Joseph Metro

The show is interesting to me and actually fun to watch, in several important ways. First, in any exercise like this, you have to have a certain tolerance for a little dramatic license. Here, there is a certain entertaining, kitschy quality to the show which is often driven by rather humorous anachronisms, often involving the imposition of modern economic structures on turn of the millennium timeframes (e.g., Mary M. as a hairdresser, Peter being asked if had a "tough day at work" in a near-barter economy, and in season 2 when they roman guy has a "reservation" for dinner at a local restaurant). But second -- and this is the key -- when it comes to the truly important part(s) of the story, they not only 'get it right' relative to scripture but they often do so in incredibly emotionally compelling ways (and I say that as a person with a relatively crusty exterior). Take the cripple by the healing pool, for example: the five minute opening (without dialogue) laying out his 'hypothetical life' before his encounter with Christ is, frankly, pretty heartbreaking. And then the encounter itself: simple, direct, and personal. Just really effective, and pretty good television.