NBC Gets Religion

In times of turmoil, people often turn to religion for aid and succor. So, too, it seems, do the networks. Suffering from a "Friends"-less prime-time lineup and generally lackluster ratings, this spring a beleaguered NBC is finding God - and delivering him to viewers - in a six-episode series based on the apocalyptic prophecies laid out in the Book of Revelation.

With a premiere set for April 13, NBC's "Revelations" follows the efforts of Sister Josepha Montifiore, a globe-trotting nun played by Natascha McElhone, and Dr. Richard Massey, a Harvard astrophysicist (and religious skeptic, of course) played by Bill Pullman, to determine whether the end of the world is indeed near.

...From the get-go, it is clear that "Revelations" will be a far cry from the inoffensively ecumenical brand of spirituality typically found in prime-time offerings like "Touched by an Angel," "Highway to Heaven" or "Joan of Arcadia." "We felt what needed to be done is a television show that expressed itself as Christian," said Gavin Polone, an executive producer of, and the driving force behind, "Revelations." "We're very clear about that here. The words 'Jesus Christ' or 'Christ' are used three times a minute."

Can you say Jesus Christ on network television?