The Chosen Season 2 Episode 2 Review: I Saw You
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 2, “I Saw You,” brings two more cast members into the fold. While it is necessary to keep the narrative somewhat precise, one can’t help but feel the crew has become rather bloated. Excluding Matthew and Simon, it feels like the disciples are running out of excuses to be on screen.
The episode begins with a very proud architect named Nathaniel. Although he is a Jew among a group of Romans, Nathaniel has made quite a name for himself. That means a lot for the timeframe he is living in.
Through hard work and the proper motivation, anyone can rise among the ranks of any given industry. Even if people don’t like you, they will learn to respect you.
Now that Nathaniel has gained some of that respect, he is reluctant to lose it. This causes him to push his men harder than is needed allowing them to fall into dangerous territory. Literal ruins crumble at Nathaniel’s feet.
Sadly, we all tend to push our luck when it matters most. Relying on ourselves and other people can often prove to be our folly. Even when our hearts are in the right place one wrong step is all it takes to fall from grace.
Elsewhere, Simon and the others are gathering firewood for camp. They discuss their upcoming journey and Jesus’ request to leave enough supplies for fellow travelers.
Out in a nearby field, they see a man traveling their way. They meet him with great skepticism.
With everyone’s mixed feelings about Jesus’ ministry, one can hardly blame them. This stranger could be a friend, foe, or spy. The only way to find out is to grill him like a cheeseburger.
Simon throws rapid questions at him, demanding answers before the man takes a step further. Philip remains vague in his responses to Simon. After all, no answers he could give would put Simon at ease.
It isn’t until another disciple vouches for Philip that Simon decides to let him join the group. He isn’t happy about it, but he’s willing to let Philip meet Jesus when he returns.
Meanwhile, Philip mixes in with the other disciples telling stories about John the Baptizer and the tales he has heard about the great Jesus.
Yoshi Barrigas fits in well with the rest of the cast, nearly appearing as if he has been there the whole time. He takes no time gaining his footing and snuggles in especially close to Paras Patel’s Matthew.
Matthew and Philip truly feel like kindred spirits. Their past has built their character — leaving them to feel like outcasts even in close company. Being misunderstood is what bonds them.
As the disciples bunker down for the night, Philip takes watch. It isn’t long before Jesus joins them.
Philip: Jesus doesn’t love everything about religion.
Jesus’ first encounter with Philip plays out much like all of his other meetings. He tells them something about themselves. A glimpse of knowledge He shouldn’t know goes a long way in convincing a person of the impossible.
Philip is already aware of what Jesus is going to say, and he is willing to follow Jesus anywhere He goes.
Being true to your word says a lot about who you are. Jesus always speaks the truth in love. This is how His ministry has grown so quickly.
Philip not only believes the stories he’s been told by John but he also sees how genuine Jesus is. Actions speak louder than reputation. What Jesus does screams authenticity through and through.
Before Jesus and the disciples leave for the next leg of their adventure, Philip requests to stop and see an old friend. This old friend is the architect Nathaniel.
Nathaniel’s pride has crumbled since the last time we saw him. He sits in the dark afraid to embrace the day.
What Nathaniel is suffering from isn’t a classic case of mental illness. He is broken as he cries out to God with no answer. He has lost everything that his career has given him.
Little does he understand that this culmination of events has brought him to where he needs to be.
Nathaniel’s wishes have always been to serve the Lord. He believed the best way to do this was to build beautiful synagogues. While that is certainly one way to honor God, there have been bigger plans placed before him that he never knew about.
Philip describes the situation to Nathaniel, but he meets the idea with doubt. Jesus is from Nazareth, what good has ever come from Nazareth? Eventually, Philip’s convictions convince him that this is something worth the pursuit.
The strength of our faith can be a tool in bringing others into the same thought pattern. Tell others what you know to be true so that they can determine for themselves how to proceed.
In Nathaniel’s case, he chooses to meet Jesus, and his life is never the same again.
This episode lacks any real excitement until the very end when Nathaniel meets Jesus face to face. It’s a thrill to see him gain a new perspective on his current circumstances.
He believes he has been completely defeated and left meaningless. What he understands to be his rock bottom proves to be the first step in the greatest journey of his life.
The sparkle in his eyes captures the true essence of hope. Nathaniel has been saved from the pit he had fallen into. You can as well if you choose to follow a different path than you originally adhered to.
What did you think of this episode of The Chosen? Are you having any trouble keeping the characters straight? 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.