Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 03/29/24
Hope Opera. That’s the term producer Roma Downey uses to describe The Baxters. Based on the bestselling series of novels by Karen Kingsbury, the family drama just debuted on Amazon Prime Video. Here she talks about why she fought for so long to bring the beloved property to television – and why she agreed to take on her first starring role in a TV series since Touched by an Angel.
JWK: So, what attracted you to the idea of doing a TV series based on The Baxters?
Roma Downey: A friend shared the first book with me. I had not heard of the books even though 25-million people had heard of them and bought them. I couldn’t put that first book down. I was just so drawn into the stories, the characters and the drama as it unfolded. I really could see it visually in my mind. I thought this needs to be a TV series. Karen Kingsbury, the bestselling author, had written over 25 books in this series about this beloved family. So, I reached out to her and asked her if she would allow me to get the rights to bring the book to life on screen. She graciously agreed. We’ve since become great friends. We’re both thrilled that for this Easter we get to launch our lovely series on Prime.
JWK: What’s it like working with Karen Kingsbury. She’s a producer on the show, right?
RD: Yes, she’s a consulting producer. I love working with her. She’s been incredibly helpful and generous with her time. This family book series is like her baby…So, we’re like co-parents to this wonderful set of stories. It was really a joy to work on and to bring to the light. You know, we don’t often get to see a family of faith on TV.
As you know, since my days on Touched by an Angel, I haven’t really appeared on screen that often myself. So, when I was putting this series together and casting and hiring people, obviously, John, it takes a village to make anything and I assembled a great team on this…We assembled a beautiful and lovely cast to bring life into these wonderful roles. The whole experience of making it and now bringing it to the screen has really been a very fun one. I love playing Elizabeth Baxter. I love her values. I love her kindness. I love her feistiness in standing up for her children. She’s a mother of five kids. Ted McGinley plays John Baxter, her husband. Then we cast a very exciting troupe of kids. We had to find kids that kind of looked a little bit like each other so that they would be believable to you, the audience, as one family. Coincidentally, for the youngest daughter, Erin, I ended up casting my very own daughter Reilly. So, what a joy that was for me to get to be on screen with my own daughter. She has the smallest role but she did a great job. I was very proud of her. We are now joking that it wasn’t such a stretch for us to play mother and daughter but we tried to keep it professional on the set. It was hard for me not to run over between takes and give her a little squeeze, a little hug.
I think that the stories are really going to resonate with audiences. You know, it’s still edgy storytelling. This is not a perfect family and this is not a preachy show – but they are a family of faith. When the issues come up and the challenges arise, we see them band together. They really model ways of supporting each other. Even when they don’t like each other, even when they don’t approve of each other’s behavior or they’re not happy with the choice that someone in their family has made about something, the underlying love that connects them is very powerful. I don’t know that we often see that modeled on TV.
The first episode of the first season deals with the second daughter. Her name is Kari Baxter. Kari has married a wonderful man who is a professor at the local university. She discovers in that first episode that he’s cheating on her. Of course, her heart is broken and her family is angry on her behalf. We sort of see this drama unfold – everybody having a different point of view but, ultimately, coming together. We see mom and dad worried about her – as any parents would be. We see them holding hands on screen and praying for her. We don’t often see these kinds of things on television. That’s what I’m most excited about.
The show, John, plays out a little bit like a soap opera – great plotlines, lots of drama. It’s going to be very bingeable for an audience. We have joked on our set that it might feel like a soap opera but the truth is it plays out more like a hope opera because the themes, ultimately, are hopeful and redemptive in nature.
I’m thrilled that Prime once again entrusted me with the Easter launching date. As you know, last year I launched On a Wing and a Prayer at Easter time on Prime. It was huge hit. We really found the audience in that space. I know there’s an audience out there hungry for this kind of content. I think there’s something in The Baxters for everybody. You will recognize somebody you know – maybe somebody in your own family – in one of these characters: five grown kids, two parents, everybody’s different, everybody has different issues. We get to see it all play out in this wonderful show.
