Kings: Bible Stories for a New Generation

I recently started watching through the TV show Kings, a network drama from 2009 retelling the story of David and Saul from the Bible, set in a modern-day fictional nation of Shiloh. It's really interesting how they work in the stories as they bring out different aspects of each character. Some may not agree with all of their interpretations, but I must say I think they did a great job of using the material, and it certainly will make me go back to the original stories with new eyes. No I won't base my theology on this show (it's actually hard to discern what exactly their theology is in the first place), but seeing the stories on the screen brings out many things I never would have thought about. Mostly in experiencing the decisions each character has to make at each moment, helping you to better understand what they went through during some tough circumstances. I will now better understand David's emotions and experiences as a human because of this show.

This show has made me think a lot about why we don't use some of these stories more often. Perhaps people don't want them, and that's why it was canceled after only one season. But I think there is so much material here, and it is given such a fresh look by modernizing the story and placing the issues in something closer to our own world. Something about having it closer allows the story to hit us in new ways because we don't feel so distant from the material. I know that they recently did this with Sherlock Holmes as well, and that has received some good reviews, so hopefully these sorts of stories will continue. I can only hope so. There are some stories that need to be retold for every generation.