I am a little embarrassed to say I turned the lights on about thirty minutes in because it got a little eerie for me.
The article we read called this miniseries a "criss cross with Mormon folklore and scripture" and that could not be more apt. The communion of familiarity and discomfort felt almost sinister at times. In some ways, the story felt familiar to the stories of many prophets I was raised hearing about: Joseph Smith, Abraham, Nephi, Jonah, etc. The protagonist has a predestined role that he is shocked by and expected, he is reluctant to fill the role and willing. He exudes internal conflict. The eerie tone of this production added another layer of alienation to an audience that should be familiar with a prophet storyline.
I immediately upon starting this show realized I had paradigms for how I expected this story to go. And throughout the whole show, I kept trying to make this unexpected storyline fit into my preconceived ideas about it.
I actually think the ways the miniseries plays on expectations and de-familiarizes the audience worked really well. I read stories about prophets so often; I know these stories by heart. In a way, the stories have lost their authentic frightening reality to me. I forget how absolutely terrifying it must have been for Abraham to be told to kill his son. I don't consider the possible trauma Nephi felt about killing Laban. I don't even often think about the disorientation and constant fear felt by prophets who lived during all the "secret combination" parts of the Book of Mormon. Watching this show, I realized how nervous I was. I felt disoriented sometimes about who was good or bad. I felt morally conflicted about decisions that the protagonist needed to make. I felt confused about the promptings he was receiving. I felt nervous. I also felt conviction. And promise and hope. I think this miniseries nailed some feelings that were present in our prophet stories that we have lost as they have become simply stories. The test of faith was scary. It wouldn't be different necessarily just because the calling was a bigger calling.
While I would consider this miniseries orthodox, it brings up less-spoken about ideas in Mormonism that I hadn't considered. (Like those mentioned above.)
Honestly, it was a weird show and I don't want to rewatch it, BUT I think I will find myself talking about it more than I intend to because I can't think of a work or text that helped me contextualize the idea of an unknown familiar spiritual heritage in the way Jer3miah did for me.
The article we read called this miniseries a "criss cross with Mormon folklore and scripture" and that could not be more apt. The communion of familiarity and discomfort felt almost sinister at times. In some ways, the story felt familiar to the stories of many prophets I was raised hearing about: Joseph Smith, Abraham, Nephi, Jonah, etc. The protagonist has a predestined role that he is shocked by and expected, he is reluctant to fill the role and willing. He exudes internal conflict. The eerie tone of this production added another layer of alienation to an audience that should be familiar with a prophet storyline.
I immediately upon starting this show realized I had paradigms for how I expected this story to go. And throughout the whole show, I kept trying to make this unexpected storyline fit into my preconceived ideas about it.
I actually think the ways the miniseries plays on expectations and de-familiarizes the audience worked really well. I read stories about prophets so often; I know these stories by heart. In a way, the stories have lost their authentic frightening reality to me. I forget how absolutely terrifying it must have been for Abraham to be told to kill his son. I don't consider the possible trauma Nephi felt about killing Laban. I don't even often think about the disorientation and constant fear felt by prophets who lived during all the "secret combination" parts of the Book of Mormon. Watching this show, I realized how nervous I was. I felt disoriented sometimes about who was good or bad. I felt morally conflicted about decisions that the protagonist needed to make. I felt confused about the promptings he was receiving. I felt nervous. I also felt conviction. And promise and hope. I think this miniseries nailed some feelings that were present in our prophet stories that we have lost as they have become simply stories. The test of faith was scary. It wouldn't be different necessarily just because the calling was a bigger calling.
While I would consider this miniseries orthodox, it brings up less-spoken about ideas in Mormonism that I hadn't considered. (Like those mentioned above.)
Honestly, it was a weird show and I don't want to rewatch it, BUT I think I will find myself talking about it more than I intend to because I can't think of a work or text that helped me contextualize the idea of an unknown familiar spiritual heritage in the way Jer3miah did for me.
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