RD: Isn’t that great?! I mean when I think back to my time on Touched by an Angel, the very first season we were not a bonafide hit. There was a question mark (about) whether we would even come back. It was hard to find an audience or to really get the promotion because we were a show that took a very strong position that there is a God, that He loves you and He wants to be part of your life. Not everybody was really ready for that on national TV. I think the tide has really turned. I think we’re seeing so much inspirational content coming out, so many faith projects emerging and doing really, really well (and) doing really good business. At the end of the day for a streamer or for a network or for a movie company, you need to gather an audience. I think there’s a new awareness. Prime has stepped up beautifully into this space and said “We know there’s a big audience for this kind of content and we’re ready to put on content that speaks directly into that.”
Now, I think The Baxters will speak to people of all faith. Don’t get me wrong, John, I don’t think it’s specifically a Christian show but it is a show that deals directly with a Christian family. You know, back in the day, they used to refer to “the coasts” as being the trendsetters. If a show did well on the coasts then, you know, maybe the rest of the country would follow. There was a term that used to be thrown around. I don’t know if people still use it. It referred to the rest of the country as the “fly-over states” which I always felt was slightly derogatory because I think those “fly-over states” – let’s call them that – are really the heartland of America. To be sure, I feel certain that The Baxters will play strongly in the heartland because it speaks to the values that people hold near and dear to their hearts. Often times, Christians in regular secular shows maybe we’re (portrayed as) the odd man out. Here we really get to see a churchgoing family (and) a churchgoing community looking out for each other. I don’t know about you but I think a show like this coming out at such a time as this is really important.
Note: My conversation with Karen Kingsbury about The Baxters and her new film Someone Like You (in theaters Tuesday) will run on Tuesday.
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Trailblazer. Among media companies, Great American Pure Flix has certainly been a leader in proving that there’s strong audience desire for inspirational faith-themed content. Finding Faith, the streamer’s newest entry into the field today, drops today.
The film stars Ashley Bratcher, a rising star who is perhaps best-known for 2019’s Unplanned in which she portrayed former Planned Parenthood clinic director-turned-unborn advocate Abby Johnson. She cites the film as altering the course of her career.
In Finding Faith she plays a young Christian advice columnist dealing with doubt amid a tough patch that involves a crisis in her marriage and the loss of her parents. Our conversation follows the trailer below.
JWK: So, tell me, what drew you to Finding Faith?
Ashley Bratcher: I had not done a movie in a couple of years. I was being more selective and really considering the path that I wanted my career to go down and the type of stories I wanted to tell. So, when Finding Faith came across my desk I was really drawn to the material because it resonated with me on a personal level. I had a lot of friends who were struggling with their marriage…that had really just not grasped the concept of putting Jesus in the middle and how it can change the dynamics of your marriage.
I married my high school sweetheart. We’ve been together for 20 years. Marriage is not easy. This was an opportunity for me to jump into a role where it was raw and vulnerable and it showed people that you can pull through hard times, that marriage is worth fighting for and that, also, when you have hard questions for God that He can answer them. When you’re seeking God and you’re seeking His will He will show up and there is hope and redemption for everyone.
JWK: What kept you away from accepting an acting role for two years?
AB: Oh, I’d love to do my own series! I have a lot of ideas! I mean Sean should talk to me more! What’s funny is… I’m probably not even supposed to say this. I’m gonna say it anyway. I actually auditioned for County Rescue. The role went to someone else. Fine. It’s okay. It all happens for a reason. I’m working on another project right now anyway – but I would love to do a series. It would have to be the right one because a series is a huge undertaking and a lot of responsibility and commitment. I’m a wife and a mother so it would have to be the right project – but, absolutely, I would love to.
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Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints to stream on Fox Nation. The eight-part docuseries will feature one-hour stand-alone episodes profiling notable men and women of history who today stand as iconic symbols of the virtue of faith. The list of those profiled includes Joan of Arc, Francis of Assisi, John the Baptist, Thomas Becket, Mary Magdalene, Moses the Black, Sebastian and Maximillian Kolbe.
The deal was announced by Fox News Media chief digital and marketing officer Jason Klarman who said “Having the greatest storyteller tell some of the greatest stories of all time is exactly the kind of exclusive content that is driving Fox Nation’s success. It’s an honor to welcome the world-renowned Martin Scorsese to the FOX Nation platform.”
