I am one of those folks who enjoy television since the advent of the DVR and TIVO machines. I am always looking for new shows to check out. My first impression upon seeing advance trailers for ABC's GCB was quite promising. I thought, "Wow a series with Kristin Chenoweth that deals with life in the church in the South!" Then I started hearing rumblings about the show from within Christian media sources. The GCB originally stood for "Good Christian Bitches," but it was later changed to "Good Christian Belles" and eventually shortened to just GCB.

The Christian press tore the show apart; they seemed to make a lot of sense. I got sucked in and decided to boycott and not watch the show. I expressed gratitude when it was eventually cancelled, thinking, "Ha! Goes to show them they shouldn't mock Christianity!" Then something strange happened. I got the chance to review the DVD prior to release of the first and only season of the show. I then realized how I had been duped and influenced; what I had read, heard, and observed was in fact, not true. It was instead, in many ways, another 'Christian' effort to manipulate and get involved in things with an apparent lack of understanding of the real world, and real world perceptions of Christianity in regards to what was actually going on.

GCBis the story of a young mother and wife from Dallas who lives in Los Angeles. Her husband is involved in a patsy scheme and is killed along with his mistress (his wife's best friend) in a car wreck while running away from an apparent investigation involving his crimes. After his death and the eventual Federal Investigation and national news reports his wife, Amanda Vaughn, played beautifully by Leslie Bibb, moves to Dallas to live with her mother, 'Gigi' Stopper, played by well-respected Annie Potts. Across the street lives an active church and choir member, neighborhood gossip and antagonist, Carlene Cockburn, played to the tee by Kristin Chenoweth. Chenoweth and her husband Ripp, played by David James Elliott(JAG), are extremely wealthy and have their hands in all kinds of financial ventures. These two, along with friends and others, are actively involved in their church and in the process haven't forgotten about the past sins of Amanda. They will stop at nothing to make life for her a living hell. It is here one could also come up with another reading of theGCB title, one which I think describes the show best: Gossiping Christian Bitches.

This midseason replacement series only aired ten episodes. It didn't take long for the press to mount against this controversial show and prior to the conclusion of the series it was canceled by ABC. I couldn't help but wonder, how many had cast their judgment on the show based only on the short clips they had seen and on what others had told them about the show, including many in the "Christian press?" What I found was quite different than what I had heard or seen.

GCBwas actually a very well-acted and cast program with a funny, entertaining, yet thought-provoking story line. Th storyline does a good job, even in the short period of time, of developing character and also getting us thinking. While the church is the single most used set in the film, what happens there isn't that much different from what I have personally seen and observed in many churches. We see a pastor who clearly loves God and wants to represent the things of God to his church. This is important, because it helps deflect much of the criticism of the show. This pastor has a hard time with some in his congregation, yet wants the best for them in his desire to see them actually become Christ like. The show does have Christians who are sincere in their life and example. What many don't like though is that the show focuses on the hypocrisy of some in the church.

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