If you’re an evangelical Christian wondering about how you’re being perceived in popular culture these days, you might be planning to see “Jesus Camp.” Change your plans. Watch “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” next Monday night instead.
“Jesus Camp,” with its stark representation of Christian fundamentalists at the margins of mainstream evangelicalism, offers an intriguing but uninformed view of Bible believers in America. Aaron Sorkin’s engrossing “Studio 60″ offers something far more complex. Not only does Sorkin have a bigger stage and a longer reach, but–if the first three episodes are any indication–his views on evangelicals are more comprehensive, substantial, and intelligently critical than anything in “Jesus Camp.”
In the series pilot, the narrative about the show-within-the-show is launched when a studio executive orders a skit called “Crazy Christians” to be cut so as not to offend (crazy) Christian viewers. The show’s producer responds with an on-air tirade against the neutering of culture at the hands of these conservative religious sensibilities. In come our heroes, Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet), Matt Albie (Matthew Perry), and Dannie Tripp (Bradley Whitford), whose heroism lies not just in their creativity and willpower to rescue the show-within-the-show, but also in their willingness to stand up to the Christian conservatives who have scared the show into a stupor. By the third episode of “Studio 60,” our heroes have aired the offending skit, called the bluff of a Christian boycott, and been rewarded with an unprecedented gain in Nielson ratings.
Some viewers have complained that we never actually see the skit “Crazy Christians,” but really, we don’t need to. Crazy Christians are fore-grounded again and again in “Studio 60″ as we learn that part of the daily grind of a television executive is putting up with the conservative Christian press (Rapture Magazine!), Christian affiliates, and Christian picketers outside the studio lot. Crazy Christians are referenced routinely in the show’s smug dialogue:
Jordan: “I wanna know how Rapture Magazine gets credentialed for an NBS press conference!”Shelly: “You think it should be the policy of this network to exclude religious publications?”
Jordan: “We’re not talking about the Christian Science Monitor. How many whack-jobs read Rapture Magazine?”
Shelly: “It has a circulation four times the size of Vanity Fair.”
Jordan: “Are you kidding?”
Shelly: “No, I’m not.”
Jack: “I’m a little surprised myself, Shelly.”
Shelly: “You shouldn’t be.”
Jack: “The rapture is what I think it is, right? The world comes to an end, believers go up in a spaceship?
Jordan: “It’s not a spaceship; it’s Jesus Christ.”
Dialogue like this is a Crazy Christians skit. Again and again in “Studio 60,” we’re reminded that crazy Christians are a part–an annoying and unavoidable part–of American life.
But “Studio 60″ contains a giant caveat to its ongoing critique of evangelicals: Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson), the evangelical Christian star of the show-within-the-show. She’s hip, she’s hot, and she’s hilarious. She’s a credible, likable character, and she’s a Christian. When, on last week’s show, Harriet argued to Matt that a particular joke should be taken off the air so as not to offend the small town that was the joke’s butt, I wanted to stand and cheer. That’s the kind of thing a good person–not just a good evangelical–would do. And letting an evangelical be a good person and a good character… well, it’s enough to make us think that Sorkin might have talked to a Christian or two rather than just read about them in the newspaper.
More importantly, Harriet is an accurate representation of a fact rarely mentioned: Evangelicals aren’t just (and aren’t all) politically active home-schoolers and megachurch-goers. They are also people who live and work in every aspect of the marketplace, including (gasp!) the entertainment media. That’s right: When you’re watching “That ’70s Show,” attending a Broadway play, and listening to a favorite indie pop song, you’re often being entertained by evangelicals, unawares.
