The Bible*

from history.com
The History Channel finally started their 10 hour miniseries, The Bible, last Sunday night. The first episode, Beginnings, pretty well done. Sure, people are going to quibble about details, what was left out, what was added. That's fine. Quibble away. I found it well done for what it's intended to be: a dramatic presentation of the Biblical story.

Story. Tell the tale, get the point right. Will it be embellished? Will some details be dropped?** Yep.

So I really liked having Noah re-telling the creation story to his family on the ark as the opening scene. CGI in the scene was better than average*** and the acting was good enough to draw me in (important, I think, when opening your series) though Noah with a strong Scottish accent was an interesting choice...

So, this isn't intended to be a review so much as a reflection, I guess. I liked the focus on Abraham - hit the highlights - the theme of "trust in God" was prevalent. It's interesting to hear that from Abram so much when the Bible is a little more ambivalent (the flight to Egypt, for example) until Isaac is born and the call to sacrifice his son (great scene in the miniseries, by the way).****

The angels visiting Abraham was another well done scene (Sarah - "I didn't laugh" "You did...and you'll call your son Isaac..."). Not sure I like the voice of God in the series, ***** but I'll get over it... The angels leading Lot's family out of Sodom was an interesting depiction. I liked it.

LOVED the Red Sea crossing - looked like the bottom of a sea to me - and the spray of the water and the darkness...

Skipping 40 years in the wilderness...well, how about SOME context as to why they're in the wilderness 40 years, instead of just "40 years later". No Golden Calf. No Joshua and Caleb and the other guys coming back saying "land of milk and honey". Again, I get it, I just missed it. But it's all good. 'Cause the STORY is there...

All in all, well done. I'm really looking forward to part 2...


















*So...we're watching, and at the first commercial break we hear, "The Bible, brought to you by Walmart" Which brought gales of laughter from the living room, let me tell you...
**Details - you know, the story of Jacob and Esau - and, well, the whole Joseph story - yeah, the whole last half of the book of Genesis...details that are dropped. But, it makes a certain amount of sense to me - it's called Beginnings - focuses on Abraham and Moses...
**"Average" being your typical Syfy Channel original movie...
****Yeah, we let the girls stay up to watch it, and yes they were crying during the scene... it WAS pretty heartbreaking after all...

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