The Chosen Season 2 Episode 1 Review: Thunder
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 2 Episode 1, “Thunder,” is a slow-moving narrative focusing on the bonds of the disciples and a crippled man named Melech. Their search for worthiness within Jesus’ ministry puts them all in a difficult headspace but also proves to teach them a lesson by the episode’s end.
John, James, Simon, Andrew, and many others have been traveling with Jesus for quite some time now. Their trip to Samaria has connected them as a family in so many ways. While in many ways positive, they also have come to bicker like siblings.
Growing up with a brother, it wasn’t uncommon for us to ponder which child our parents preferred. My brother was more self-dependent than I ever was, but I was oftentimes more quick-witted. These are probably both things my parents never really considered, but that never really occurred to us.
The disciples are doing the same thing here. If at any time Jesus gives one of them a special assignment, it must mean some sort of bias, right?
In reality, this isn’t likely. Jesus is simply using each person to best suit their better attributes. Much like a good leader at work, Jesus knows his followers’ strengths and weaknesses.
He puts them in positions where not only will they succeed but also where they can grow.
Sadly, His followers never ponder this and only argue over petty differences.
It’s fun to watch them get under each others skin, giving us a real sense of connection between the characters. At the same time, it is irritating to see them miss the obvious marks set before them.
James and John plow a field at the request of Jesus. They follow His lead, but they get bogged down in their self-importance. They feel they were left behind because this act of service is more important than what the others have in front of them.
They fail to see that all positions given by Jesus are equally important. They just like the idea of being set apart.
Little do they know, they are simply plowing this field for a crippled man named Melech.
Melech is a simple and poor family man. He has done some bad things to feed his nearly starving family. He isn’t proud of these moments and prefers not to speak of them.
Our sins weigh heavily on us. Like Melech, we lie, cheat, and steal, but we also pay the price. Our misdeeds catch up to us in unexpected ways.
In Melech’s case, he has been knocked crippled by a horse that he had stolen. His act of treachery has become his grandest downfall. Now he is unable to feed his family at all.
This is when Jesus walks into his life, but Melech is confused by Jesus’ mercy.
Melech tells Jesus that he has no way to repay Him for the plowing of the field. He doesn’t even have a meal to offer Him.
Jesus: I am here to preach the good news of Heaven.
When confronted with mercy, we typically feel unworthy. After all, mercy isn’t something given freely in this day and age. We feel we must give something to get something.
This is when Jesus dives into the parable of the lost sheep.
Thankfully, this example works better than the woman at the well in Season 1 Episode 8. In that instance the living water was never fully explained, leaving viewers second-guessing the interpretation that was far from forthcoming.
Here, Jesus paints a picture very similar to the man’s circumstances. Although Melech was once a good man, he has fallen astray. Forgiveness is the only thing that can bring him back home.
As I mentioned earlier, this episode is very slow-moving. That doesn’t necessarily make it bad.
The tidbits of scriptural references peppered throughout give the viewers much food for thought. Even though every moment isn’t the most exciting, at least we can glean information and context out of the dialog.
Still, the hardest part for me is that the viewer is never told what to do with the information presented. Facts are given and left to personal interpretation. At no point do the writers tell the curious where to go for further direction or investigation
On the other hand, many may prefer this low-pressure tactic of evangelizing.
Jesus’ words are meant to turn hearts and to bring the lost back to righteousness. For some that could mean being completely thrown into Christian culture, but for others it might just take a semi-interesting television show to start them on the right path.
What did you think of this episode of The Chosen? Are you enjoying the family dynamics between Jesus’ followers? 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.