Must-see blasphemy.

The pea-brain network strikes again.

Modern-day Jesus coming to NBC television



The NBC network, eager for new hits to reverse a ratings slump, said on Friday it has given a mid-season 2005-06 commitment to a new drama titled "The Book of Daniel," depicting Christ as a contemporary confidant to a pill-popping priest.

The series stars Aidan Quinn ("Legends of the Fall") as conflicted Episcopal minister and family man, the Rev. Daniel Webster, and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn as his bishop.

How lovely. Ellen Burstyn. Just perfect casting. How about Cindy Crawford as a sexy younger bishop? I'd watch that.

The character of Jesus is portrayed by relative newcomer Garret Dillahunt, a regular on HBO's gritty, Emmy-nominated western "Deadwood." He played the man who murdered Wild Bill Hickok.

"Book of Daniel" was one of several high-profile projects NBC touted to advertisers at a special presentation in March, but it was left off the upcoming fall schedule unveiled by the General Electric Co.-owned network in May.

In announcing a mid-season pickup of the show, NBC did not say how many episodes were ordered or give a premiere date.

"This challenging new series is our first announced drama for mid-season as we continue to seek different, out-of-the-box projects," NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly said in a statement.

Reilly has said NBC's development of the show was inspired in part by the success of religion-themed novels like the "Left Behind" series and Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ."

"Daniel," however, is a far cry from "Passion" or the conventional Easter-season TV specials that portray Christ in a biblical context. According to NBC promotional materials, the Jesus character on "Daniel" is depicted as a "contemporary, cool" figure who appears only to the minister.