"The Book of Daniel"/A Tempest in a Teapot

Apparently, the people who are so incensed by this show, which they have never seen, are merely parroting the "take" of the American Family Association.

It would be nice if people thought for themselves.
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/12/afa/302005b.asp

It sounds like it may be worth checking out. I have not abandoned television entirely, as some a2kers have done, and I generally search out the new shows for an episode or two anyway. Most of it's a waste, but then I am easily entertained.

The Book of Daniel is probably seeking to mine the groundswell for Jesus, since the execs know what a loyal audience some Christians can be.

Phoenix,

Since I have not seen this show, there is no way I can make any kind of informed decision on whether it does or does not mock Christianity.

If, as the two paragraphs you quoted, are adhered to, it does not sound mocking at all.

I am going to watch the show and will make a decision about it then. I just hope and pray that it does not mock Christianity. I think pretty much everyone that reads my posts know that I wouldn't find that humorous at all.

So, it's a wait and see for me.

Momma- I really think that the best thing is to see the show for yourself, and come to a conclusion.




I think that you are probably right. I believe that it would be absolute stupidity for the TV execs to put on a show that would turn off a large demographic. It would just be poor business.

Agree with you completely, Phoenix.

Happy New Year my friend!

There was a series of books centered around Don Camillo during the 1950s and early 1960s. The stories are all set in Post-WWII Italy. Don Camillo was a simple priest serving a small backwater village. Many, probably most, of his problems come from the Village Mayor, who is a devot and godless Communist. Don Camillo and the Mayor, despite their political and religious differences, are close friends otherwise. The third major character in the series is Jesus, who speaks to Don Camillo from the cross over the church alter. Don Camillo takes his problems to Jesus, and is "guided" by him through the trials and tribulations of a world emerging from chaos where traditional Italian values seem to be crumbling. Now this all seems very serious, but actually the Don Camillo books are full of warm humor and it is easy to sympathize with all of the characters. I've about talked myself into looking the books up again for a pleasant re-read.

BTW, there was no public outcry at the time. This new television show sounds as if it might be an updated version of Don Camillo cast in terms to capture a mass American audience. I hope so. The most dangerous of all religious fanatics are those who have no sense of humor.

Asherman- I never read it, I remember a book that my parents had, "The Little World of Don Camillo". Wow, that was a long time ago!

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doncamillo/litworld.htm

Well, I'm an old guy with long memories. The Little World of Don Camillo, I think, was the first, or second book in the series. The whole series, if memory serves, was six or seven books. Its well worth a read, and may help some to a better understanding of what was going on in the world in those oh so ancient days.

Check the link in Phoenix's post for more information on the Don Camillo series. It turns out that there were Don Camillo stories than I remebered. I wonder if there were some I didn't read. In those days I tended to go for more "serious" stuff, but also read a lot of Max Schulman and other comic novels. I still like books that have a sense of humor to them. I just finished the last book in the Flashman series, and enjoyed it a lot. Next up is The Biography of London, but I don't expect much humor there.

So are you still of the same opinion?

real life- As I said on another thread, a lously show is a lousy show, no matter what the content. I think that it was dropped for lack of interest.

I watched 15 minutes of it, and was bored silly!

Hi Phoenix,

My question is, if you were a network exec, would you have been smart enough to know that a show with all of the negative elements that this contained would indeed offend a large demographic? (probably yes?)

Do you think that you are a better judge of audiences than they? (probably no?)

So, why do you think they went ahead anyway when it should have been obvious that this would 'play out' as it did?

real life- I don't think that the network execs anticipated the commotion that the reports of the show caused, even before the show was aired.



I am not so sure that the pressure that was brought to bear was the entire reason for the demise of the show, but I suspect that it did play a part. Do you realize how many shows are put on the air, and never make it, no matter what the subject? The TV execs goofed, as they often do.

I think that you all might find this amusing.

http://tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,271%7C89738%7C1%7C,00.html

Only a couple of old shows that finally "bit the dust" are familiar. I've never heard of the others.

http://primetimetv.about.com/library/blcancelled.htm

Did you guys see a show called "Joan of Arcadia?" Sounds very similar to this.
God keeps appearing to this teenage American Joan in the guise of ordinary people.

(She fears she is schizophrenic and it would have been sooo good if we, the viewer, were also left to wonder about that.)

Perhaps it was shelved in the US for similar reasons?

Joan of Arcadia was a much better show. Both better in concept and writing. I thought that the program might be an updated Americanized Don Camillo, to bad it wasn't. I tried to locate some of the Don Camillo books in the local library system, but no luck.