The Chosen Season 1 Episode 1 Review: I Have Called You By Name
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, The Chosen, being covered here, wouldn’t exist.
The Chosen Season 1 Episode 1, “I Have Called You By Name,” is a biblically accurate retelling of several stories tying into the life of Jesus. The stories are fleshed out to make them more dramatic, but the context is kept intact. While we are unsure of what the soon-to-be disciples said and did in day-to-day life, we can imagine their dialogue and actions aren’t far from what is depicted.
As the episode begins, I’m expecting some origin story. A newborn baby asleep in the manger on Christmas night or something similar in a flashback. After all, Jesus is the hero of the story, and we all need to see his humble beginnings.
Instead, we get Andrew and Simon scheming people to collect enough money to pay taxes.
While not everyone knows the Bible from front to back, the names Andrew and Simon likely ring a bell as key characters in the Bible narrative. Most of the disciples were far from heavenly before Jesus came to town, so it isn’t a stretch to believe that these two are using some underhanded dealings to keep themselves out of jail.
The Roman soldiers were known for their unfair dealings with Jews and Gentiles alike. If you had a way to keep them off your back, you’d take it, even if it meant staging a premodern version of Fight Club.
Although their surefire plan falls through their grip, the two refuse to give up, hoping to ally with a certain Roman soldier. If they turn in other fishermen who lie about their haul, Simon and Andrew’s back taxes can be overlooked. Yeah, it seems shady, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Meanwhile, Nicodemus is traveling through town preaching to a small congregation about the word of God. His teaching is well-received by his people even though other Romans seem to look down on him. Nonetheless, they know his beliefs have power because they turn to him for a special task.
Erick Avari, who plays Nicodemus, speaks every word of the script with great conviction. His looks and mannerisms fit the bill accurately. It feels like he was built for this role.
While I have no clue as to what convictions this man attests to, I’d fathom he believes every word he speaks.
Nicodemus: I serve only God.
The Roman soldiers gather Nicodemus and his people, insisting they perform an exorcism on a young woman. Note, this isn’t Nicodemus’ job. He is a man tasked with reading and explaining the word of God. Exorcisms are typically performed by exorcists.
Of course, these egotistical and self-righteous soldiers will not hear the argument. He needs to do what he is told. Resistance will not be tolerated.
Nicodemus’ lack of preparation and knowledge proves to get the best of him. While his faith is in the right place, his fear holds him back. Nicodemus fails the task at hand — and the guilt weighs on him heavily. At the least, he is a man of empathy.
From this point, we focus on the possessed woman’s life. We see blurry flashbacks of how she got here.
Nothing is firmly set in place, but we get the feeling she has been mistreated and possibly raped by one of the soldiers. This introduction of sexual deviancy brings her into the world of prostitution.
Between the demon possession and her horrific memories, the woman has been brought to the pits of despair. No man loves her except for her nephew, and her only use is for a nightly companion. It appears her thoughts lean toward suicide.
Andrew, Simon, Nicodemus, and the woman have all come to the same place of utter hopelessness. Andrew and Simon have let down their families. Nicodemus has let down the young woman and the soldiers. Finally, the young woman has let down herself and all those who know her.
Where can they turn in this time of need? The messiah that Nicodemus speaks of hasn’t yet shown his face to the people, even his faith falters in times like these.
As the last few minutes of the episode dwindle, we can’t help but feel each character’s despair. The drama is laid on extra thick — forcing a weight on our chest that is undeniable. That is when Jesus shows up.
As in modern times, it’s always darkest before the dawn. We run out of hopes and prayers just in time for a miracle to happen.
Jesus tells the woman things he can’t possibly know about her, but most importantly, he offers her love — unconditional love. This is something we all truly need when we are at rock bottom — pure unadulterated and unconditional love.
This isn’t the love of the world or the love of happenstance. This is love despite everything we’ve ever done. This kind of love heals us from within, building us back up piece by piece until we can stand on our own two feet again.
Overall the episode is satisfactory, but the narrative feels quite disjointed. Jumping back and forth between several characters doesn’t come off as seamless as it should.
I think the director, Dallas Jenkins, hoped to cram too much into the first episode. If the introduction of Andrew and Simon was left to a future episode, I believe the story would flow more smoothly.
With too many unfamiliar characters, it is difficult to keep straight who is who and where they are headed. A failure to use names repeatedly adds to this confusion, giving us muddled memories of what happened just moments earlier.
I get the overall feeling that the talented writers, Tyler Thompson and Ryan Swanson, are struggling to find their footing.
Striking the balance between entertaining television and biblical accuracy has proven to be challenging over the years, but I’m confident with this production value and well-balanced acting that this can be overcome.
What did you think of this episode of The Chosen? Did you enjoy the artistic license given to the characters? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Chosen airs Sunday at 8/7c on The CW.
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Charles E Henning
Charles E. Henning lives in a quaint town of Illinois with his ever-loving wife since 1998. He is new to writing reviews, but has over thirty years of fictitious writing for his own personal fulfillment. His interests range from science fiction to character-based dramas, but he is a sucker for anyone in a cape.