REVIEW OF THE CHOSEN BY CATHOLIC SKYWALKER

Thursday, April 17, 2025

TV Review: The Chosen - The Last Supper

There is a reason that The Chosen is a world-wide phenomenon. Christian movies and TV shows are a dime-a-dozen. But creator Dallas Jenkins understands that if you are going to make good Christian art, you must first focus on making good ART. So many well-intentioned Christian projects fall short because they lack the skill to match their earnest enthusiasm.

That is not the case with The Chosen. This is especially true about this 5th season, subtitled The Last Supper.

This season focuses on Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday and going all the way through the Agony in the Garden. One of the things that struck me as I watched these episodes in the theater was how cinematic it all was. For a show that is completely crowd-funded, the cinematography is gorgeous. You get the feeling for the immensity of Jerusalem on this truly epic scale. At the same time, the lighting and colors highlight the deeply intimate moments of love and heartbreak throughout.

One of the things that is fascinating about Jenkins and his writers is that they are able to take a story that is the most familiar in all of human history and he is still able to get you on the edge of your seat. As in past seasons they take liberties and elaborations with the Gospel stories, but it is always done in a way to enhance the depths of the story and the characters. Even though we all know where things are headed, he makes you feel the tension and the sorrow.

This season such an intersting framing device. Each episode begins with a flash forward to the Last Supper and then the rest of the episode is a flashback to earlier in the week. What makes it more interesting is that Jenkins shows us the Last Supper in reverse chronological order. The first episode shows us the end, right before they head to Gethsemane and then shows at the end Jesus (Jonathon Roumie) washing their feet. It had a fascinating effect to watch. By breaking it down this way, the creators once again force us to see something familiar from a new perspective. Doing this shakes us from our apathy and throws us into the drama.

There are two particularly powerful moments that are inventions of the show. The first involves the Hebrew Dayenu prayer. Traditionally, it is a prayer that remembers the the great things that God has done. For example, it says "If He had brought us out of Egypt, but not executed justice upon the Egyptians, it would have been enough. If He had executed justice on the Egyptians, but not upon their gods, it would have been enough..." And it goes on like this for many stanzas. In the show, the evening before the Last Supper, Jesus has dinner with his female disciples and they recite their version of the Dayenu that had many people in tears.

A powerful moment occurs in the Agony in the Garden. To help get us int Jesus' mind, we see that He has visions of Abraham and Isaac, Ezekiel, and one other person. It was this third person that almost broke me down and was a touching meditation on the vulnerabilty of Christ.

One other elaboration that I was very happy with was the calling of Little James (Jordan Walker Ross) and Thaddeus (Giavani Cairo). The series began with these two already as Jesus' disciples. So there was an immense sense of satisfaction to finally see this.

But it is not just the elaborations that are powerful. Jenkins and his crew are able to bring to life the power and shock of the Gospel stories. When Jesus cleanses the Temple, you can feel the tension, fear, anger, and outrage of everyone involved. It is one of the most dramatic and stressful parts of the entire season.

All of the performances are excellent. This is a cast that has worked together for many years and their chemistry is evident. Roumie in particular is wonderful. As the Jesus, he lets us feel all the wide range of human emotions our Savior must have felt, all of them feel honest and profound, but he never loses that sense of Divine grace in his performance. Besides Roumie, the biggest standout is ELIJAH ALEXANDER as Atticus Aemilius. He has such commanding charisma that he seizes your attention every time he is on the screen. He seems like the master of the world who is in complete control of all the elements around him. His arrogant humor does not feel like bluster, but a projection of his intelligence and power. I sincerly hope that his character will have a direct encounter with Jesus next season to see if that cynical shell will crack or harden.

The one thing I am not a big fan of is the portrayal of Pontius Pilate. Andrew James Allen is doing a fine job in the role. But the writer portray him as weak and disengaged. Historically, Pilate was a violent monster who crucified hundreds of men, women, and children. The writers attempt to balance this with the character of Atticus, who carries this hardened demeanor. But I would have prefered a more menacing Pilate.

Watching The Chosen has been a moving experience and has shaped my spiritual imagination. I recommend to everyone who wants to see one of the best pieces of Christian art in years, please check out this past season.