Book Review: More TV Vicar?

Bryony Taylor’s More TV Vicar?
Christians on the Telly: The Good, the Bad and the Quirky
We as a nation love our telly. From the days of gathering as a family around he set, waiting for it to warm up and the fuzz to clear, to the modern obsession with on-demand box sets of popular shows, available instantly via the internet, we Brits spend on average four hours a day watching television. I don’t get to watch so much these days, (and when I do it’s mostly CBeebies with 4 kids in the house), but I have fond memories of programmes watched through the years and do try & keep up to date with the shows people are talking about. As a Christian, I’m also fascinated to see how my faith is portrayed in programmes – which is why I found the idea behind Rev’d Bryony Taylor’s new book More TV Vicar? Christians on the Telly: The Good, the Bad and the Quirky to be a hugely compelling one.
In the book Bryony takes us on a whistle stop tour through the portrayal of Christians across many years of TV, and assess them as they were created to be seen – the good guys, those made to be loveable endearing leaders of the faith; the bad ‘uns who bring comic effect from being exactly what you wouldn’t expect from a Christian; and the ‘quirky,’ those who don’t fit into any real box but bring eccentricity, and at times great heart, to the mix.

The beauty of this book is its style – it is written in an easy, relaxed manner, akin to chatting to a friend about old TV shows over a cold glass or steaming mug of something or other. Each character is introduced by a handy box laying out a bit about who they are, and rated out of 100% on attributes such as Longevity, Offence & Realism. Add to that the research that has gone into the book – for example, the revelation that Richard Curtis, creator of The Vicar of Dibley, took quotes he had heard at the debates over women priests at the Church of England’s General Synod and put them in the mouths of his characters - and suddenly you have an informative and thought provoking piece of work.

But perhaps the jewel in the crown is the little section at the back, entitled “What Would Jesus Watch.” Each section concludes with Bryony’s reflections on the thought process of writers & directors when it comes to making polarised Christian characters, how we tend to relate to them & the range of emotions we can feel when we encounter them as people of faith. But the conclusion looks at the life of Jesus and how this should inform our viewing habits, pointing out how far ahead of many modern comedians and writers Jesus Himself was. His use of storytelling to teach those around Him is well known, but it is easy to miss the humour He employed – from satire to stand-up and all in-between – to really make an impression on those He encountered.

In the introduction Bryony expresses a hope that the book will take us on a ‘pilgrimage’ of sorts, leaving us “a little bit more worldly wise and refreshed in our outlook on life.” In my humble opinion, with its balance of wit, style and theological reflection More TV Vicar? achieves this with ease.

“More TV Vicar? Christians on the Telly: The Good, the Bad and the Quirky!” is available now from all good bookstores, including Eden & Amazon.