I mention this not as a triumph of evangelicalism (perish the thought), but just to note that Sorkin is making sense of the poles of religion in American life. What seems aggravatingly abnormal in some instances–crazy Christians–has an astonishingly familiar, and more congenial, face in other instances. Sorkin seems to understand that evangelicalism is more than the sum of its parts. Thus far in “Studio 60,” he’s achieving something resembling a fair representation of evangelicals: They are those boycotters, those megaphones of moral values; but they are also men and women whose personal expressions of faith are more complicated and nuanced than the big picture reveals.
posted October 8, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Hey David,Pot, kettle, black?It is indeed nice to see that Sorkin is able to depict Christians realistically on both sides–the Crazy Christians and the somewhat normal ones. You’ve gotta love a girl who can make “When asked to comment, the bear said, ‘RAWR!’ funny.Did anyone catch the episode of Bill Maher’s show dealing with Jesus Camp, on which Bradley Whitford appeared? I think Bradley did a good job of representing Christians as everyday people, and as people who can hold widely diverse views and still be Christian.
posted October 8, 2006 at 5:45 pm
You sing the praises of Sorkin’s scripting and dialog regarding Christians yet you fail to point out the gross error and misinformation he is putting forth by indicating that the “Christian Science Monitor” is a religious publication. How ignorant! Do some homework and instead of a star-struck hymn to Sorkin, present a balanced view pointing out his shortcomings and mistakes as well.
posted October 9, 2006 at 12:02 am
Well, I like the themes of the show without being particularly fond of it. Yes, it offers a somewhat evenhanded approach to Christians–it portrays some of the downsides of the overly faithful today in America (with the rampant unacceptace of basic scientific principles) and also some of the upsides (caring about and respecting small town ppl who don’t deserve to be ridiculed on national scale). Does this make for compelling TV? Eh. I guess. It’s a well-written show, but at the same time, I’m always aware that I am watching a show. The dialogue is so…so intricately complex and fanciful that you watch the screen and think…hey look! What a funny, witty line delivered by Matthew Perry! It just feels so extravagantly done, pre-planned, and overcooked. Let’s just say that subtlety is not the bedrock of this show. I give this show a “B-” because of these reasons. It is funny and intelligent, but at the same time, the over acted, over scripted, and overstated nature of this show turns me off.
posted October 9, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Sadly enough….I haven’t the time to watch these shows….but I do enjoy the commentary here as well as the “people’s voice.” Lately, I have become very “disturbed” by people saying “crazy christians” or “overly faithful.” Just because one believes in something wholeheartedly why are they now “overly faithful?” Are you kidding me? Because a person takes something seriously enough and has a strong to almost unbreakable (unbelievable to most) sense of moral ethical-ness (you like that don’t you)…why are they termed….”too much?” Not right. Not fair…but thus it is the world we live in. Don’t have too many beliefs…. Don’t have a sense of right and/or wrong… If someone doesn’t like that you have a passion for something bigger than yourself that includes the love and compassion of a caring God…shhhhh don’t tell. C’mon people….wasn’t this land founded on the principles that we can beleive what we want? We can worship how we want? That is our right? Why (although it is your right) do you feel the need to ridicule another for it? I think I might just watch this show… you know, just to see what the crazy hedonists are up too!
posted October 9, 2006 at 11:59 pm
“wasn’t this land founded on the principles that we can beleive what we want? We can worship how we want? That is our right? ” Only if you define “what we want” as “what the ruling class wants.” The people who came over on the Mayflower wanted freedom for themselves, but they didn’t actually extend that courtesy to everyone else.I have nothing against people who strongly believe something. In fact, I applaud it, but you’ve got to admit that some of these people really are nuts.
posted October 10, 2006 at 6:18 am
Crystal: You don’t have to be Christian to be crazy. I’ve met wack jobs of all faiths, and the worst I’ve known have been those who have none.
posted October 10, 2006 at 6:21 am
“Pink” said it well, commenting on the expression, “overly faithful”. It is not necessarily offensive as much as realizing there are those who, well, view passionate faith as “overly”. That being said, there are those among the “overly faithful” who sometimes use poor judgment and do a lot to make people conclude they are “crazy christians”. What most fundamentalist christians really resent is the assault against traditional moral and ethical values buy secular progressives who believe that the fewer constraints, those inherent in our traditional values system, the more freedom people have. When, in fact, the absence of standards of behavior promoted by secular progressives will eventually result in anarchy.
