I watched the show. I had been anticipating it’s premier for about a month. I am very sorry to see such a knee-jerk reaction after only one episode aired.
I think the charge of “mocking God” is ridiculous. While the accusations of obsenity and profanity are correct, I did not consider them a mockery. The show is supposed to portray a woman who is a great sinner and it makes no bones about it’s position on her behavior. And I actually loved the “tobacco spitting” angel. His appearance to Grace and what he tells her is completely orthodox. She is chastised for her sexual immorality, her foul mouth, her unwillingness to accept God’s help. The angel tells her she is bound for hell and so are many others. I expected the first show would be filled with profane images and language because they were trying to portray sin. I hoped that would end after she had her “conversion”. Sadly, it appears her conversion is going to be more complicated (as it is for most of us) and ongoing which implies there will be continued wrestling with sin. I suspect there will still be some level of profanity and obscenity.
Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on how you look at it), she is a lapsed Catholic and her brother is a priest. We find out in the first episode that she was molested as a child by a priest. Her brother is a foul mouthed clergyman who, while delivering a fairly orthodox speech about her immorality, does so with profane words. I think the show could be edifying IF it pulls itself out of the “sewer” and focuses on the conversion.
I will continue to watch this show and pray that it turns into a worthwhile depiction of a sinner struggling to find God. If it does not, and shows signs of being yet another anti-Catholic, anti-religion piece of trash, I will join the others in contacting sponsors.
I totally agree with you on this point. I did not see mocking God or our Church.
What I saw was a (probably) realistic view of a fallen Catholic who is an alcohol abuser, who’s lost faith has turned her into a cold hard hearted individual with nothing going for her other than whatever is in front of her.
She swears, she sins, it is what she is to her core. This is supposed to be a redemption story, and her journey from sinner. When I read about Saul converting to Paul I see a similar, albeit much more sanitized, version of a similar sinner being redeemed.
This is a gritty sinner who is in the trenches of society and who is now struggling to find her faith again. She has been through living hell, via child molestation when she was young, and she turned her heart against faith. The real question to me is how will future episodes treat her faith formation? And what messages will Hollywood present about faith in God and Jesus as the series progresses.
I strongly suggest that we keep an eye on this show. It could actually be very good for our faith. But to blast the show because it shows a sinner sinning on her journey to redemption seems to me to be unrealistic. I understand that this show may not appeal to many people. I understand that this show is too mature, too violent, too gritty. But what do you think people live like if they have lost their faith, if they are alcoholics, and if they are the products of molestation and abuse? I’d suggest most of us will never know, but I’d also suggest that many of them lead pretty unseemly lives . . . and that is what is projected on this show.
Personally I don’t know if I “like” this show yet. I’ve seen both episodes. I think it has huge potential to bring people to our Catholic faith, or at least help them understand our faith. It also could just be another Hollywood portrayal gone wrong. Earl the Angel does not seem to be overly Catholic in his influence, in fact he seems to be Christian neutral in what he says. But there is a Catholic character who is strong in faith, and is the best friend of Grace. Further Grace has a brother who is a Catholic priest who, while also very gritty and base, could provide a good message if his character can get beyond the gutter influences we have seen so far.
Time will tell. But I think we need to have an open mind. I don’t think we all need to watch it. But we do need to watch what it says about our Church in the messages it presents.
or laugh until my sides hurt…
