Absolutely amazing

A Brilliant Conflict

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This was a really fantastic show that was canceled far before it's time. I would have loved to have seen this show picked up on HBO at the time but it was not meant to be I guess. Instead they came out with Big Love (also very good) which in many ways is not unlike The Book of Daniel. (At least some comparisons can reasonably be drawn though I personally found TBoD to be more interesting and engrossing in it's shot run). Anyway, The Book of Daniel dealt with a great many issues (personal and social), some more topical than others, and did it in a very compelling way. Ironically the excellent messages (those of peace, love, forgiveness, understanding, and redemption) written into this finely crafted show were never heard, by most anyway, over the hate filled cries and narrow minded shouts of the people who claim to actually practice and follow these very tenets. (It is also important to point out that the vast majority of these protesters freely admitted that they never watched a moment of the show, just so you know.) Basically the show is centered around the title character Father Daniel Webster (Played expertly well by Aidan Quinn) and how he looks to Jesus Christ (Played by Garret Dillahunt) for guidance and support in what are very troubled times for himself and his family. (I guess the big stink here was that TBoD actually had an actor play Jesus Christ because a Priest turning to the Lord in times of need isn't exactly a news flash or earth shattering event even to the dimmest bulb. At any rate I felt Dillahunt actually did a good job in the role and the talks between the two characters really played rather well and helped, I felt, show the bond between this man and his God. It showed me how very personal the connection between man and God could be and it also worked well as a device because it allowed the viewer to better understand the thoughts and motivations behind the title character of Daniel. To draw a quick Shakespearian analogy the character of Jesus in TDoD is used in much the same way the character of Horatio is used in Hamlet.) In short TBoD was an excellent show that was crucified by the very people who really should have embraced it, never to rise again, which is a real shame. I'm sure it can be found on DVD for almost nothing.I would NOT recommend this show to people who are easily offended or defensive about topics such as: Religion, aging, race, sex, sexual orientation, drugs or alcohol, violence, and/or illness as all these subjects are touched on in some way shape or form during the show.

When the press reviews about The Book of Daniel hit the airwaves and news stands chatting about all of the controversy and socio-political upheaval that the program had generated, my interest in the show was piqued, logically. I am a Jewish man and always at least a little interested in the mass media entertainment industry's portrayal of people of the Christian faiths, but am often bored with the story lines and degree of cheese factor most often prominently worn by shows of this genre. Somewhat reluctantly, I decided to watch the pilot and was more than impressed-- not because of the so-called blasphemy or anti-Christian-Right sentiment projected by this program (there truly was none of this to be seen), but because of the thoughtful nature of the show's voice and genuinely hip air that the entire show had. The stories' characters were actually interesting; the plot lines, although a little haggard, were fabulously entertaining when presented on this stage; the timing, overall writing and staging, casting, etc. were far more engaging than anything else airing on prime time "Big Three" (CBS, NBC & ABC) television. Not because it was so "edgy" or tweaked some people's bolts a little too tight or frankly ticked some people off, but because the show was just THAT GOOD-- as far as mainstream TV programming goes. To hell with uptight Christian right-wing groups. If they don't want to watch shows like this, they can change the channel to their own networks and watch idealistic, lost-in-the-faith shows that no one but them will watch. Why let the Christian Right and Fundamentalist Republican America (a VERY SMALL percentage of the population) dictate/ mandate what standards our media works by? There are many more people in the country who would greatly appreciate having their voices heard and be served programming that does not fit the idealist, boring mold set up by the uptight few with big money. What, really, is the threat that these people face, anyway? If they are so scared that someone may look at Christianity for all or any of its flaws/ inconsistencies, then, perhaps, more time and energy should be invested in correcting these troubles than attempting to levy censorship to just try and cover it all up. Wake up, people and join the real world.

I have read about 2 pages of comments for this short-lived series. The general consensus seems to be that this was a well written and topical show that was yanked off the air by scared short-sighted TV execs. How can anyone really believe that nonsense. Whenever I hear the hype that a series "pushes the limits" or any of dozens of other metaphors, it is usually a good bet that the hype is covering up a really horrible show. This show was no exception.It wasn't well written, the characters were stock and the dialogue was insipid. No real thought was given to plot or characterization. The show was all about shock value, although I hesitate to use the word "value" in a review about this show. Finally, contrary to popular belief at this site; this show wasn't canceled because of a boycott by the "religious right". It was taken off the air because no one was watching. When all is said and done, it doesn't matter if your show is "pushing the envelope". If you can't pay the light bills, you can't exist. This show couldn't keep a flashlight going.

I really enjoyed this show. It was a good, funny show. Although it was only on for like 3 episodes, it was great. Imagine my disappointment when it was cancelled because of "controversal reasons". I can understand why Christain people wouldn't want this show on the air-it does make their religion look bad. But the one question that I have it "Did anyone make them watch it?" If they don't want to watch it, there is an off button on the TV. No one made religious people watch it. I know there were a lot of churches that said it was "their duty to stop this show from airing..." What a joke! This show should not have been cancelled,at least not for such a dumb reason.