NBC's new family/religious drama "Book of Daniel" has been controversial from the start. American Family Association has tried their best to pull the series, which in their mind "mocks Christianity", has an openly gay character (a Republican), and is run by a "practicing" homosexual (does practice make perfect?).
A lot of people like to laugh these groups off, in spite of the near-successful harrassment of Ford and other companies. But once again we see the peril in taking these groups lightly.
Station Drops 'Book Of Daniel' After Anti-Gay Pressure
(Terre Haute, Indiana) NBC affiliate WTWO has become the first station to announce that it will not carry the program "The Book of Daniel" following pressure from the American Family Association.
The Terre Haute station's Web site has a notice at the top saying "Due to emails and calls from viewers, WTWO will not be airing NBC's The Book of Daniel."
In a statement posted on the site, WTWO Station General Manager Duane Lammers noted that network affiliates can refuse to show specific programs.
"I am reaffirming that right to let them know I will not allow them to make unilateral decisions affecting our viewers.
"Second, I want to draw attention to the worst offenders of indecency on television ... the cable industry, which faces no decency regulations, nor a license renewal.
"If my action causes people in our community to pay more attention to what they watch on television, I have accomplished my mission," Lammers said in the statement.
AFA also claims the show is struggling to find advertisers, which NBC denies.
Personally, I have no desire to see the show. I have my own belief in God and I don't particularly care about religious TV shows of any stripe. I would rather swing dance with Phyllis Schafly than see ANOTHER series with a long-suffering or tormented gay character. But regardless of my own feelings toward the show, "Book of Daniel" deserves a chance to live or die on its own merits, not on the whims of a pressure group.
If you want to write NBC to keep the show alive, then go here.
It's about gays, and nothing else. The AFA is so full of shit on so many levels, but when they try to tell someone it's about something other than gays, it's just hooey. I loved the X Files, and I've probably seen about 80% of all the episodes, maybe more. And there was far, far more on the X Files that undermined "Christian beliefs" than what I suspect you'll find on that show. Me, I'm not interested in it; I don't watch a lot of television, and that just doesnt' look all that funny. But what is funny is this, from the link to the AFA petition:
The Webster family is rounded out by a 23-year-old homosexual Republican son...
Yeah, can't have anyone letting it out that there are men who are both Republican and homesexual, can we?
Makes me think of all the one liners I've heard about how if you rid the Republican party of gay men, that there wouldn't be enough staffers to keep things running on Capitol Hill.
Posted by: DHinMI | January 04, 2006 at 23:51
Don't write it off. I doubt that it is going to be a "religious" show in any usual sense. (Touched by an Angel is what I would call a "religious" show.)
From the promo descriptions I suspect that Book of Daniel a take-off (rip-off?) of the very successful and critically acclaimed cable series, Six Feet Under - with a priest instead of an undertaker. If the writing is even half as good it could be worth watching.
Posted by: Libby Sosume | January 05, 2006 at 03:25
I watch a lot of television (though I don't watch much news, unless Stewart and Colbert count). I had never heard of The Book of Daniel before reading this. Now I will almost certainly watch the pilot.
So while the AFA may have blocked it in Terre Haute, they've probably measurably increased the likelihood of the show's survival. Assuming, of course, that it doesn't suck.
Posted by: rasmus | January 05, 2006 at 08:32
The NBC affiliate in Knoxville, Tennessee is now considering dropping the show:
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/silence/archives/2006/01/the_daniel_cont.shtml
Posted by: James | January 05, 2006 at 11:46
it is nbc that one should fear. any company that doesn't have the guts to back their own product sets a poor corporate example, and they will likely be sold soon. Letterman put the nail in the coffin.
Posted by: oldtree | January 05, 2006 at 21:07
it is nbc that one should fear. any company that doesn't have the guts to back their own product sets a poor corporate example, and they will likely be sold soon to a more agressive directive. maybe to rupert and roger, maybe to pat robertson. i understand why this show is a good thing, but the public show trial with the aF***a and nbc is just that, just a show.
i didn't know anyone would watch one of the old 'big 3' networks, pardon my ignorance here folks. i haven't seen anything worth watching in a very long time and made the terrible assumption that others thought so. shows you what an idiot i am. i watch fox, to see the simpsons.
Posted by: oldtree | January 05, 2006 at 21:14
I am the program director for an NBC Affiliate in Ohio. I have received hundreds of emails and hundreds more phone calls about this show. If these people are the true Christians they say they are, they wouldn't judge others. They judge me based on the fact that we decided to air the show. We believe that it is the viewers right to watch or not to watch. There's always the off button. Why should we take it away from the people who want to watch when the ones who don't can simply turn it off.I have received very harassing phone calls from these good Christians, and the part that makes me laugh the most is the letter the AFA sent out. Did anyone else notice the line at the bottom asking for a donation. That's all they want. Money. They find a cause that they think people will follow and use it to ask for a donation. I think it's all a scam. I've seen a pre-screening of the first episode, and it's not a show about the church. It's a show about a family that has problems (like every other family), who's dad just happens to be a priest. It's not a serious drama, and it's not being promoted as a serious drama (although the AFA says it is). I would know. I'm one of the Promotion Managers promoting it. It's a dramedy. It's a dramatic comedy. The only thing that is keeping from being a comedy is that it doesn't have laugh lines throughout the show. I'm just really tired of the "good Christians" of the world calling and bashing me when they don't know me at all. Is that what you want to teach your children????
Posted by: K.F. | January 06, 2006 at 15:56
I think the Book of Daniel is a great show. Are all these extreme Christian groups anxious to get the show off the air because they are afraid it shows some TRUTH about the human condition. If they want to focus their attention on something, then raise money to cure cancer - that certainly hurts and kills people and any single TV show written for pure entertainment could. I'm SO BORED with these EXTREMIST.
Posted by: Brenda C | January 27, 2006 at 23:26