God
One of TV’s biggest stars?
Much has been made about the Bible making a comeback on movie screens but right now, The Almighty is having quite the TV moment. Currently, three hit TV shows (and more on the way) have taken over the airwaves and are giving God His biggest TV moment since Roma Downey was touched by an angel. Not sequestered to any of the gospel channels, these shows are proving that God’s a hit on any network. The leader of the pack is “American Bible Challenge,” which garnered Emmy nominations for both the show and for host Jeff Foxworthy. This Game Show Network show was a surprise hit, with audiences tuning in to see a twist on the traditional trivia competition. It’s as fast paced and exciting as any game show on TV and that’s why the Emmy nominations come as no surprise. Game Show Network has another hit on its hands with “It Takes a Church,” which it just renewed for a second season. Gospel superstar Natalie Grant hosts the show where she visits a congregation to surprise a dateless member with the news that they’re about to be “saved from the dating world.” The congregants go to work trying to find the best match for them and hopefully, they meet someone to connect with. It’s a dating show with a gospelinfused slant. You won’t find any “Naked Dating” action on this show, and the focus is always on connecting on a deeper level. In a different direction, “Preachers of LA” on Oxygen appears to be just another reality show full of drama and confrontations. While that’s true in a sense, the drama isn’t about petty disagreements and dinner parties gone awry. The arguments end up being about disagreements in interpreting their faith. It’s no surprise that six different pastors and their wives/girlfriends would have different views on the world, on the way people act and how they live their faith. At the most basic level, this is a show about the intersection of different views on “living by faith.” Next up on the Oxygen roster this fall is “Fix My Choir,” led by “Preachers of LA” star Deitrick Haddon and Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams. The premise is simple and outlined in the title. The duo goes in and fixes choirs who need the assist. The combination of star power and the promise of amazing music makes this a must-watch show for the network. So God’s having a TV moment and with more versions of Oxygen’s “Preachers” series on the way, it seems that moment is going to continue. 12 BLEEP