The Chosen Season 1 Episode 8 Review: I Am He
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.
As Season 1 draws to an end, The Chosen continues with the formulaic rhythm it began with. Jesus travels with His followers as He performs miracles on those in need.
The Chosen Season 1 Episode 8, “I Am He,” begins with a woman visiting a well built by Jacob and his sons. She is a downtrodden outcast among her people, being judged for her sins and the men she keeps company with. It’s sad to say, but she is probably the hardest on herself.
How people perceive us isn’t often who we really are, but that is hard to believe when everyone tells you the opposite. Not even the street vendors want to look her in the eye. When shame is shoveled upon us, it can become our identity.
On the way home from the well, the woman stops at her husband’s house to ask for a favor. She feels the need to divorce him.
Divorce in these days isn’t anything like today. Currently, anyone can ask for a divorce at any time, and it will most likely be granted to them.
But back in Bible times, only a man could ask for a divorce. Not to mention, it was a taboo subject that very few people would mention in public settings
Nonetheless, this woman presents her husband with papers, pleading with him to sign them. She has enough pressure on her in her daily life. The guilt of cheating on her husband just might break her.
He refuses her but not in a mean way. It is clear that this man still loves his wife, although she is unfaithful. He invites her back home to an easier lifestyle, but she cannot agree to it.
Oftentimes we surround ourselves with fairweather friends who turn their backs on us the minute the wind changes direction. Their initial acceptance gives us a serotonin boost that sticks with us for a long while, but their ultimate betrayal takes us much lower than we can ever imagine.
These actions can leave us disillusioned, causing us to turn our backs on the few true friends we have. This man truly cares for his wife, but she won’t allow the depth of his love to sink in.
In typical fashion, this part of the story is left open-ended as the narrative shifts to Jesus and His followers. They commune with each other around the dinner table sharing stories of their grand adventures, all while poking fun at each other. It isn’t until morning that they have to travel again.
As the disciples prepare for their next trip, Simon worries about his wife and mother-in-law. He is the only one among them who is married, and he fears Jesus never considered this.
When we take on something new, things often change. As these changes occur, small minute details become known causing us to question our decisions. If I travel this path, what will happen to the things I’m leaving behind?
Things can become quite scary rather quickly.
Jesus does His best to reassure Simon that when He chose him, everything was considered. While this comforts Simon to a degree, he still remains a bit uneasy. Honestly, who can blame him?
This leads Jesus to His first miracle of the episode. He admits to Eden, Simon’s wife, that He can’t make everything easy on this path before them, but He will lighten the load where He can.
Jesus: It’s not the healthly who need a doctor, but the sick.
This miracle has had a multiple-episode buildup. Viewers knew it’s been coming since the mention of Simon’s mother-in-law’s sickness. The only questions were when and how.
While the actual moment it happens is a relief, the scene fails to capture any real excitement. The drama here falls a bit flat and comes off as slightly humorous when the healed woman jumps out of bed and offers people a hot beverage.
After this detour, Jesus and His followers continue on their journey heading towards Samaria. This will be a town where they won’t be very welcome.
The disciples question Jesus on His path choice. Again, Jesus does His best to reassure them that the choices He is making will be to their best conclusion.
This is the moment when they come across Jacob’s well from earlier in the episode.
People with some Bible knowledge are typically familiar with this story. Jesus meets a woman at the well, He asks for a drink of water, and this leads them to dive into the woman’s past.
As mentioned earlier, this woman has a long history with men, and she has no interest in interacting with Jesus. She doesn’t want His judgments and would rather just be left alone to wallow in her misery.
But His offer of living water intrigues her. How can one drink this special water and never thirst again?
Sadly, some of the context of this story is lost outside of the pages of the Bible. It is hard to understand exactly what Jesus is talking about and may simply confuse those questioning the faith.
While most households have a Bible handy in this day and age, not everyone is going to explore the sacred text in real time. Most curious viewers will only hope for answers and context to be added in future episodes.
Throughout the episode, Nicodemus pokes his head in and out of the frame, hoping to get a sight of Jesus and see what He is up to. Although he is genuinely curious about Jesus, his previously held beliefs hold him in place.
He feels he has too much to lose by giving up and following Him. Erick Avari seems truly torn in these scenes. His heartfelt anguish bleeds through the television screen.
Paired with Jonathan Roumie, the two carry the entire series on their shoulders. Their convictions speak volumes into the rather linear plotline, keeping the viewers from losing interest halfway through an episode. I truly hope the two share more screen time together in future seasons.
Overall, this season is slightly above mediocre. While not overtly bad, the story fails to keep viewers extremely excited about what will happen next.
Will I tune into another season looking forward to the next chapter? Sure, especially since all three seasons are readily available on most streaming services right now. Unfortunately, this show isn’t likely to ever make it in my top ten favorite shows.
What did you think of this episode of The Chosen? How would you rate this season? 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.