What the First Line Ever Written for THE CHOSEN Tells Fans
By Movieguide® Contributor
Dallas Jenkins revealed the first line ever written for THE CHOSEN and how he makes the show resonate with audiences.
“‘I was one way and now I am completely different and the thing that happened in between was Him’ comes from episode two of Season 1, and it was the first line that was ever written for THE CHOSEN,” Jenkins told Hope Nation.
While this line is a beautifully succinct explanation of the Gospel and how Jesus changes lives, it also reveals how Dallas and his team approach the show.
“[THE CHOSEN] starts working through the storyline of how Nicodemus attempts to exorcise Mary Magdalene’s demons and fails. Then he comes across her later and sees that she is a different person, and so we’re like, what are some of the things he would say and how would she describe it,” Jenkins said. “My co-writer, Tyler, said, ‘What if she just, instead of trying to give all these nuanced reasons, just says, “I was one way and now I am completely different.”’ And that’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard.”
“What we try to do with THE CHOSEN is not only give you these moments from scripture but set them up in a way that when they happen, they really make sense and they really have an emotional resonance in addition to spiritual resonance,” Jenkins added. “And so I think it represents what THE CHOSEN is trying to do.”
READ MORE: DALLAS JENKINS REVEALS WHY THE CHOSEN’S CHARACTERS FEEL SO REAL
Jenkins believes that this emphasis is what makes THE CHOSEN good TV rather than a Bible narrative that has little reach outside of the Christian audience.
“In TV and movies, if all you’re doing is just reenacting a historical moment that you know about from history, or from the Bible, it might be interesting to watch but it probably won’t emotionally resonate because you don’t have a connection to the characters. You don’t know the why of what they’re doing,” he explained. “If you can help [audiences] understand what the stakes are for each of the characters in the scene, it makes it even more personal.”
This approach has made THE CHOSEN as successful as it is, reaching hundreds of millions of people across the globe and resonating with a deeply passionate fanbase.
READ MORE: THE CHOSEN’S DALLAS JENKINS TALKS ‘REDEMPTIVE’ STORYTELLING
Season 5 of the hit show will be arriving next spring.
“It is coming to you early April 2025. I don’t exactly if it’s the first or second week just yet. We’re working out the details. But it will be early April,” Jenkins revealed last month.
“THE CHOSEN Season 5 will chronicle the events of Holy Week, leading straight into the events of the Passion and Jesus’ crucifixion,” Dexerto reported. “That means we’re getting the cleansing of the temple, the Last Supper, and Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, and much more.”
