Nothing Sacred (TV series)
Nothing Sacred is an American drama series that aired from 1997 to 1998 on ABC. The series was created by a Jesuit priest named Bill Cain and producer David Manson.
| Nothing Sacred | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Bill Cain David Manson |
| Written by | Jeanne Blake Lee Blessing Michael Breault Jason Cahill Bill Cain Sandy Kroopf David Manson Marlane Meyer Jan Oxenberg |
| Starring | Kevin Anderson Bruce Altman Scott Michael Campbell Ann Dowd Brad Sullivan Jose Zuniga Tamara Mello |
| Theme music composer | Mark Isham |
| Composer(s) | Jeff Beal |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 20 (5 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Richard Kramer David Manson |
| Producer(s) | Bill Cain Greer Shephard Cyrus Yavneh |
| Running time | 60 mins. |
| Production company(s) | Sarabande Productions 20th Century Fox Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Original release | September 18, 1997 – March 14, 1998 |
Synopsis
Nothing Sacred starred Kevin Anderson as a priest. It was criticized by some who saw its portrayal of church issues in the post Second Vatican Council era as favoring those with a more liberal view of the Council at the expense of those with a more conservative one. The show and its sponsors were targeted for boycotts by the Catholic League.[1]
Despite promises that the show would air for at least one full season, after the failure of the program, ABC canceled its order for the final four episodes, and then canceled the series entirely after the March 14, 1998 episode (with four completed episodes left unaired).
The show won the Peabody Award, being described as "an honest portrayal of the complexity of faith in the modern era."[2] It also won the 1998 Humanitas Prize for a sixty-minute television series as well as the Founder's Award from Viewers For Quality Television.
Cast
- Kevin Anderson as Father Francis Xavier "Ray" Reyneaux
- Bruce Altman as Sidney Walters
- Scott Michael Campbell as Father Eric
- Ann Dowd as Sister Maureen "Mo" Brody
- Tamara Mello as Rachel
- Brad Sullivan as Father Leo
- Jose Zuniga as Juan Alberto Ortiz
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Proofs for the Existence of God" | Richard Pearce | Paul Leland | September 18, 1997 |
| 2 | "Song of Songs" | Robert Young | Teleplay by: Marlane Meyer Story by: Marlane Meyer & Gary Rieck | September 25, 1997 |
| 3 | "Mixed Blessings" | Eugene Corr | Teleplay by: Matt Fulony Story by: Matt Fulony & Paul Leland | October 2, 1997 |
| 4 | "Parents and Children" | Claudia Weill | Teleplay by: Jan Oxenberg Story by: Jan Oxenberg & Paul Leland | October 9, 1997 |
| 5 | "Roman Catholic Holiday" | Sarah Pia Anderson | Teleplay by: Marlane Meyer Story by: Marlane Meyer & Gary Rieck | October 16, 1997 |
| 6 | "Spirit and Substance" | Arvin Brown | Teleplay by: Marlane Meyer Story by: Marlane Meyer & Gary Rieck | October 23, 1997 |
| 7 | "Calling" | Robert Young | Jason Cahill | November 6, 1997 |
| 8 | "Speaking in Tongues" | John Coles | Sandy Kroopf | November 13, 1997 |
| 9 | "A Bloody Miracle" | Tom Moore | Jan Oxenberg | November 29, 1997 |
| 10 | "House of Rage" | Joan Tewkesbury | Marlane Meyer | December 11, 1997 |
| 11 | "Hodie Christus Natus Est" | David Mason | Teleplay by: Michael Breault Story by: Bill Cain & Michael Breault | December 18, 1997 |
| 12 | "Signs and Words" | Robert Allan Ackerman | Lee Blessing & Jeanne Blake | January 17, 1998 |
| 13 | "A Nun's Story" | TBA | TBA | January 24, 1998 |
| 14 | "Kindred Spirits" | Robert Young | Teleplay by: Marlane Meyer Story by: Marlane Meyer & Gary Rieck | March 7, 1998 |
| 15 | "The Coldest Night of the Year" | TBA | TBA | March 14, 1998 |
| 16 | "Holy Words" | TBA | TBA | UNAIRED |
| 17 | "Sex, God and Reality" | Joan Tewkesbury | Jan Oxenberg | UNAIRED |
| 18 | "HIV Priest" | James Hayman | Teleplay by: Richard Kramer Story by: Paul Leland & Richard Kramer | UNAIRED |
| 19 | "Sleeping Dogs" | TBA | TBA | UNAIRED |
| 20 | "Felix Culpa" | Robert Allan Ackerman | Bill Cain & Cyrus Yavneh | UNAIRED |
Production
It portrayed the administration of St. Thomas' church, a Roman Catholic parish in Chicago, Illinois. Exteriors were shot at Angelica Lutheran Church in the Pico-Union district of Los Angeles, selected for its brick Gothic architecture. The sanctuary of Angelica was also used to represent the sanctuary of a fellow clergyman in one of the episodes.
Nothing Sacred premiered on September 18, 1997 at 8:00pm/7c on ABC.
Broadcast history
- Thursdays 8:00 p.m. (September 18, 1997 – December 18, 1997)
- Saturdays 8:00 p.m. (January 17, 1998 – March 14, 1998)
Controversy
The Catholic League and Alan Keyes, on its board of advisors, specifically, declared the show in 1997 a "sacrilege" according to one commentator, who also quoted Keyes as calling it "propaganda dressed up as entertainment[, infused with] belief that there are no moral absolutes."[3]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | ALMA Award | Nominated | Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Jose Zuniga |
| Outstanding Drama Series | ||||
| Art Directors Guild | Excellence in Production Design Award (Television Series) | Cate Bangs and Michael Baugh | ||
| Emmy Award | Outstanding Main Title Theme Music | Mark Isham | ||
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Series | Cate Bangs, Michael Baugh, and William Vail (For episode "Hodie Christus Natus Est") | |||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama | Kevin Anderson | ||
| Humanitas Prize | Won | 60 Minute Category | Bill Cain | |
| Peabody Award | ||||
| PGA Awards | Nominated | Television Producer of the Year Award in Episodic | David Manson | |
| Television Critics Association Awards | Program of the Year | |||
| Outstanding New Program of the Year | ||||
| Individual Achievement in Drama | Kevin Anderson | |||
| Viewers for Quality Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series | Ann Dowd | ||
| Best Actor in a Quality Drama Series | Kevin Anderson | |||
| Won | Founder's Award | David Manson | ||
| YoungStar Award | Nominated | Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series | Erika Christensen | |
| 1999 | Writers Guild of America Award | Won | Episodic Drama | Bill Cain (For episode "Proofs for the Existence of God") |
| Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress | Kimberly Cullum |
References
- Armbrust, Roger (1997-10-09). "Catholic League Boycotts ABC's "Nothing Sacred"". allbusiness.com.
- "Ellen Wins Peabody Award". The New York Times. 1998-04-03.
- Dowd, Maureen, "Liberties; The Devil in Prime Time", The New York Times, September 24, 1997. Retrieved 2010-11-10.