It is becoming increasingly harder to find Christian content on TV to feel good about watching. If you can find a show that doesn’t take God’s name in vain over and over, use vulgar language, and have vulgar scenes, then you have to worry about the commercials. These consists of images and language you would not want your children or grandchildren to walk in and see or hear.
I recently watched a few Classic movies, one of which was “Dial M For Murder”. It had been recommended to me in a book, for a study of the classy way Grace Kelly presents herself in the movie. That part had good content. Grace Kelly dressed well, spoke with excellent speech patterns, and was polite in all circumstances, yet she was having an affair. I watched “Crime of Passion” starring Barbara Stanwyck in which she says she loves her husband, is pushing him to have more ambition and move up in his job, then has a one night fling with his boss, even though she says she loves her husband. After watching several other classics, I noticed a pattern of… they were always in trouble due to allowing sin in their lives. Now, while there is something to be learned from these stories about what not to do, they do not follow what the Bible tells us to be thinking about. (Philippians 4:8)
If you love to write, or just love good stories, you are drawn to trying to find something to feel good about watching, because movies and TV shows are written and they are stories.
So… recently, as I was searching for something that fit with the Philippians 4:8 scripture to watch, I stumbled across a 2002 series based on a true story that fit the bill. I was so excited, every moment I had an opportunity to watch the series, I took it, and I have now been through 4 out of 5 seasons of the show. What I have not heard or seen in the series so far is: using God’s or Jesus’ name as curse words, no curse words of any kind, sex scenes, or vulgar scenes. What I have witnessed is action packed FBI scenes, people speaking of God and their dependence on Him, the actual use of “by God’s grace” in a sentence, humorous story lines intertwined between the action, what good friends look like, and well-written stories for each episode.
The series I am referring to is… “Sue Thomas FBI (Eye)” in which a deaf young women and her hearing service dog, Levi, are recruited by the FBI to serve in surveillance because of her strong ability to read lips, even from a distance. As you watch the series, you are made aware of how much the loss of hearing can affect how you approach life, but Sue Thomas overcomes so many obstacles and then accepts what she can’t overcome with grace. The dog used for the show, Levi, is fun to watch as Sue teaches him extra “tricks” besides what he already knows to do from his training as a hearing dog. Because I had reviewed the show and knew what the content consisted of, and had approval from my daughter, I allowed my eight and six-year-old grandchildren to watch it with me. They were fascinated with what Levi could do, the use of sign language, and what it meant for Sue to not be able to hear, especially when gunfire was happening and she was standing in the middle of it, totally unaware.
Watch the montage above for an idea of the captivating content.
Now, where do you find access to this show? You can order the DVD’s from Christian Book Distributors (CBD) or Amazon, but be careful of who has made them because on Amazon, some of the reviews said they wouldn’t play in their DVD player. The ones from CBD had good reviews but are pricy at $99 for all 5 seasons.
I chose to open a Dove Account on Amazon Prime for $4.99 a month so I could use it to watch all 5 seasons. Up Faith and Family has the first 3 seasons for $4.99 a month. The good thing about both of these channels is that they run other movies of faith so you have safe content to watch. The Hallmark channel on Amazon Prime has all 5 seasons also, but they run $7.99 a month to view them. My daughter has found the series for free on her Roku TV.
There may be other options for you based on different access points. Whatever your option, I highly recommend the series for clean, uplifting, action filled, educational (regarding dealing with the issue of being deaf), and fun content to provide great entertainment. Enjoy!
Thank you Jane! I really love your recommendations.
You’re Welcome! I hope you enjoy the show.
I appreciate your comments, Jane. Another show I watch is “The Rifleman” since it is a classic western. Note, however, that if you watch free on Pluto TV or Roku, the commercials are sometimes not suitable for Christians or children.
Yes, “The Rifleman” is another great show. Good to know about being mindful of the commercials.