Netflix purchased the rights to writer Mark Millar’s Millarworld imprint of comic book stories through Image Comics in 2017, but the results have been decidedly mixed so far. The live-action adaptation of Jupiter’s Legacy was touted as Netflix’s first big superhero franchise, but it was quickly canceled after a lot of fanfare. An anime adaptation of Supercrooks followed, and it had a much better reception. Now, Millarworld’s third adaptation, The Chosen One, has arrived and it’s already proven to be a sleeper hit after making the list of top 10 most popular shows on Netflix.
This series is based upon American Jesus, a comic book by Millar and Peter Gross that explored what would happen if the Messiah was reborn in the present as an ordinary boy with extraordinary gifts. Bobby Luhnow is headlining the series as Jodie, the kid who may be the second coming of Jesus Christ, with Dianna Agron as Sarah, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Tenoch Huerta in a supporting role as Lemuel.
Although Netflix hasn’t given The Chosen One the same promotion that Jupiter’s Legacy received, its continued presence on the crowded TV show chart suggests that it might have a bright future. And if you’ve been holding off on giving this show a chance, we can share three reasons why you should watch The Chosen One.
These Stranger Things
The Chosen One takes some detours from the original story, most notably by transporting the location from America to Mexico. Jodie is still an American in this retelling, but he faces some discrimination for being a “gringo” in a country that isn’t his. However, Jodie does have a loyal circle of friends, including Magda (Lilith Curiel), Tuka (Juanito Anguamea), Wagner (Alberto Pérez-Jácome), and Hipólito (Jorge Javier Arballo).
It’s hard not to get Stranger Things vibes from that group, especially since The Chosen One is also a period piece. It’s just set in the late ’90s instead of the eternal ’80s of Stranger Things. The first episode alone has the gang of friends on a misadventure that wouldn’t be too out of place on that show. This series spends just enough time on Jodie’s dynamic with his friends that we care about what happens to them, especially Magda. She’s clearly got feelings for Jodie that may be doomed for heartbreak because he has suddenly become so much more than he was.
The Second Coming
It does take some time for The Chosen One to get around to exploring Jodie’s powers. And if you’ve ever read the Bible or seen any movie about Jesus Christ, then it shouldn’t be a shock that Jodie can do things like turning water to wine or healing the sick and disabled. The amusing thing about that is Jodie’s frame of reference for his gifts isn’t in religion — it’s in comic books. He initially assumes that he’s some kind of superhuman. It’s also clear that Jodie’s mother was aware of the truth about who he was as a baby, and she specifically picked Mexico as the best place to hide him from anyone who meant him harm.
Of course, once Jodie begins openly embracing his gifts, everyone wants a piece of him. When that happens, there’s no hiding anymore, even when Jodie’s abilities draw out some very dangerous people who would do anything to prevent him from achieving his destiny on Earth.
Those mind-bending twists
We are not going to spoil the big twists and turns in the story, because those are better left explored in the show itself. It’s enough to say that the first season ends in a way that makes it clear that Jodie’s story isn’t over and there may not be many cast members from season 1 who will return for additional seasons should the show continue.
The season finale also raises some very big questions about what comes next. But for now, the real mystery is whether Netflix will renew this series to pay off these storylines and complete the adaptation of American Jesus.
Watch The Chosen One on Netflix.
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