Historical drama “The Chosen” has released a trailer for its fourth season, set to premiere in select theaters. In February 2024, the show will make history as the first streaming television series to ever release a full season exclusively in theaters prior to its release on other platforms. However, making history is nothing new for “The Chosen.” Since the release of its second season in 2021, the series held the title of the first and only multi-season television series about the life of Jesus Christ. Making this feat even more impressive, “The Chosen” holds the title of the largest crowd-funded media project raising $11 million to fund its first season. With these unprecedented achievements and the show’s passionate fanbase it is clear that “The Chosen” must be doing something different from what has been seen before. According to series creator Dallas Jenkins, being “different” is precisely the goal.
The series’ first episode surprised viewers when it focused on the stories of several residents and visitors of a struggling town under the rule of the Roman Empire. Only at the end of the episode did the series’ “Jesus” finally appear. This unexpected choice set the tone for the rest of the series – a show that would tell the story of Jesus’ ministry from rarely-explored perspectives. As a mission statement, the team and the creator behind “The Chosen” have previously declared, “We portray Jesus through the eyes of those who knew Him.” This references Jesus’ closest followers, the twelve disciples. Before “The Chosen,” the disciples were typically written into films as less developed supporting characters while Jesus’ narrative took center stage. Jenkins’ interpretation of these biblical stories are meant to help viewers deeply resonate with the disciples. The relatable portrayals of the disciples in “The Chosen” is one factor that has allowed the show to draw in its viewers.
In season one, viewers are introduced to Simon’s character, who would later be known as Saint Peter, a struggling fisherman. His character is one so deeply troubled by his financial issues that he considers the betrayal of his friends in order to pay off his debt. This all takes place while hiding the gravity of his situation from his wife. Simultaneously, we watch the story of Matthew unfold. His character is a social outcast who has alienated himself from his family and his people by choosing to work as a tax collector for the oppressive Roman Empire. We watch both of these characters grow and begin to see their priorities shift as they come in contact with Jesus. Jesus calls Simon to follow him first, but when Simon watches Jesus call Matthew to join him too, Simon feels confused and betrayed. After all, Matthew was the tax collector that Simon dreaded throughout his financial crisis.
Simon’s feelings of confusion and anger are common in our everyday lives, but they are less often associated with figures such as Jesus’ twelve disciples. “The Chosen” serves as a reminder that even these famous biblical role models were imperfect human beings. They made mistakes and did not always have the answers. They are like us. “Get used to different,” is how Jesus answered Simon’s complaints about Matthew joining the group. The phrase has since become a tagline for the series. Describing what “different” means for the show, Jenkins explains the intention is to use “historical and cultural context to expand on the character backstories, so that we can connect to the gospel stories even more personally.”
What makes “The Chosen” so phenomenal is its use of historical background to make these biblical figures feel more accessible and relatable to audiences. The series’ portrayal of Simon and Matthews are historically accurate. Saint Peter (Simon) really was a fisherman and Matthew really was a tax collector during a time when tax collectors were hated throughout the Empire. But “The Chosen” allows audiences to closely visualize their lives. The show also explores how the other disciples may have felt to have a tax collector in their ranks. Viewers are able to see how Matthew felt when he left his life of luxury behind to join a group of strangers who may have not been happy to be with him. Audiences can relate to Simon’s anxiety about the future and his instinct to hide his struggles from those he loves. The awkward and out-of-place feelings that Matthew has can also be identifiable for several viewers. Each of the 24 episodes leading up to the fourth season of “The Chosen” portray famous biblical heroes through themes of loss, love, doubt, friendship, family, uncertainty, and joy. Throughout these episodes, viewers have been able to see themselves in these stories.
Some have felt so profoundly impacted and understood while watching the episodes that they write letters to the show’s creator. These letters detail the way in which the “The Chosen” has helped them personally to cope with their own suffering in life and see their situations from a new perspective. In many of his live streams, Jenkins reads these letters, as a primary method of communication with the show’s global audience. He even answers fans’ questions with cast members as one way to give the show’s loyal viewers a chance to participate. In the past, Jenkins and “The Chosen” stars took audience participation to a whole new level when they opened up the chance for fans all around the world to take part in scenes as extras.
During the taping of the third season in 2022, “The Chosen” brought 12,000 fans out to their filming location in Texas. There, they were able to create their rendition of the story of the biblical “feeding of the 5,000 people.” Over the course of four days, they cycled through batches of real fans who had the incredible opportunity to dress in first-century-style clothing and fill the fields in an epic scene for their favorite television show. Through opportunities like this, Jenkins and his crew have been able to give back to their fans by contributing to the show’s ability to keep running. At the same time, the excitement for the show is alive all around the world. In the “feeding of the 5 thousand” scene, 36 countries were represented in the crowds that participated in the filming. In a world where CGI and AI can eliminate the need for living extras, “The Chosen” once again chose to be different by bringing together a real crowd of passionate fans. This just serves as another incredible example of the series’ dedication to authenticity and connection with its audience.
Since its initial release in 2019, “The Chosen” has been available for streaming on its own free app. As its fanbase continues to grow, “The Chosen” has been able to stream on many more platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix and Peacock. Recently, the series was granted the opportunity to see its first weekly television network broadcasting on The CW and is available for streaming on The CW’s website. The first season of the show began airing on The CW in July and will continue to air every Sunday until the third season’s finale in December; raising excitement as the release of the fourth season draws closer.
Looking ahead to the fourth season, Jenkins has already warned audiences that after three seasons of helping the “weary and heavy-laden,” viewers will also see Jesus weary and heavy-laden himself. As fate draws near, the disciples will be clueless to what is to come and what to make out of what they are seeing. Jenkins says “The Chosen” plans to release a total of seven seasons with the help of its crowd-funding audience. If this unique show continues to relate to its audience by daring to be different, Jenkins will see his revolutionary project through to the end.
