The fourth season of ‘The Chosen’ recently had its broadcast television debut on The CW network, following a successful theatrical run and streaming debuts on various platforms and previous seasons ranking among the network’s top-rated shows. At this point, ‘The Chosen’ has had more than 200 million viewers and more than 12 million social media followers. For creator Dallas Jenkins, however, the numbers aren’t as important as the milestones they represent.
“The cool thing about being on the CW isn’t the numbers,” Jenkins explained. “We were able to see that last year, when seasons one through three played on the CW, the ratings were very high and the numbers actually went up as the seasons went along, which is pretty rare. It really is about the fact that a show about Jesus, about the Gospels, that is unashamedly giving the message of Jesus and His teachings, is now on a national television network.”
Jenkins explained that having “such explicit Jesus portrayals” in mainstream media is truly exciting.
“(The seasons are) on Amazon Prime, they’re on Peacock, they’re on the CW, they’re on Netflix. They’re on the cover of TV Guide. They’re in places where you wouldn’t normally see such explicit Jesus portrayals, and that’s really exciting.”
This newfound exposure is a far cry from the director’s own experiences growing up, when faith-based entertainment was scarce, usually centering on Saturday morning cartoons, Beverly Hillbillies reruns, and occasional faith-based releases from the Billy Graham Association. He recalls the miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth” making an impression. “It would play around Easter. And I do have memories of watching that and being impacted by that.”
Because of the scarcity of options, Jenkins said, “‘The Chosen’ is different, obviously, than Jesus productions in the past. And I think one of the reasons for it is because I’m filling a gap that I experienced. I didn’t see too many depictions of Jesus that felt human and authentic.”
This authenticity extends to the show’s engagement with critics, which Jenkins sees as an opportunity to have fun and set a positive example. “We proudly tell our audience, you don’t actually influence the decisions we make, and they’re actually good with that. Because when you’re telling a Jesus story, if you’re trying to please people, you’re going to compromise in areas where you shouldn’t.”
As “The Chosen” continues to expand its reach, Jenkins remains focused on honoring God and telling the stories of Jesus in a way that resonates with audiences. “I’m seeing social media posts from the Philippines or from India. I didn’t even know we had a social media team over there. That’s so cool.”
With the show’s upcoming debut on The CW, Jenkins is excited to see how God will continue to use “The Chosen” to touch the lives of viewers around the world. “It’s really exciting to see them pushing it out to their audience.”
“The Chosen” season four is currently airing on The CW. To watch the expanded interview with Dallas Jenkins and DeWayne Hamby, click below.
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