posted October 10, 2006 at 11:07 am
Elmo You don’t have to be Christian to be crazy. I’ve met wack jobs of all faiths, and the worst I’ve known have been those who have none. Really? We aren’t the ones out killing in the name of our beliefs peoplle who worship the wrong god/no god, love the wrong gender, or commit other such “wrongs”. In fact, we aren’t killing in the name of our beliefs at all.
posted October 10, 2006 at 1:34 pm
“You don’t have to be Christian to be crazy.” Doesn’t that go without saying?
posted October 10, 2006 at 6:39 pm
I think the show did a magnificent job at dealing with a religious opinion and still keeping it from being persecutory. And, really, is that comment about going out and killing for our beliefs necessary? I cannot find any religion not guilty of religious discrimination, and I majored in religious studies. There are whackjobs in every faith. I would like to see Studio 60 focus on an evenhanded view of Islam next, or Paganism. Whackjobs and all.
posted October 10, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Kira: Christians don’t kill for our beliefs.
posted October 11, 2006 at 2:25 am
I don’t know elmo. Look at the Lords Resistance Army in Africa. They would call themselve Christians.I would watch “Studio 60″. Glad to hear that evangelical Christian arn’t always portrayed in a “Jesus Camp” or “Crazy Christian” style. Speaking of the Sarah Paulson charactor here, not the pilot storyline. Think it would be refreshing change.
posted October 11, 2006 at 7:04 am
G: The Bible specifically says not to kill. Anybody who would say that they are killing for Jesus Christ aren’t Christians.
posted October 11, 2006 at 8:35 am
The Bible actually says thou shalt not murder. People are actually instructed to kill, by the Lord, all over the place, and God does quite a bit of killing himself.Christian history is littered with all kinds of killing in the name of God. It’s pretty tough to deny.
posted October 11, 2006 at 5:00 pm
“Anybody who would say that they are killing for Jesus Christ aren’t Christians” From Elim.So from this statment you could argue that, anyone who kills can be christan as long as they dont do it in the name of Jesus Christ
Futhermore, having friends and family in the armed forced makes me wonder if they can still be Christians even when they kill.
posted October 11, 2006 at 5:05 pm
Most of you are reading too much into this. Crystal, when Jesus was born the New Testament began and alot of things in the old testament were “updated”. In Mark, Jesus says that the greatest commandments is to love God and to love your neighbor. So would killing people show love? No. And where does Jesus get his teachings? From his father in heaven…that would be God! So to say that God instructs people to kill is way of base. Perhaps in the old testament you are thinking. But when Jesus was born as our savior alot of things changed. And Jesus is the same today, tomorrow and forever. So does God tell people to commit murder? No, he doesn’t. Jesus instructs us to love and be merciful just as he was.
posted October 11, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Abbey says: In Mark, Jesus says that the greatest commandments is to love God and to love your neighbor. So would killing people show love? Well….it might, hear me out. From the Christan perspective to enter into the kingdom of heavan and avoid the never ending pain of hell is to follow in Jesus teaches. Correct? So out of love and merciful action should we not let those who are going turn away from God, be with God?? Yes their death may be painful. But hey, aleast it is only tempory and they will be with Jesus on the right hand of the father.The other alternate is to unloving let our neighbour’s soul to be pershired in ever lasting toment in hell.This is not may veiw. But it may be the veiw point of Catholic CHRISTAINs who used to touch unbelives. Not out of spite, but out of love and compassion for thier neigbour’s soul. And personally, for one person to give their soul to the devil,(by killing) so that one my be given to God untill the end of time would be heroic. If you taking this to the extrme. would not be better to kill children, before they have the mentally capacity to rejects Christ. And to slipp into the cluchs of satan and of hell…. And again I dont belive this. Yet, without challenging this unpleasent argument, how can one say that loving means not killing them. This also hightlight how “overlyfaith” can SOMETIMES, (very rarely doh) be dangers.Also, Jesus may the same today tomor and forever, Abbey. But how we interprenters him changes.Frankly the image of Jesus will always Change, with us. Cause he is a part of us, and we part of him. If we change he changes.
