The best family-friendly animated series in years launched in recent weeks — and no, Disney or Pixar aren’t behind it.
The show is “The Chosen Adventures,” a 14-episode series now on Prime Video that follows a 9-year-old girl named Abby and her best friend Joshua on thrilling journeys through the streets and countryside of first-century Galilee as they explore the world but — most importantly – meet Jesus.
For more stories at your doorstep, subscribe to The Baptist Paper.
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
It is a co-production of Amazon MGM Studios and 5&2 Studios — the same company behind “The Chosen” — and gives families something rare: an entertaining, high-quality Bible-based series on a major platform, complete with a biblical lesson and practical takeaway in every episode.
Although designed for children, it offers plenty for parents, too.
Episode 1 sets the tone for the fast-paced series as Abby and Joshua wander to the outskirts of Jerusalem, where they meet Jesus for the first time and He introduces Himself as a traveling teacher. He also displays patience with the always-inquisitive Abby. For example, when she asks why God made wasps, Jesus explains, “Wasps can sting, but fig trees need them to grow fruit” — before gently reminding her of the importance of letting others have a turn to talk. She then rushes home and quizzes her parents about their day — leaving them stunned.
Episode 2 highlights the Jewish celebration of the Sabbath, with Abby and her parents hurrying to finish meal preparations before sunset — and Abby confused about the purpose behind the holy day. Her father explains, “The rules of Shabbat aren’t there to limit us. They’re meant to give us a chance to focus on what really matters — like spending time with family and with God.” The episode ends with the family lying beneath a star-filled sky, marveling at God’s handiwork.
In Episode 3, Abby runs errands for her mother but encounters mishap after mishap — sneezing into a bowl of flour and then dropping a pie at the next stop. Still, she learns to praise God in the middle of frustration. By the end, we discover that her “mistakes” actually protected her: For example, she accidentally dropped her mother’s list in the street just seconds before a runaway horse would have trampled her.
An anthropomorphic sheep and pigeon tag along with Abby on every adventure, adding humor that echoes classic pairings like C-3PO and R2-D2.
“The Chosen Adventures” features the familiar voice of Jonathan Roumie as Jesus but includes new talent, too, such as Paul Walter Hauser (Inside Out 2) as the sheep.
The series’ executive producer, Dallas Jenkins, says a second season will follow only if the first season performs well among audiences. Let’s hope it does.
Also worth watching this month:
“House of David, Season 2” (Wonder) — David’s fame rises after he slays Goliath, although he now must confront a new foe: a jealous King Saul. This excellent series was created by “Jesus Revolution” co-director Jon Erwin and is available on Wonder Project, an add-on within Prime Video.
“Great American Christmas” (Great American Family) — The annual celebration of holiday rom-coms launched on Great American Family Oct. 9 and runs through Christmas, giving families new movies each week to enjoy. Its streaming service, Great American Pure Flix, also offers plenty of holiday content.
“Paddington 2” (Netflix) — Paddington’s joyful life with the Brown family is upended when he’s falsely accused of theft, sending him to prison with the goal of clearing his name. Rated PG for some action and mild rude humor.
“Despicable Me 3” (Netflix) — Gru faces off against a former child star-turned-villain while discovering he has a long-lost twin brother eager to pull him back into evil-doing. Rated PG for action and rude humor.
Reviews of films, books, music or other media that appear in TAB are intended to help readers evaluate current media for themselves, their children and grandchildren in order to decide whether to watch, read or listen. Reviews are not an endorsement by the writer or TAB Media.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and entertainment for two decades. He is the husband to a wonderful wife, Julie, and the father of four school-aged children.
