Moses docuseries ranks among Netflix's top 10; producers say viewers find 'meaning' in Bible stories
"Testament: The Story of Moses,” a three-part docuseries about the Old Testament hero Moses, has ranked among the top 10 most popular series on Netflix since its release in March.
Launched on Netflix on March 27, the series has remained among the top 10 most-watched series — including hitting the No. 1 spot — ever since. Other top 10 series include big-budget mainstream dramas like “The Gentlemen” and reality shows, including “Buying Beverly Hills: Season 2.”
The docuseries, narrated by Charles Dance, features perspectives from Muslims and Christian leaders, along with Jewish rabbis and experts, to delve into the background and history of Moses.
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Showrunners previously told The Christian Post they wanted to shed light on the inner life and personal struggles of the iconic biblical figure — elements often overshadowed in traditional retellings of his story — to spark meaningful conversations about the human condition.
“I think of ‘Prince of Egypt’ or ‘Ten Commandments,’ and those are all great films, but it seems like Moses is almost presented as superhuman,” Kelly McPherson, executive producer of the series, told CP.
“Put yourself in his shoes; there's a burning bush and it tells you to go do something which is virtually impossible to do. We liked the idea of, ‘How did he find the wherewithal to do this?’ Obviously, he was inspired by God, but how did he find the courage to do this? We liked the fact that he was a person with flaws; he had to overcome a lot and what was, by many accounts, a tragic childhood. We liked making him more human. He does things that are super heroic, yes, but there was a side of him that was very, very human and very, very flawed at the same time.”
The opening episode, "The Prophet," explores the beginnings of Moses as a royal member of the Egyptian court and his subsequent escape to Midian after slaying an Egyptian overseer. In the second episode, "The Plagues," the narrative follows Moses as he attempts to convince the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew slaves, leading to a sequence of divine retributions inflicted on the Pharaoh's kingdom. The third installment, "The Promised Land," concentrates on the lead-up to Moses receiving the Ten Commandments.
Throughout this series, dramatizations bring to life key moments from Moses' story, such as his divine encounter at the burning bush, his miraculous transformation of a staff into a serpent, and his life with his wife, Zipporah.
The series incorporates viewpoints from different faith traditions, with a particular emphasis on Moses' prophetic link to Jesus Christ, a point frequently highlighted by Tom Kang, the lead pastor of NewStory Church in Los Angeles, California.
Reactions to the series have been mixed among the faith community. One Christian critic took issue with the “creative liberties” taken by the series, while another accused showrunners of “glossing over significant differences of opinion” the three Abrahamic religions — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — hold regarding Moses.
Others, however, have applauded the show for introducing important conversations about the Old Testament figure and highlighting often-overlooked elements of his life and relationship with God.
“Testament: The Story of Moses” comes amid a renewed interest in faith-based projects, particularly those dramatizing biblical stories, as demonstrated by the success of “The Chosen.”
Commenting on this trend, Sahin pointed out that throughout history, people revisit Bible stories to seek understanding, interpretation and inspiration, especially during times of societal or personal upheaval.
“Bible stories are the foundation of so much of humanity and society,” he said. “We go through chapters in humanity and each successive one tries to understand, interpret or be inspired by Bible stories. I think we’re going through another one of those right now, whether that's triggered by kind of a state of the world or a growing movement.
Through these stories, we also understand the world we live in better and ourselves. We're at one of those periods where we're all seeking meaning in the life we're living … and [the Bible] is one of the first places you turn to, trying to find meaning in these stories, meaning in our own lives.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