posted October 11, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Abby, it seems to me that you want things both ways. I appreciate the Sunday School lesson and all, but this is not all black and white and tied neatly in a bow.If God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, it means just that, not that the New Testament comes along and everything that happened before is written off as old news.Sure, Jesus established a New Covenant, and it makes sense that the new law is higher, as the old law was prepatory, but that doesn’t magically negate all that came before.There are times when one could kill and it would not make them less Christian, and I admit that those times are few and far between, but to over generalize and offer platitudes doesn’t make things better. There are times in the Bible in which God (the same God who never changes) kills people. Is God wrong to do so? And more to the point, does that mean God is not Christian?
posted October 11, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Lately, I have become very “disturbed” by people saying “crazy christians” or “overly faithful.” You probably wouldn’t hear such phrases if the “overly faithful” and “crazy christians” weren’t so hellbent on trying to force others through political means to live according to their “crazy” faith.
posted October 11, 2006 at 11:11 pm
“Anybody who would say that they are killing for Jesus Christ aren’t Christians” Num 31:17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. Num 31:18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. Yet Jesus (as the preincarnate Godhead) told the His people Israel to do the above.
posted October 18, 2006 at 10:55 am
TAKEN from WIKIPEDIA: A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as Christ. Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God, who lived a life befitting that of the creator of the universe, free of sin and full of love, who at the end of his earthly life was crucified, and then on the third day, rose from the dead, and later ascended into heaven. These beliefs are held by the vast majority of Christian denominations. Christians believe that Jesus offers salvation, and that it is only possible because of him. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 states that “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God that no one should boast” (NIV). Humans cannot save themselves through good works, but only Jesus can. Good works, however, are a result of living according to the Word of God. Christians identify themselves as monotheistic, believing that there is one God. Most sects incorporate God as a perichoresis of three persons: Father (the Source, the Eternal Majesty); the Son (the eternal Logos or Word, incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth); and the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete or advocate). Today, it is estimated that there are around 2.1 billion Christians in the world making up 33% of the world population, with the largest Christian denomination being Roman Catholicism.[1] Some Christians or denominations do not necessarily hold the above beliefs, see Liberal Christianity.
posted October 20, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Why is it cool to put people down? Should we not respect people’s religious beliefs? Can’t they write something entertaining without it being critical or injurious of others? In my opinion. I feel like everyone is saying the same lines – it feels like a bad Woody Allen movie. And, it would be nice if I could be entertained instead of having to decifer whether or not my children should watch. Please, entertain me! Stop trying to do religion stuff – you are as patronizing as some religious people. A Christian
posted October 27, 2006 at 10:20 pm
I love Studio 60. For being smart, intelligent, witty and real. And because Aaron Sorkin added in a liberal Christian character. You say in your blog “Sorkin might have talked to a Christian or two.” In actuality, Sorkin has admitted outright that the character of Harriet is based not-so-loosely on his recent relationship with Kristin Chenoweth, Broadway star and West Wing alum who is not shy about admitting her Christianity, stating that she is a “liberal Christian”. There are many parallels in the relationship between Matt and Harriet that are publicly acknowledged about Aaron and Kristin.Be that as it may, I love Harriet’s character. It has angered me that the ultra-conservative judgemental Christian persona has been perpetuated in the media for a long time now. No one pays attention to the more moderate or liberal Christians (or even the conservatives that are doing good things in the name of Christ). It is refreshing for me to tune in to “Studio 60″ every Monday night, and have not only a great show, but a great character, presented to me by NBC. It saddens me to no end that this show has not gotten a larger audience, and I sincerely hope that changes with time. I hope that people will realize that not all Christians are crazy or judgemental. Jesus certainly wasn’t. It’s nice to see a character out there that reflects honest, true belief in a complex world.
posted February 21, 2007 at 10:17 pm
you seem offended ; Jesus Camp blows that fiction crap out of the water. the point of the doc is NOT to convince the world that all christians are nutjobs. but you seem to think Sorkins crapola makes you feel better about christians. ok fine, have it your way.