A.D. The Bible Continues (also known as A.D. Kingdom and Empire) is an American biblicaldrama television miniseries, based on the Bible, and a sequel to the 2013 miniseries, The Bible, and follows up from the film Son of God which was a more in depth look on Jesus's story. It was produced by Roma Downey, Mark Burnett, and Richard Bedser.[1] The limited series began airing on NBC on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, in twelve weekly one-hour episodes. The story takes place immediately after the events of The Bible miniseries, and then of the Son of God film, beginning with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and continues with the first ten chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.[2][3] On July 3, 2015, NBC cancelled A.D. The Bible Continues after one season.
On December 17, 2013, it was announced that there would be a follow-up miniseries to The Bible in 2015.[1]
In anticipation of the global event, a number of companion materials were released in an effort by Palam Fidelis Publishing to engage thoughtful, religious discussion by offering "Family Discussion Guides" for each episode.[5]
Pontius Pilate orders the crucifixion of Jesus in order to maintain the peace and satisfy his people. Overcome with guilt for betraying Jesus, Judas hangs himself in the wastelands. Three days later, Caiaphas receives news that the tomb has been broken opened and Jesus is gone.
Caiaphas deals with the disappearance of Jesus' body as the disciples scatter into the city. At the Sea of Galilee, a resurrected Jesus appears to his shocked followers. He suggests that they return to Jerusalem and spread the word. Jesus then climbs a hill and disappears in a bright light.
Caiaphas must answer to King Herod Antipas for the political unrest gripping the city. The disciplines begin their work spreading the message of Jesus' teachings.
Pilate attempts to bring Jerusalem under control. Cornelius and his men search the city for Boaz the assassin. Caiaphas puts Peter and John on public trial. John has a dream that leads him to the Temple, where he recruits Barnabas to the cause.
Peter and the apostles find their former safe house filled with scared converts and refugees. Pilate continues his reign of terror against the Jews. Boaz turns himself in to Caiaphas and Reuben. Stephen publicly condemns Caiaphas for refusing the Word of God, and he is stoned to death while a young man named Saul of Tarsus watches.
As the disciples mourn Stephen's death, Saul of Tarsus condemns Jesus as a false prophet. The Sanhedrin seek Caiaphas's successor. Caiaphas is not happy to play host to Leah's family and less happy to discover that Herod and Herodias have invited themselves to stay for Purim.
Saul and his men search Jerusalem for Peter and the disciples. Simon the Sorcerer fails to heal an unconscious woman in the market. By using Jesus' name, Peter succeeds where Simon failed, prompting Simon to ask to be baptized. Roman Emperor Tiberius and his nephew Caligula enter Jerusalem.
Caiaphas asks Reuben to escort Saul to Damascus. On the way, Jesus appears to Saul in a ball of light. He instructs Saul to go to Damascus and await further instruction. John and Peter go to Samaria to assist Philip. Simon the Sorcerer offers to donate all of his money to help spread Jesus' word, in exchange for "a few drops of the Holy Spirit". Tiberius dies in his sleep. Caligula tears up Pilate's commission and proclaims himself emperor.
Saul's preaching at the Damascus synagogue sparks a riot. Caligula orders Pilate to erect a statue of him in the temple as the new "king" of the Jews. While searching for Simon the Zealot, Saul is captured by Reuben and his men and sent to prison.
After visiting Saul in prison, Caiaphas decides to release him. James the Just, Jesus' childhood friend, visits the disciples and talks to Caiaphas about ending the persecution brought on the followers of Jesus. Controversy erupts with the disciples and Saul over the function of the Temple. A wealthy Ethiopian treasurer visits Jerusalem and Pilate invites him to dine in the Roman palace. Tabitha converts to Christianity, but Claudia and Herodias find her and have her scourged on Pilate's orders.
Pilate kills Joanna and exiles the Ethiopian treasurer for collaboration with the Zealots. The disciples send Saul back to Tarsus to preach. Peter heals Aeneas and resurrects Tabitha, winning new converts to the faith. The Jewish people and the Zealots rally for war. Philip meets the Ethiopian treasurer reading the prophet Isaiah's writings, given to him by Caiaphas. The Ethiopian believes and is baptized. Emperor Caligula's statue enters Jerusalem with the promise of total war and destruction.
Pilate meets with Caiaphas and his wife Leah to tell them that the golden statue of Emperor Caligula must enter the Temple whether they like it or not. Peter converts Cornelius to Christianity. Caiaphas calls a meeting with James the Just to tell him that, if the disciples join him, they can repel the statue of Caligula. James the Just denies the offer. The resistance of the Zealots is crushed, but the gold statue of the Emperor gets damaged in the process. Pilate refuses to concede defeat. Peter is taken away by Roman soldiers. The age of the disciples' martyrdom has now begun.
Reception
The show premiered on Easter Sunday 2015 on NBC to 9.7 million viewers.[6] It averaged 6.5 million viewers across 12 episodes on NBC.[19] Although the series has a strong viewership for the Easter Sunday premiere, ratings dropped significantly over the 12-week broadcast. NBC would cancel the series after one season. Producers Burnett and Downey said that they planned future biblical productions on an OTT digital channel in 2015, but as of 2022 a follow-up has not been released.[19][20]
A.D.: The Bible Continues has received mixed reviews from critics. On the aggregate website Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[21] On Rotten Tomatoes reported that 58 percent of critics have given the film a positive review based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 4.78/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Attempts to offer a fresh look at a traditional tale notwithstanding, A.D.: The Bible Continues doesn't do enough to set itself apart from its many predecessors."[22]
In Australia, the series premiered on July 5, 2015, on the Nine Network, as A.D. Kingdom and Empire.[23] It premiered to 472,000 viewers, losing 828,000 viewers from its 60 Minutes lead-in.[24]
