Season three of The Chosen joins the historical drama’s first two seasons on Prime Video, which will offer one-stop access for anyone who hasn’t yet caught up with creator, writer, and director Dallas Jenkins’ story of the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. The series originally premiered in 2019 on the Christian-minded streaming platform VidAngel after raising money for its production via crowdfunding, and has expanded its footprint by licensing The Chosen to secular platforms like Prime, Peacock, the CW, and Netflix. It also maintains a lively YouTube channel, which currently features a vignette teasing the filming of Chosen Season 4.
Opening Shot: 24 AD. In Capernaum, near the Sea of Galilee, a Roman soldier pounds on a door. Answering, Alphaeus (Turhan Troy Caylak) is surprised to learn he’s past due on tribute fees, especially since he filed an extension. The soldier is unsympathetic. “By decree of Quintus, honorable praetor of Capernaum, I will remand you into custody.” Just then, Matthew (Paras Patel) intervenes. He wonders if it’s maybe cool to just skip this house for now. After all, it’s where his parents live.
The Gist: That’s right, Matthew as in the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew, whose parents are none too happy with their son’s gig as a tax collector for the Romans. His mother cries, his father disowns him, and later, as Jesus (Jonathan Rournie) is wowing a large crowd with his Sermon on the Mount, Matthew is downcast and reflective. “Which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to your life?” Jesus asks. “First, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” The sermon, which Matthew and the other disciples had a hand in writing but was Jesus’s to interpret, is a huge hit. With confidence and ease, he lays down what would become bedrock for his followers, the Beatitudes as well as the Lord’s Prayer. And afterwards, as JC relaxes with a bite to eat in the green room, he officially welcomes Judas Iscariot (Luke Dimyan) into the fold. “I believe you are going to change the world,” Judas says, “and I want to be a part of that.”
In season one of The Chosen, Jesus performed his first public miracles, and started to gather his flock. Matthew was there, the fishermen Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac), John (George H. Xanthis), and Big James (Abe Bueno-Jallad), Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish), Thomas (Joey Vahedi), Ramah (Yasmine Al-Bustami), and Little James (Jordan Walker Ross). In season two, word spread about this “rogue rabbi,” this humble miracle worker, and Judas, Nathaniel (Austin Reed Alleman), and Philip (Yoshi Barrigas) joined the cause. And now, as Jesus makes his biggest splash yet with the Sermon on the Mount, the movement is experiencing growing pains in real time as well as increased scrutiny from the Roman establishment.
Another individual who heard the call is Joanna (Amy Bailey), a wealthy woman whose husband works in the court of King Herod, where John the Baptist (David Amito) is currently stewing in the palace prison. Joanna brings Andrew (Noah James) to see Jesus’s cousin, who dismisses his dismal surroundings as the price of doing business when you’re all in on the word of the Lord. At the synagogue in Capernaum, it’s a message Rabbi Yussif (Ivan Jasso) is also eager to inscribe, after being moved by Jesus’s sermon. He writes down what he heard in a letter to Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee who’s part of the Sanhedrin, and asks his new synagogue administrator Jairus (Alessandro Colla) to hold onto it for safekeeping. The word on the street about Jesus is spreading.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? The Bible premiered in 2013 on History; the miniseries was produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, garnered an Emmy nomination, and was followed up with a sequel, A.D. The Bible Continues.
Our Take: We all know this story, or at least the broad strokes. And that means there’s tension underneath the surface in The Chosen Season 3, with the increased profile of Judas Iscariot. This is the dude who’s infamous for his betrayal, selling out JC to the Romans for a few hunks of silver even after he was welcomed into the Twelve Apostles. But the familiarity most viewers will have with that biblical arc also informs how creator and writer Dallas Jenkins is telling the story in this series. Jesus is obviously a main character here, but significant attention is paid to the individuals who surround him, and the people they interact with in turn. One of the best scenes of season three’s first episode is Judas’s meeting with his sister Dvorah, who gives us an entirely new angle on the guy we only know in one dimension as a traitor, and the cast of The Chosen proves adept at bringing a naturalism to these proceedings. This isn’t just a bunch of people dressed in approximations of first century clothing delivering portentous dialogue straight off a page of scripture. Certainly anyone who’s already a believer will enjoy The Chosen for its interpretation of how Jesus became the rock star of preaching. But the acting here doesn’t feel forced into any established narrative, which makes the characters more well-rounded than their biblical reputations, and might offer a more personal way into this story for anyone else who’s curious.
Sex and Skin: Simon Peter and Eden (Lara Silva) are excited to have her place to themselves after being apart for some time. But just as one thing is about to lead to another, Nathaniel knocks on the door. He’s looking for a place to crash. With the followers of Jesus increasing in number, getting them all housed and fed is a growing issue for the core group.
Parting Shot: Matthew has returned to his parents’ home, with the teachings of Jesus on the mount still ringing in his ears. Still unsure about the reception he’ll receive, he hems and haws outside the door. Just then, it opens, and Alphaeus is there. “Son.”
Sleeper Star: Hadad (Josh Zagoren), Judas’s associate from the world of finance, is blown away by Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. “I’ve never seen people so moved! The ‘Turn the other cheek and lay your treasures to heaven’ business was a little naive. But this man has talent!”
Most Pilot-y Line: Dvorah (Marlaina Smith) is shocked when her brother says he’s giving up all of his possessions to walk with Jesus, especially because with Judas, “It’s never not about money.” (Hmm, this could be a theme going forward…) “Judas,” Dvorah warns, “this is dangerous. Rome does not like popular preachers with big followings. They put them away. Many have claimed to be The Messiah. Do you know what happened to them?”
Our Call: STREAM IT. The Chosen has become quite the phenomenon, building on its original crowdsourced funding to bring three well-received seasons to true believers. And now wider audiences who might be curious about all of the fuss can stream the whole thing on Prime before Season 4 appears.
Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges
