TV gets religion this fall

As the calendar pages fall off and the millennium draws nigh, television -- like many people -- is becoming more spiritual.

Several networks have announced that their 1999-2000 schedules will include programs about faith, Jesus and religion.

Leading the way are NBC and CBS, both of which have announced TV movies about the life of Christ. NBC's version, "Mary & Jesus," is set for Nov. 14. Produced by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her son, Bobby Shriver, the two-hour film will look at Christ's life from the perspective of His mother.

Darth's mom

Pernilla August, the Swedish actress who played Shmi Skywalker, the mother of evil (Darth Vader) in "Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace," will be the mother of Jesus, who will be played by the appropriately named Christian Bale.

If you don't remember what Pernilla August looked like from the movie, you probably saw her in your 'fridge: Her face appeared on millions of cans of Pepsi One as part of a "Star Wars" promotion.

Bale, who was born in Wales 25 years ago, might be best known as the boy in Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun," but that was in 1987. More recently, he appeared in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." In "American Psycho," expected to be released after "Jesus & Mary" airs, he does a complete acting U-turn to play a serial killer.

No date has been announced for the already completed CBS version, "Jesus," which is four hours long. (One speculation is that it will air next spring.) It stars a relative unknown, Jeremy Sisto, who is 24. Jacqueline Bisset will play Mary (she was Joan of Arc's mom in the CBS miniseries last spring), and Armin Mueller-Stahl will be Joseph. Gary Oldman appears as Pontius Pilate.

Pope on TV

The Vicar of Christ is the topic of a two-hour documentary on PBS. "John Paul II: The Millennial Pope" will air on most PBS stations on Sept. 28. It will present a biography of the first Polish pontiff as well as assessments of his papacy.

The PBS schedule has several other programs related to religion, including:

* "Delta Jews" (Sept. 2), a look at a southern Jewish community that thrives in the Mississippi delta;

* "The Jew in the Lotus" (Sept. 6), a documentary about several Jewish people meeting with the Dalai Lama in the Himalayas;

* "American Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith" (Nov. 26), a two-hour documentary about the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons); and

* "A Taste of Chanukah" (Dec. 1), featuring the music and traditions of this Jewish holiday, hosted by Theodore Bikel.

Don't forget that PBS also broadcasts "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly," a half-hour series that reports and analyzes the news of religion around the world.

Not everything about religion is sublime, however. If NBC has an opening for it, "God, the Devil and Bob" is ready to go as a mid-season replacement series. This animated comedy tells the story of a man picked by God (voice of James Garner) to prove that humanity is still worth saving. Constantly throwing roadblocks in his way is Satan.

(09-02-99)