Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 16, 1994 TAG: 9401130058
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Cody Lowe
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But, as a TV junkie, it seems to me that we may be seeing that change, at least a little.
Sometimes there have been little touches, but lately I've noticed some bigger splashes - even continuing references to characters' grappling with religious issues.
One of the best, I think, is "Picket Fences."
This is a quirky drama-comedy that is wonderfully written, delightfully down-to-earth, breathtakingly bizarre. It's on Fridays at 10 p.m. on WDBJ (Channel 7).
It is clear that the writers understand the influence of religion on daily life. The subject comes up often, and there are recurring roles for a Catholic priest and a Congregationalist minister. One of the starring roles is a Jewish lawyer who frequently is used to infuse Jewish religious and ethnic viewpoints into the show.
Occasional stereotypes slip in, but the show is so thoroughly researched that the religious references ring true almost every time - though the characterizations won't please everyone.
The central characters are the Brock family - the town sheriff, Jimmy, his physician wife, Jill, and their three children, Kimberly, Matthew and Zachary.
This season, one episode dealt with Zachary's questions about death and heaven and hell.
In another, Catholics and Protestants wrangled with the issue of abortion.
In an episode a week after Christmas, Jill was on the stand in court rebutting a woman's claim to be a virgin though she was pregnant.
Jill's character is consistently portrayed as a no-nonsense scientist. She is caring and committed and respected by all. Solid.
Did she believe that Jesus Christ had been born of a virgin, the Jewish lawyer pressed her? After a little stammering and hesitating, "yes," Jill said. But that was a special case, she protested.
The lawyer made his point that maybe it could happen again.
Interestingly, for those of us who have been critics, Jill's character wasn't demeaned for her unscientific religious beliefs. She didn't suddenly become some sort of wacko who could no longer be trusted.
She reflected the beliefs of many thinking people in every community.
Just last week, the show was devoted almost exclusively to religious subplots.
The Brock's youngest child suddenly wanted to convert to Judaism after his Jewish teacher taught lessons on the religion in a public school class.
The teacher is taken to task by the school board for mixing church and state and reminded that if his child had been influenced to convert to Christianity by a teacher he would have been leading the charge to have the teacher removed.
It turned out the teacher had not tried to convert the children, but they were attracted out of a natural curiosity.
The moral of the story - it seemed evident to me - was that teaching about religion in a public school should be OK, even if the results are sometimes unexpected.
In the same episode:
Sheriff Brock admits he doesn't really understand the differences between Judaism and Christianity - a very real situation for millions of Christians.
Dr. Brock insists on a Caesarian-section delivery of a sick Christian Scientist's baby, despite the objections of the woman and her spouse. A judge allows the operation based on real-life legal rulings that courts may intercede to protect children despite the religious objections of their parents.
But in another true-to-life legal pronouncement, the judge agonizingly rules that the new mother - now comatose - cannot be kept on life support against her previously stated wishes against such treatment.
The point of all this is that television can do a good job of integrating religious themes in entertainment programming.
"Picket Fences" is clear evidence of it.
Now we should pray - and maybe write some letters requesting - that we see more of it.
by CNB