Only in Hollywood would writers come up with a story that uses a classroom chicken to prompt a discussion about religion. Yes, NBC’s Truth Be Told does just that in “Psychic Chicken.” A dead chicken, to be precise. It goes downhill from there.
In tonight’s episode, Mitch (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and Tracy (Vanessa Lachey), a mixed faith couple (Jewish and Christian), are figuring out how to talk to their five year old, Sadie, about God while Angie (Bresha Webb) and Russell (Tone Bell) attend church for different reasons. Angie is a person of strong faith while Russell prefers the social aspects of going to church. Throw in Mitch’s sister Sam’s psychic boyfriend at a dinner party and the silly talk begins.
Young Sadie’s class has pet chickens. When one dies, her parents struggle to talk to her about death, heaven, and God. Over dinner, the psychic boyfriend describes heaven as a metaphor used to help people grieve. Angie is the only one to voice an objection to this description and Russell doubles down to lump religion with astrology and Eastern mysticism.
Sure, religious faith is no different than star gazing to predict the future!
Tracy: Maybe we could teach Sadie about Heaven. How would you feel about that?
Mitch:- Well, I-I definitely don't want to deprive our daughter of comfort, but Heaven...
Josh: - Is just a metaphor to help us deal with the overwhelming-ness of death.
Mitch: - I kind of agree with you.
Russell: - That's no fun.
Angie: - I'm sorry. Did nobody have an issue with Heaven being a metaphor? No? Just me? Okay.
Russell: - Babe, I think what they mean is that there are many paths to the truth-- uh, Eastern mysticism, astrology, the Bible.
Angie: - Are you lumping the Bible in with astrology?
Russell: - No. Yes. The Bible is great. What?
Mitch: - Look, I'd love to give Sadie religion. It's just we're a mixed-faith couple.
Angie: - Apparently, we are, too.
Russell: - Babe, come on, I go to church every Sunday. I tithe. I help move the chairs.
Angie: - Hey, psychic Josh, is my husband going to hell?
Sadie: - What's hell?
Mitch: - People, you're killing me.
Sadie: - I miss Russell. Where did he go?
So, in order to teach little Sadie about God and heaven, Mitch and Tracy negotiate on what to tell her. Bringing to mind the liberal assertion that "science" comes before any other argument, Mitch is too sophisticated to believe in God – he wants evidence that only science can produce and quotes an astronomer.
As a Jew, he isn’t completely onboard with Jesus, either. Angie explains that talking about heaven is necessary since it is God’s home. She adds that it's Jesus' too but Mitch begins to object. Angie explains Jesus comes with her belief in God.
Mitch:- I believe, I like science and proof. I mean, Carl Sagan said that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Tracy:- She's five.
Mitch:- Okay, okay, what the heck? Let's just go with Heaven. I'm starting to see the utility.
Tracy: - Good. Great. We'll tell her about Heaven and God.
Mitch:- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Tracy:- How can there be Heaven without God? It's where He lives. It's like talking about Disneyland and pretending there's no Mickey.
Mitch:- Okay, fine. There's a God.
Tracy:- And Jesus.
Mitch:- Oh, God!
Tracy:- What? My God comes with Jesus.
Mitch:- I gave you Heaven. I gave you God. Work with me!
Sadie:- Mommy!
Mitch:- You heard her. She picked you. Ha ha.
In the end, Sadie learns to pray. It comes naturally to her. For Hollywood writers, not so much.
