television

Scandal and New Girl are not ordinarily “about” race. But as national conversations on police violence intensify, they’ve stepped into the discussion.

I have always watched TV in community. In many ways these communities of shared stories have shaped the stories I tell about my life.

Cohle and Hart are magnetic and unforgettable. But True Detective's existential heft never exceeds the palaver of a 101 class.

In The Walking Dead, there's a crucifix at a Baptist church. Why don't producers check such details with somebody who is actually religious?

Girls gets attention as a boundary-breaking comedy focused explicitly on gender. But Hannah and friends are not navigating adult life well.

I don't like family sitcoms, so I long avoided Modern Family. But the show catches the way family can be both loathsome and life-giving.

The TV series Homeland raises some grave real-world questions.

It's the golden era of TV, and many shows explore moral and psychological issues with great nuance. Why not take religion as seriously?

Our culture tells young adults to resist adulthood with all their might. New Girl portrays characters who want something more.

I feared that Rev. would reprise the saccharine sweetness of The Vicar of Dibley. Episode one set me straight.

Theologians have long posited an omniscient God. The British TV show Sherlock delights us with an omniscient human being.

It seems like all anyone wants to talk about is power. And the best show on television about power is Game of Thrones.

My mother read to us a lot when we were little. Most of us were girls. And she liked classic stuff, so I grew up with a strong working knowledge of Little House and Little Women. (I don't think we ever read Little Men, but let's be honest, who did? Also: It's still about Jo!)

But the house favorite was definitely Anne of Green Gables.

First of all, yes, if you're a linguistic traditionalist then the show should really be called The Rev., not Rev.

Second of all, it's disappointing that by the second episode, the British scripted series is relying heavily on the old binary of a small, old-fashioned, declining, liberal congregation vs. a large, hip, casual, thriving, conservative one. (The latter's hip-hop music leader goes by the name Ikon! Cute, but haven't the showrunners heard of Peter Rollins?)

Okay, now I can say it: Rev.'s on Hulu! You should watch it!

Why did I spend three and a half days of my life watching all 87 episodes of a soapy spy serial? For Jesus, of course. Also because it's a provocative and relevant series.

“I’ve been telling everyone who’ll listen how great Downton Abbey is,” I said in a sermon that was technically about evangelism. I was illustrating St. Augustine’s point that when people love, say, a great actor they tell others about him—and so how much more should we tell others about the gospel. A week later I learned how (un)successful that point had been. “I’ve watched every episode,” a parish­ioner said. “Now what was it you were trying to say about that show?”

Friday Night Lights, which ends tonight, portrays a small town and the relationships within it. The show is steadfastly conventional, commercially unsuccessful and the best thing on television.

Forensics television is more than gory titillation and casual senationalism. These programs scratch at religious itches: they try to see beyond death and long for ultimate justice.