Hollywood used to be terrified of the pulpit. For decades, if you saw a priest or a pastor on screen, they were usually one of two things: a saintly figure with a glowing halo or a mustache-twirling villain hiding a dark secret in the basement. There wasn't much room for the middle ground. But things have changed. Lately, tv shows about church have stopped treating faith like a fragile museum piece and started treating it like the complicated, beautiful, and sometimes deeply frustrating reality it is for millions of people.
Honestly, it’s about time.
Whether you grew up in a pew every Sunday or you've never stepped foot inside a sanctuary, these stories are hitting a nerve because they deal with power, family, and the search for meaning. We aren't just talking about "Christian television" produced by networks for a specific audience. We're talking about massive hits on HBO, Netflix, and Hulu that pull back the curtain on the business of religion and the very human people running the show.
The rise of the "Holy Dramedy" and why we can't look away
It’s hard to talk about this genre without mentioning The Righteous Gemstones. Danny McBride’s masterpiece on HBO is probably the most accurate depiction of megachurch culture ever filmed, despite being a total caricature. It’s loud. It’s gaudy. It’s obsessed with jet skis and monster trucks. But underneath the comedy, it captures the specific pressure of "pastor kids" and the way legacy can feel like a noose.
The show works because it doesn't mock the faith itself—it mocks the ego of the people who think they own it.
On the flip side, you have something like Greenleaf on OWN. That show took a much more dramatic, soap-opera approach to the Black church in Memphis. It leaned heavily into the "preacher's daughter" trope but did so with a level of gravity that felt earned. It tackled things like clerical abuse and colorism within the community, things that don't usually make it into a half-hour sitcom.
Why do we watch? Maybe because the stakes are higher. If a CEO fails, they lose money. If a pastor fails, they risk people's souls—or at least that's how the narrative is framed. That kind of pressure is a goldmine for writers.
When the small screen gets the small church right
Not every show is about a stadium-sized congregation. Some of the best tv shows about church are the ones that stay in the quiet corners of rural life.
Take Midnight Mass on Netflix. While it’s technically a horror miniseries, it’s one of the most profound explorations of Catholicism ever put to film. Mike Flanagan, the creator, used his own background as an altar boy to craft monologues about death and resurrection that felt like actual sermons. It wasn't just using the church as a spooky backdrop; it was using the theology to drive the plot. It showed how easily faith can be twisted into something violent when people are desperate for a miracle.
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Then there’s Rev., a British sitcom starring Tom Hollander. It’s the polar opposite of the Gemstone family. It’s about a vicar in a crumbling London parish where nobody shows up and the roof is leaking. It’s funny, sure, but it’s mostly just tired. It captures the "burnout" that real-world clergy talk about constantly but rarely see reflected in pop culture.
The cultural shift in how we view the pulpit
We've moved past the era of 7th Heaven. If you remember the Camden family, everything was wrapped up in forty-two minutes with a neat little moral lesson. It was comfortable. It was also, frankly, a bit boring. Modern audiences crave "the mess."
We want to see the doubt.
A huge turning point was The Young Pope (and later The New Pope) on HBO. Paolo Sorrentino’s vision of the Vatican was surreal and stylish, but it asked a very real question: Can a person be holy if they don't even know if they believe in God? Jude Law’s character wasn't a hero, but he wasn't a villain either. He was a man trapped in a system of his own making.
This shift mirrors what’s happening in the real world. With the rise of the "Nones"—people who claim no religious affiliation—there’s a growing curiosity about what actually happens behind those closed doors. We’re in an era of "deconstruction," where people are taking apart the faith they were raised with. TV shows are just catching up to that vibe.
Diversity of the "Church" experience
It’s not just about Protestants and Catholics anymore. The definition of a "church show" is expanding.
- Ramy on Hulu offers a look at the Muslim American experience that feels very "churchy" in its community dynamics.
- Unorthodox explored the extreme edges of Hasidic Judaism.
- Preacher took the whole concept of God and turned it into a supernatural road trip.
Each of these shows treats the religious community as a character in itself. The "church" is a place of safety for some and a prison for others.
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Why authenticity matters more than "niceness"
There is a common complaint from religious viewers that tv shows about church are too cynical. They’ll point to shows like Messiah or Evil and say, "Why does it always have to be about a cult or a conspiracy?"
It’s a fair point. But there’s a difference between being cynical and being honest.
The shows that resonate the most are the ones that acknowledge the "good" while portraying the "bad." In The Righteous Gemstones, there are moments where the family actually prays together, and you can see they truly believe. They are terrible people, but their faith isn't a total sham. That nuance is what makes it "human quality" writing. If they were just scammers, the show would be one-dimensional. Because they actually believe their own hype, it becomes a tragedy.
The "God" shaped hole in the writers' room
For a long time, there was a disconnect. You had writers in LA who had never been to a potluck dinner writing about people in the Midwest. You could tell. The dialogue felt stiff. The "Christian" characters sounded like they were written by someone who had only read about religion in a textbook.
Now, we’re seeing creators like Sarah Adina Smith or the Duplass brothers bringing their own religious baggage to the screen. They know the lingo. They know that a church isn't just a building; it’s a social club, a political powerhouse, and a source of deep trauma and deep joy all at once.
What to look for in your next binge-watch
If you’re looking to dive into this world, don't just go for the most popular ones. Look for the shows that challenge your perspective.
- Watch for the power dynamics. Is the show about the person in the pulpit or the people in the pews? The perspective shift changes everything.
- Check the production design. High-quality shows like The Path (which was about a fictional cult, but mirrored many church structures) use lighting and architecture to show how religion can feel "big" and "small" at the same time.
- Listen to the music. Church shows often have the best soundtracks because they lean into the liturgical or gospel roots of the setting.
The future of the genre
We’re likely going to see more stories about the "ex-vangelical" movement. The story of someone leaving the church is just as compelling as someone finding it. Shows like Under the Banner of Heaven have already started pushing into this territory, looking at the dark history of religious movements and how they evolve over generations.
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We are also seeing a move toward more international stories. The "church" experience in Brazil or South Korea looks very different than it does in Texas, and streaming services are finally realizing those stories have a global audience.
Putting the remote down: Your next steps
If you’ve spent the last few weekends marathoning tv shows about church, you’ve probably noticed a recurring theme: community is messy. These shows aren't just about theology; they're about how we live together.
Instead of just watching the drama, use these shows as a springboard to understand the people around you better.
- Compare the fiction to reality. If a show depicts a specific denomination, look up their actual history. You'll often find that the real-life stories are weirder than the scripts.
- Evaluate the "business" side. Many of these shows focus on the money. Research how non-profits and religious organizations are actually structured in the U.S. to see where the shows take "creative liberties."
- Talk about the themes. These shows are great conversation starters for the "big questions." If a show like Midnight Mass gets you thinking about the afterlife, read the source material or theologies it references.
The best tv shows about church don't give you answers. They just ask better questions. They remind us that whether someone is wearing a robe, a suit, or a tracksuit, they’re usually just trying to figure out their place in the universe, one Sunday at a time.