House of David: Season 1

After catching up with The Chosen during my surgery recovery, I came across House of David on Amazon Prime video and had seen several posts on Instagram about it. I was hesitant at first because there had already been so many versions done about King David (an animation film came out earlier this year), but my curiosity was piqued and I finally sat down and watched it.

Let's just say that if I hadn't known what the show was, I would have thought it was a Game of Thrones spinoff and I mean that in a good way.

King Saul with his oldest son, Prince Jonathan (what a prince too...)

Although it's titled House of David, in many ways the story centers on the house of King Saul starting with his defeat of the Amalekite's. God commanded Saul to kill all the Amalekite's, man, woman and children, their livestock and homes. However, Saul kept many alive including the mad witch-King, Agog. Saul's disobedience has detrimental consequences and by the seer (prophet) Samuel, God removes Saul's anointing as king and curses him with bouts of madness. 

Saul's punishment begins to have detrimental consequences on his household, especially his power-hungry wife, Queen Ahinoam and their four children:

Prince Jonathan: Crown prince of Israel. Loyal and devoted to his father and his people. Loved by everyone.

Princess Mirab: The spoiled and bratty oldest daughter who believes she has never been good enough.

Prince Ashbaal: Lazy, arrogant and with no purpose in life. His party boy nature ends up being his undoing.

Princess Mychal: The bright and beautiful youngest child. The light of her father's life and adored by the people.

After Saul's destructive behavior Samuel is sent by God to anoint another king of Israel. He is led to the hills of Bethlehem and to the humble house of Jesse, who has quite a few sons. However, it is the youngest, the ignored and bullied and least important son, Jesse's bastard child (artistic liberty) and shame that God calls for Samuel to anoint. The shepherd boy called David.

Shepherd, warrior and poet

A lonely boy that spends more time with sheep than people, who is gifted with a slingshot and spends his long days writing poetry on the lyre, David knows he has never been worth much to anyone, except his niece Avva who adores him. As he is Jesse's illegitimate son with a pagan woman, David has grown up knowing that he was born out of shame and his life will always be one of hardship. However, his loneliness brings him close to God, who inspires his beautiful music and eventually sets him on the path to the throne of Israel.

Shortly after he is anointed, David finds himself in Saul's household where his music has a healing effect on the tormented king and he is given a permanent position as house musician. It is not just Saul that David impacts, but lovely princess Mychal who finds herself fascinated by the handsome, but mysterious shepherd, however their opposite station in life prevents any chance of happiness together.

When Israel's enemies unite to wage war with Saul, they enlist the help of the great Philistine giants, the last living descendants of the Nephilim (once again artistic liberty) and challenge the Israelites with their champion Goliath. Saul, Jonathan and the rest of Israel's army are at a loss to know what to do. Especially, when Saul starts to have another attack. When Israel feels like they must face defeat, a young shepherd boy armed with only a slingshot and five smooth stones shows that the power of God is greater than any enemy, sword or spear.

Mychal and David

While the show has a slow start it moves pretty quickly by about the third episode. Now, there is an artistic liberties declaimer at the beginning of each episode. So, if you don't know the story of David (and really who doesn't), don't go to the Bible expecting this romantic, forbidden love story between David and Mychal or really any extended storylines from Saul's family. Biblical entertainment has always taken artistic liberties; however, everything comes full circle and happens for a reason.

While the production quality is beautiful and cinematic, the heart of the show is the casting. From David on down, each character had depth, heart and a strong story to tell. And the music...wow! Music plays in integral part in the story and Egyptian American actor, Michael Iskander who plays David did all his own singing in ancient Hebrew.

People are referring to House of David as the Christian contemporary to Game of Thrones. With the exception of the gratuitous sex scenes, the battle sequences, love stories, loyalty, betrayal, family and loss make it one of the highest quality Biblical media I have ever seen. And if any story in the Bible could compare to George Martin's fantasy, then it would be David and his heart after God.