For all the fuss about “faith-based” programming these days, TV shows based on the Bible have not been doing particularly well in the ratings. The latest case in point: The Passion, a live musical about the death of Jesus that aired on Fox last night.
Variety reports that the two-hour musical attracted 6.6 million viewers overall and had a 1.6/5 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which, on the one hand, is better than Of Kings and Prophets ever did and better than the ratings for all but the first two episodes of A.D. The Bible Continues — but it was also a smaller audience than any of the other live musicals have had on American networks in recent years:
- The Sound of Music Live! (NBC, 2013) — 18.6 million viewers — 4.6/13 rating
- Grease: Live (Fox, 2016) — 12.2 million viewers — 4.3/13 rating
- The Wiz Live! (NBC, 2015) — 11.5 million viewers — 3.4/11 rating
- Peter Pan Live! (NBC, 2014) — 9.2 million viewers — 2.4/7 rating
Variety sums it up by saying The Passion’s ratings were “solid but unspectacular”.
The Passion did, admittedly, have the disadvantage of not being based on an existing musical; unlike the other shows, which were all based on Broadway musicals that have been around in one format or another for decades (generations, even!), The Passion was a brand new pastiche of secular pop songs embedded in a sacred narrative.
Still, it would be interesting see how a live production of, say, Jesus Christ Superstar would do. That musical has the religious element and an established legacy.
I did not have time to see The Passion myself last night, but I may give it a look soon. Netflix will be streaming the show in non-American territories starting tomorrow.
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