiden Quinn and a couple of others, the acting was for the most part atrocious. The characters were token: clichéd wealthy snobs, a teen romance with a tinge of Romeo and Juliet.

And then, of course, there’s the Big Guy himself; Jesus. With all the creativity of a church pastor (that means it’s creatively stifled for those of you who actually think church pastors are inspired), Jesus appears as a….bet you can’t guess…..go ahead, guess…..that’s right…..a white guy with a beard wearing a white robe. Yep. The same ole Jesus you still see occasionally perched on dashboards.

This “Joan of Arcadia” clone is worse than a blatant rip-off. It tries to offset the fact that it’s a rip-off by mixing it with “Seventh Heaven.” Oh, and throw in some homosexuals so you can pretend you’re more progressive than either of the two. It’s nowhere near as good as either. And that’s pretty bad. “Purgatory” would be a more appropriate title. That’s where it feels like you are when you watch it.

I read an article in my newspaper that our local NBC affiliate was emailed and called hundreds of times to pull Book of Daniel from programming before the show even aired.  

Yes, there is an organized effort to remove The Book of Daniel from airways by the American Family Association. They’re another one of those conservative Christian organizations who want to guide (or bully) the “lost” into a moral society under the banner of “family values” (you can assume that only they and the like know what that is).

Like their counterparts, they also believe the fundamental conservative lie that this country was founded by like minded Christians who would have agreed with them point for point.

In any event, I really don’t see their problem. It’s true that this show gets a little carried away with the homosexual characters. They’re stereotypical and too numerous. Or maybe they’re just mentioned too many times, I don’t know. But other than that, I can at least give it some props for having people dealing with real problems instead of the mamby-pamby issues of shows like Seventh Heaven (which I really didn’t think was that bad of a show).

The big concern with the AFA, however, hasn’t been the gays or the storyline from what I’ve read. It’s the depiction of their revered (and perceived) cult leader, Jesus himself, which is odd in my opinion.

I felt like he was treated with the utmost reverence. His lines read like the writers were paralyzed with fear to stir up any controversy. His appearance was conventional and his dialogue was chosen specifically to make him sound wise. He was given obvious situations to display his wisdom. Situations no one could really disagree on.

For example, the main character, Daniel Webster (why does this name sound familiar?) takes pills when he doesn’t want to deal with a problem. Our ethereal hero shows up after an emotional exchange and asks Daniel, “Aren’t you going to take a pill? Someone said something that hurt your feelings” or something of the like. It’s all very consistent with the more gentle perception of Jesus and I fail to see its offence.

But, oh well, logic is the enemy of these kinds of people. After all, what do you expect from the kinds of people who believe in war for profit and the death penalty but yet insist they’re pro-life?

Daniel does remind me of a cross between two priests I've met in my life, and unless things got drastically different after the first ten minutes, it seems like the writers did their research.  However, I did only watch the first ten minutes before I got bored and changed the channel.  However, as I watched, I was reminded of a few friends who I really should get around to recommending that show to, because I do know people who would love that show, and it'd be a shame if it gets cancelled before they get a chance to get into it.

Unless the show breaks a law leave them alone, I don't protest Ray Romano from calling himself an actor so why should they protest the show?

I'm just saying these groups make me sick, they want to ruin entertainment because they well have no lives and yet they don't protest priests who rape little boys for pleasure who then come out and say "Oh forgive me lord" or "I didn't do anything" but for the fact 30 boys who are now grown have come forward.

I guess as long as you're religious vulgar acts are accepted but if you're on Television it's not, wow what a double standard. Freaking hypocrites.

If they copied Joan of Arcadia did they know it got cancelled because nobody wants to watch it? Much like Fox does it was poorly advertised and in a terrible time slot. The first season I watched and then I couldn't find it.

I take it this show isn't a good Christian show?

Heh. Cancelled after just two episodes. It must be a bad sign when a show that has Jesus as a main character can't even save it.

Nah people just are too damn parochial minded to let a show just pan out.

"You can't have Jesus as a main character!  Blasphemy!"

Give me a break.  I'm not even going to get started on this BS.