• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, July 12, 2023

A TV series of biblical proportions is coming to American broadcast television for the first time this Sunday, compliments of The CW.

The show is already a global phenomenon. Titled “The Chosen,” the sprawling, scripted series is described on the CW press site as “the first multi-season series of its kind, a groundbreaking historical drama about the life of Jesus [Jonathan Roumie, pictured above] as seen through the eyes of His followers.”

Yes, the “H” in “His” is capitalized, for this is a TV series in which religion and faith are placed firmly in the foreground.

The show’s point of view is announced right at the outset with a written introduction in the very first frame.

“All biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination [in the series] are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures,” the statement says. “Viewers are encouraged to read the Gospels.”

The CW has licensed the first three seasons of “The Chosen,” comprising 26 episodes. They start airing Sunday night at 8 p.m. Eastern.

After that, the remaining episodes will air weekly, culminating in the third-season finale on Christmas Eve, which this year falls on a Sunday.

Plans call for “The Chosen” to encompass seven seasons, with production on season four now under way.

“The Chosen” is primarily attributed to one man (other than Jesus) -- Dallas Jenkins, 47, a maker of films with religious themes.

He is credited as creator, director and co-writer (with Tyler Thompson and Ryan Swanson) of the series, and also serves as one of its executive producers.

“The Chosen” has an unusual financing history. Much of its financing has come from crowdfunding, with contributions estimated at $40 million.

It now has an international distributor, Lionsgate, which licensed the U.S. broadcast rights to The CW.

While The CW will bring the series to broadcast TV for the first time, it has already been widely available on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Peacock.

“ ‘The Chosen’ has grown from a crowdsourcing project into a massive global phenomenon with over 110 million viewers in 175 countries around the world with plans to make it available in 600 languages,” The CW said.

“The Chosen” is another in a lengthening list of shows with which The CW has filled out its prime-time lineup since being taken over by its new owner, Nexstar Media Group, last October.

The chief content curator at the network is Brad Schwartz, president of entertainment. In a press release last month, Schwartz referred to the series’ source material as “the biggest IP [intellectual property] of all time.”

“ ‘The Chosen’  is based on the biggest IP of all time and is truly a one-of-a-kind series that tells this historically significant story in a captivating, dramatic and premium way,” Schwartz said.

“This show has already connected deeply with viewers around the world, and The CW will expand its audience even further,” he said.

“The Chosen” starts Sunday night at 8 Eastern on The CW.