Televisionary has an advance review of the ABC pilot for V, a remake of the 1983-85 miniseries and television show about an alien race who call themselves "The Visitors" seeking to conquer of Earth. The review has a significant amount of spoilers, but the reviewer insists that they aren't giving away any key twists or the ending.
Of interest to this blogger? More details on the character of Father Jack Landry (warning some spoilers ahead):
. . . Father Jack Landry (The 4400's Joel Gretsch) finds himself in a difficult position, having to explain the co-existence of a divine presence and an alien race among us. His job is complicated by the fact that the congregation of his small Manhattan church has suddenly ballooned with people turning to religion in the face of fear and uncertainty and his superiors are pressuring Father Jack to toe the party line and accept The Visitors as a miracle in itself. But Jack worries that gratefulness can quickly turn to worship... and worship to devotion. His fears are realized when he receives a package from a mysterious wounded man who dies after passing along a mission to Jack: he should fear The Visitors and take the package to a specific address.
I find it interesting that the series will include an exploration of how people of faith, religion and religious institutions can find themselves on both sides of injustice. History is full of examples of both, with the institutional church on the side of oppression and injustice as well as examples of people of faith (individually and together) who are often deeply embedded in standing and fighting against injustice. I'll be curious to see what motivations and choices land folks on which side.
And there's also this tidbit:
Joel Gretsch is fantastic as Father Jack, a man torn in half by questions of faith; you wouldn't ordinarily think to cast Gretsch as a man of the cloth but the casting plays against type here and gives this priest a visceral and virile quality not normally seen in portrayals of priesthood.
Heh. Seriously, though, casting a younger man in the role of a priest might make it easier for many viewers to identify with Jack as he struggles with and ultimately makes decisions based on his faith. Not that an older version couldn't do the same, heh. But there does seem to be an unconscious tendency to elevate or view pastors and priests unrealistically when it comes to their faith, so adding a "visceral and virile" quality to the character could help break that down.
That's it for now.