An Academy Award-winning director (for 2007’s The Departed), Martin Scorsese is an industry legend. His latest feature, 2023’s Killers of The Flower Moon, garnered 10 Oscar nominations.
Talking about what attracted him to the Fox Nation program, which he will host and executive produce, the influential filmmaker explains “I’ve lived with the stories of the saints for most of my life, thinking about their words and actions, imagining the worlds they inhabited, the choices they faced, the examples they set. These are stories of eight very different men and women, each of them living through vastly different periods of history and struggling to follow the way of love revealed to them and to us by Jesus’ words in the gospels. I’m so excited that this project is underway, and that I’m working with so many trusted and talented collaborators.”
Created by Matti Leshem and developed by Scorsese for Lionsgate Alternative Television, the docuseries is written by frequent Scorsese collaborator Kent Jones and directed by Elizabeth Chomko.
The first four episodes of Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints are set to drop on Fox Nation later this year on Sunday, November 16th. The final four are due in May of next year.
Scorsese’s docudrama adds to Fox Nation’s exclusive content library which includes nearly 10,000 hours of faith, historic and entertainment programming along with various documentaries. Since its launch in 2018, the popular subscription streaming service (dubbed “Netflix for Conservatives” by The New York Times) has attracted several A-list stars to host various programming, including Dan Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer, Rob Lowe, Matthew McConaughey and Dennis Quaid.
Meanwhile…
This Easter weekend Fox News Media is presenting special extended faith-related programming across its platforms.
Fox Weather will air America Recovers: Weathering with Grace tonight at 7:00 PM ET. Hosted by Fox Weather meteorologist Kendall Smith, the special will showcase correspondents traveling to historic churches that were damaged by storms and update how these communities are rebuilding. Correspondent Katie Byrne will travel to the First Congressional United Church in Spencer, Massachusetts which caught on fire following a lightning strike in June 2023. Robert Ray will visit the First United Methodist Church in Mayfield, Kentucky following the EF-4 tornado which ravaged the town in December 2021. Nicole Valdes will travel to Nashville and Clarksville, Tennessee to visit the Community Baptist Church and Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, both of which are dealing with the aftermath of tornadic activity that struck the region last December. Brandy Campbell will report from returns to Sanibel Island, Florida’s St. Michael & All Angels Church which was impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Fox News Channel will provide live coverage of the Easter Sunday Papal Mass at St. Peter’s Square (from 4:00 AM ET to 6:00 AM ET) followed by Fox & Friends Weekend (6:00 AM ET to 10:00 AM ET) which will feature contemporary Christian musician Matthew West in this year’s the final installment of the show’s Faith and Friends concert series. Later, FNC will broadcast a message from Israel by evangelist Franklin Graham (at Noon ET on Easter Sunday).
Throughout the weekend, Fox News Digital and Fox News Audio also plan wide coverage of religious events between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Finally, Fox Nation’s Easter weekend streaming content includes the blockbuster 2004 Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ, the documentary The Life of Jesus and three seasons of the worldwide hit dramatic series The Chosen.
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Easter Thanksgiving. Nashville-based singer/songwriter Paige King Johnson (who debuted the acoustic video version of her popular song I Thank God right here) tells me why she believes Holy Week – and, really, every week – is a good time to express gratitude to the Creator.
JWK: What inspired you to write I Thank God?
Paige King Johnson: Honestly, it kind of started out as just a prayer of thanksgiving for myself and my co-writer. My co-writer Mike Astrachan brought the song to me a couple of years ago. We’ve been writing together for years and years. When you write songs with somebody for that long you start to know their heart and understand what they’re passionate about and all those things. He knew that I’m a person of faith and that it’s a really important of me, not just on the artist side but just me as a person. He brought that idea to me. Like any other time in my life, I was at a time of my life where a lot was going on. I was on the road a lot, just so busy with so many things. I think whenever anybody gets caught up in the busyness of life, it’s very easy to kind of start missing out on the things that you already have right in front of you, that you’re blessed with every single day. This song was kind of just that wake-up call and reminder for us about all the amazing things that we do have in our lives that could be taken away at any moment, just really reminding us to be grateful for them and to be good stewards of them while we have them.
