The Nielson ratings are in, and for Mark Burnett they are pretty - 13.1 million viewers watched miniseries The Bible beating out AMC's The Walking Dead at 11.3 million viewers. Its 18-49 demographic rating was not as high as that show, but this is already a certified hit for Burnett, producer of Survivor and Celebrity Apprentice.
Burnett and his wife Roma Downey came up with the idea for the series after watching Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments. Wanting to present the Bible "from Genesis to Revelation" in one grand sweeping narrative, the husband and wife duo pulled together a team of experts to guide the production.
Christian luminaries such as Rich Warren, Joel Osteen, Erwin McManus and many more were consulted to ensure the project's accuracy.
Episode titles are:
"In the Beginning"
"Exodus"
"Homeland"
"Kingdom"
"Survival"
"Hope"
"Mission"
"Betrayal"
"Passion"
"Courage"
Roma Downey herself is cast as Mother Mary in four of the episodes. The rest of the ensemble is devoid of "celebrities" in order to avoid distracting from the message.
Burnett's work in Survivor and Celebrity Apprentice shows that he has amazing talent in producing storylines that resonate with audiences. In The Bible, Burnett continues to show that even with an epic story that is the Bible, he can create an understandable and entertaining series that resonates with audiences.
Attention to detail and accuracy, demonstrated by the consultation provided throughout production, is part of the reason why Burnett continues to produce hits. Given the huge first showing, The Bible may be one of the biggest series produced so far.
