For years, Hollywood has presented stories based on the bible as epic, larger-than-life events. They’ve often been overly serious, occasionally dull, and rarely relatable. (Anyone remember the NBC miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth that featured a blue-eyed Jesus?) Dallas Jenkins changed all that with a little project called The Chosen. Maybe you’ve heard of it.
Now Mitch Hudson, the assistant director of The Chosen TV series is releasing his own project – The Promised Land, a biblical sitcom. Yes, a sitcom. About Moses. And it’s a mockumentary, like The Office, Abbott Elementary and Peacock’s The Paper. Milk & Honey Studios, the studio behind the project say that the show is “surprisingly reverent”. They also describe the show as, “Think less Charleton Heston and more Michael Scott.”
From the get-go, it becomes evident that this limited series is unlike anything you’ve seen before when Aaron, Moses’ brother (Majed Sayess) turns to the camera and gives a short update. In classic mockumentary style, the camera zooms in on his face. I think it’s probably the very first biblical mockumentary and the film crew is nailing it.
The Promised Land is about the 40-year desert journey the Hebrews endured as a workplace comedy with a film crew capturing their every move including eye rolls.
I have arrived late to this party. The pilot episode for the series has been on YouTube impressing others for over a year now, but I’ve only discovered the show a few weeks ago.
The Promised Land has garnered 82 million impressions and 2.9 million likes. Thousands of people have seen it and want to see more. And they will get their chance when the series debuts next month. For me, I’ve been fortunate to watch a few more episodes. I’m enjoying every minute of it.
Oh, some people will dislike The Promised Land. The Chosen has its own critics after all. In this case though, there will be some people who will have trouble with the fact that this show pokes a little fun, not at the bible story or God’s Word, but with the humans being humans.
The theme song for The Promised Land is fantastic and the animation tells a brief synopsis of what the Hebrews endured while in the land of Egypt.
This story takes place on the other side of the Red Sea. Moses (Wasim No’Mani) spends most of his days listening to people’s problems and giving his ruling. His sister Miriam (Shereen Khan) is taking notes like a secretary. When she tries to add her two cents, Moses shuts her down. During her interview she explains that she is one of the few women who can read and write and that she thinks of herself as a musical prodigy. Miriam is a bit of a hothead, and she is played beautifully by Khan. Just when Miriam begins to feel as if she is Moses’ equal, Moses’ wife finally arrives at camp. Zipporah (Tryphena Wade) Moses’ exuberant and outspoken wife can also read, write and play music, much to Miriam’s chagrin.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to Chisisi (Dav Paolo), an Egyptian who had been chasing the Hebrews through the parted Red Sea, but somehow managed to survive and pretends to be one of the Hebrews even though he knows nothing of their customs and traditions. Somehow, he blends in. However, Korah (Brad Culver) is onto Chisisi’s charade and wants to expose him.
Rounding out this ragtag group is Moses’ over eager assistant Joshua (Artoun Nazareth) who Moses continues to call him Josiah. It’s an ensemble group with not a weak one in the bunch.
“Our goal is to portray Moses, Miriam, Aaron, Joshua, and so on, not as distant, mythical figures but as ordinary people who are deeply flawed,” said Hudson. “That is where the humor lives. But it is also where the heart lives. Working on The Chosen taught me the importance of honoring the truth of Scripture while letting the human stories shine. With The Promised Land, we lean into the levity. Crossing the Red Sea was the easy part. Living together in the desert, that’s the comedy.”
But the show is more than just a comedy. It’s creative and funny, sure, but it’s also heartwarming when the characters move toward getting along rather than living separately. These are comedic people, but they are still people. When God calls them out for doing wrong, it’s sobering. And when Moses returns from the mountaintop with the ten commandments in hand seeing how his people had already turned their backs on God, our hearts break.
It’s easy to think that if I were there, I would be doing a lot better than they are, but the truth is, I know that I would be acting the same way complaining about eating manna, spying on my neighbor and jockeying for a leadership position.
It’s not clear if there will be season two or not of the show. The Hebrews wandered for 40 years—plenty of material for future seasons. I hope that this journey continues.
The Promise Land debuts on YouTube on October 1, 2025, with new episodes added each week.
Have you seen any of The Promise Land? What did you think of it?
Main Image: Wasim No’Mani (Moses) and Shereen Khan (Miriam) (Milk & Honey Studios)
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