After I played it out (on the road) a few times I ended up realizing that it was something that more than just myself needed to hear, that it was something that is a universal thing that a lot of people connected with. I could see that in people’s reaction in the crowds when I played that song.
JWK: I was just going to ask you what kind of reaction have you received from fans?
PKJ: It’s amazing. I mean I’ve heard so many great stories and that song is usually the song people will bring up to me after a show or during intermission. It will open up all these doors to be able to talk about people’s faith. I’ve had people say “I’m here with some friends of mine who aren’t really believers and I’ve been kind of scared to talk to them and open up to them about my faith but you singing that song and talking about it gives me the strength to maybe start that conversation on the way home” or something like that. That’s just such a beautiful thing for me. I don’t take my job lightly because I do kind of offer up moments like that for other people. If one or two souls are found and brought to the Lord through this song then it will have done more than I would have ever dreamed of it.
JWK: So, you look at your music as a kind of calling.
PKJ: Absolutely! I mean music is the universal language, right? It’s a way to be able to reach people on all different platforms. You can open up doors by singing songs about something that may open their hearts up to receiving a message about your faith – or different aspects of it.
JWK: Why do you think gratitude is so important?
PKJ: Kind of what I touched on before. In the music industry, but also I think just in everyday life, we can get so caught up in wanting the next thing, wanting the bigger thing, wanting the better thing – whether that’s in your job and wanting to get to that next pay scale or whether it’s in music and wanting to hit that next milestone or whether it’s in your family and wanting to get to that next step in whatever your kid’s timeline is. The here and now is such a precious thing. The reality of it is that we are not promised anything other than the minute and the second that we’re living in right now. I think practicing gratitude and trying to remind yourself of the things that you do have in your life is so important so that you can appreciate the now and not just live in the “good old days” or in what’s to come.
JWK: Do you think, as a country, maybe we could use a little more gratitude? You know, there’s a lot of anger across the land and fear about the future. Do you think gratitude is something that would strengthen us as a nation?
PKJ: You know, I think gratitude is a great place to start because it can unite a lot of different people together. They can connect on “Yeah, I also have great hopes that I can be thankful for and I also have friends and family around me that I can be grateful for.” You know, it can be a starting point for people to kind of reach the middle ground and start doing the work or whatever is needed to heal. Our country needs a lot of healing in a lot of different ways. I think gratitude can be a great place to start that.
JWK: As Easter approaches, what are you most grateful for right now?
PKJ: Lately, around me there has been a lot of sickness and a lot of death which is such a sad thing to say. Just seeing that, even with friends and family going through all of that, I have to be grateful for my health and being able to wake up and only just have a couple of ailing knees or something like that. There could be a lot worse things that could be happening. So, I am grateful for good health.
JWK: Health is wealth, as they say, right?
PKJ: Absolutely.
JWK: Who has influenced you in your music – and in your philosophy of life?
PKJ: Aside from my faith being a huge influence in me, I also grew up in the world of classic country. So, I grew up listening to a lot of Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and all those great women in the classic country age. Then I’m also a nineties kid so I grew up with a lot of nineties country on me – in the world of Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, George Strait and Alan Jackson. So, there’s a lot of different kind of moving parts in it all. A lot of them all kind of circle together to create what Paige King Johnson is.
JWK: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
PKJ: Oh, goodness! Who knows?! Hopefully, still playing music. People ask me “Where’s the music gonna take you?” I say “I’m not sure.” I don’t think anybody really knows where their life’s gonna take them but I pray that in ten years that, if music is still making me happy and it’s bringing me joy and it’s giving me opportunities to be able to connect with people, then I do pray that it is still a big part of my life and my job and taking me all around the country. If the Lord has something bigger and better for me in ten years then I hope that I’m open enough to be able to receive that, chase after it and go down that road. So, who knows?
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Quote of the Week
Happy Easter, everybody!
John W. Kennedy is a writer, producer and media development consultant specializing in television and movie projects that uphold positive timeless values, including trust in God.
Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
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