Did you know that the early 2000s hit show The Office copied its style from the workplace drama series found in the Old Testament?
Alright, not really. But if you go and watch The Promised Land series on YouTube it becomes easier to see how a recently freed group of stubborn Israelites wandering in the desert could be the perfect set up for an TV show centered around people’s quirks, their frustrations, their jealousy, their misguided anger, and all those other wonderful traits that the hot middle-eastern desert seems to bring out in people. And don’t forget those up-close camera shots!
The Promised Land is a new Christian TV series that brings to life the story of Moses and the Israelites after they depart from Egypt. Produced by Richie Johns and Studio 523, the cast and crew bring together a diverse group of actors to introduce a new, fun way of biblical storytelling. Among them are Wasim No’mani as Moses, Majed Sayess as Aaron, Shereen Khan as Miriam, Brad Culver as Korah, and many others. Many of these actors, including writer/director Mitch Hudson, have connections or previous experience with the hit series The Chosen.
I first discovered The Promised Land a few months after the pilot episode was released back in 2024. Barely five minutes in, and I was dying. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed at something so hard that was biblically based.
I think for me, and a lot of fellow viewers, part of the show’s charm and hilarity is the fact that the story is based on biblical events that form the tenets of Christianity and Judaism. So, when we get to see someone serious like Moses portrayed as a very “non-Charlton Heston” character, it both surprises and makes us laugh.
The pilot episode gained a lot of traction online, and this past week, episode 2 of season 1 was finally released. So, here’s a quick breakdown of everything I observed (I’ll try to leave out the spoilers, but if you’ve read the Bible, well . . .)
The episode picks up after Moses’ most recent conversation with God at Mount Sinai (face all aglow), and everyone has a job to do. All of the Israelites must consecrate themselves before the LORD before He comes down to speak to them; the new tribal leaders, including Moses’ cousin (and rival) Korah, must prepare their groups for the consecration; Joshua is put in charge of guarding the whole mountain from any wandering Israelites who just might want to come near. Meanwhile, Miriam and Zipporah try to establish their “women’s hour,” a safe space where the often-overlooked Israelite women can have a chance to feel heard, and Aaron’s just trying to make sure everyone is having a good time. And Moses, well, he’s just trying to enjoy his day off.
But, as is customary with a good plan, things don’t always go the way we want them to. Korah is placed in charge of a group of ten men (only ten?), which includes the most annoying “Israelite” of the whole twelve tribes, Chisisi (the retired Egyptian soldier who ended up on the wrong side of the Red Sea). Joshua falls asleep at his post. Miriam and Zipporah hit a snag with the “women’s hour” as the tribal women struggle to start living like the free women that they are, not the silent, beaten-down Egyptian slaves that they were. Aaron, while his jokes are good, pushes some of the more irritable Israelites a little too far. And Moses, with nothing to do for the first time in months, starts feeling rather useless as the people he helped save slander his name behind his back, especially when they start comparing him to his more outspoken older brother.
Now you won’t find Miriam’s “women’s hour,” Aaron’s group chants, or Joshua falling asleep at his post in the Bible. In fact, most of the dialogue and story in this episode you might consider an inference drawn from particular passages, such as how Aaron was considered a better public speaker than Moses (Exodus 4:14), or how Miriam was seen as a leader and musician among the women (Exodus 15:20-21).
But overall, I haven’t seen anything in the show that strays too far from the Biblical framework. Afterall, Moses appointed tribal leaders to deal with smaller problems so he wouldn’t be overworking himself (Exodus 18:24-26), the Israelites had to consecrate themselves and stay away from the mountain (Exodus 19:10-15), and when God finally did descend upon the mountain, only Moses went up to listen while the rest of the people cowered in fear (Exodus 19:16-20).
However silly or unserious this show can be at times, I certainly don’t think it equates to mocking God. I wouldn’t be watching it if it were. There is a big difference between making fun of something and having a sense of humor. Films like Mel Brooks’ History of the World and Monty Python’s Life of Brian, while undoubtedly having their funny moments, take a great deal of time poking fun at the Bible. Most films that we see take this approach do so because of how they view God and the Bible. With its importance removed, it’s a whole lot easier to make jokes about something that doesn’t really matter.
That’s where I see the important contrast with The Promised Land series. They intentionally use the biblical stories as a framework for their episodes with the knowledge of how important these stories are to believers everywhere. They keep the story the same, add in a few direct verses, and all the jokes enhance each character’s stories, not detract from them. But make no mistake, once God comes down on the scene, both the characters and the audience know it’s important.
And, like any good biblical media, audiences can expect to walk away with a few life lessons learned. In Moses’ case, he has to learn very quickly how hard it is to be a leader of a stubborn people that wants everything done in their own way.
“You are wise, and you are passionate, and you care what God wants for His people even when it’s not what they want for themselves,” said Zipporah, Moses’ wife. “It is easy to be popular. It is harder to lead.”
I’m very excited to see where this series will go and how it will inspire other Christian filmmakers to follow similar paths. Weekly episodes will be released and should be available for free via YouTube.