Revelations

Revelations, reviewed by Cole Dylan Wassner

Revelations is a search for truth. Dr. Massey (Bill Pullman), the Harvard professor who lost his daughter to a Satanic murderer, has given up on religion and sticks to his job, science. Everything needs a scientific explanation in the world of Dr. Massey. When he comes in contact with the comatose girl, and resurrects her by the touch of his hand, he visibly begins to believe in God once again.

Religion is a difficult subject to present in a television mini-series, especially at the present time with what is going on in the world; Terry Schiavo, the death of the Pope, the war in Iraq, the election of the new FCC Chairman, and even the bestial suicide bombings in Israel. News channels from every country have horrible and vile events that always occur. With this country alone debating amongst itself about life and death and our own actual ‘revelations’ and the coming of the "End of Days", this mini-series, I think, touches on a delicate topic in which not just religious people are going to be concerned and entertained by it, but the people in general.

The need to even know about the Bible itself is not a necessary component to watch the series as many of the sayings involved are self-described throughout the show. The characters take on such a viewpoint that the audience is simply magnetized and drawn in through both religion or lack thereof. This series tackles both the firm belief and non-belief in God; science versus religion.

From a purely entertainment viewpoint, the series does not lack in any department. Although the camera work is not so advanced in technique, due to financial restrictions (as stated in a phone conference interview with both Bill Pullman and writer/creator David Seltzer), the audience sees past the simple camera work and sees more into the actual story and the views of the "Book of Revelations", as well as the trouble coping with a changing belief, as Dr. Massey does both when his daughter is taken from him, and then when he feels his daughter through the hand of the comatose girl.

Revelations is a new breed of t.v. miniseries. Its brings about aspects of both religion and science, puts them against one another, and then uses them together. The series takes a different look than mostly any other show ever has. True enough, there have been movies in which the same standpoint is taken (End of Days, Stigmata, etc.), but Revelations takes it to the next step. It incorporates usage from the Book of Revelations, and takes into consideration the scientific approach that would be taken in today’s world if such events were to occur, as evidenced by the comatose girl on life-support, her brain and her body clinically dead, though she speaks. The problem which arises there is that science says she should be allowed to die, while religion says she is alive, and should be kept alive at all costs.

Another possible controversy may be that on part of the FCC’s new chairman Kevin Martin. With the increasing restrictions being put onto all forms of telecommunication, and the increased fines that now occur, there comes the concern with indecency and offending people. NBC takes a chance with this religious dramatic thriller. With the thousands of highly religious people who watch television there is the chance to harshly offend many of them. If they do in fact get offended and write letters of complaint to the FCC, NBC could be fined hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, this mini-series is not meant to raise tension between scientific believers and religious followers, it still could. As said in the first episode, the Vatican disapproves of the sect which takes care fo the comatose girl, and what they do. This area of controversy alone is quite large. It may bring doubts to people who watch about the Vatican and its affiliates, as well as other religious groups which may stray from the idea of right as the Vatican and Pope see it. This is the area which I spoke of as being particularly controversial. People who follow their religion strictly may find it indecent to show a religious sect which is not approved by the Pope and the Vatican. Time will tell. Shortly, the public can weigh in on this subject after the first episode airs on April 13.

Reviewed by Cole Dylan Wassner

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