I think most of us “faith girlies” can relate to the “should I or shouldn’t I?” entertainment struggle. For me, television shows are where I’m most conflicted.
If we’re being honest, many of us quietly sift our TV choices into three mental categories:
- Shows we love: Wholesome, feel-good content that fills us up.
- Shows we skip: Anything with crude humor, extreme violence, or vulgarity that immediately crosses a line.
- Shows we’re convicted about (but still watch): Some of the content makes us side-eye the screen, but the story is just too good.
These categories are deeply personal. They shift based on our unique interests, current level of conviction, and even the season of life we’re in.
My Personal Lineup
Here’s how my current watch list plays out:
| Category | Description | Examples |
| Love | Great storylines, character development, and wholesome vibes. (I have an old soul, so ’90s shows stay in rotation!) | A Different World, This Is Us, Abbott Elementary |
| Skip | Extreme violence, horror, or excessive vulgarity. | (Anything that makes my spirit say “nah, I’m good.”) |
| Convicted About | Shows with great plots but slightly more swearing or sex scenes than I prefer. | Reasonable Doubt (more on this below!) |
That last category is the tricky one. As women of faith, doesn’t it sometimes feel like the majority of new TV shows leaves us with a hint of conviction? Case in point: Reasonable Doubt.
The Reasonable Doubt Review & Struggle
I just finished Season 2 (yes, my soul is old and notoriously behind the curve). I discovered the show when my hairstylist was watching Season 3, and I was immediately captivated by the lead character, Jax Stewart.
She’s played by the absolutely gorgeous Emayatzy Corinealdi, and when I saw her braids-down-her-back, dressed-to-the-gods fabulousness, I was already in love.
Then add in Morris Chestnut’s forever-fine self, the witty dynamic between Jax’s assistant and investigator, and her struggles as a powerful Black woman in the workplace? I was all in.
What I Loved:
- 🔥 The Soundtrack: Fire in every single scene.
- 👑 The Production: Executively produced by the incredible Kerry Washington (Ms. Pope doesn’t miss)!
- ⚖️ The Story: Unique spins on legal cases each season.
- 👩👧👦 The Characters: Flawed, funny, and relatable family dynamics from Jax’s mother Mama Lu to Sally’s about to be “uncoupled” self. I even appreciated how they showed Jax and Lewis struggling in their marriage, Lewis needing to apologize to his son, and the personalities within friend groups.
What I Struggled With:
They curse in the show, but it’s not overwhelming. The “hunching” though? They don’t shy away from sex scenes, and sometimes, it’s a bit much for my spirit.
Even with the great storylines and Black woman–led representation, I still felt a little convicted during certain scenes. When Jax and Lewis are getting it in (and they definitely get it in), my mind turns into an internal debate:
“This is a bit much. I shouldn’t be watching people have sex.”
“Yeah, but they’re married.”
“True, but not every sex scene is with married folks. And should we be watching people have sex at all?”
“It’s acting, calm down.”
“I know, but does that make it okay?”
Navigating the Gray Area of Entertainment
I don’t ruminate over these thoughts to the point that I can’t enjoy the show. But, in all honesty, I do struggle with making the “right” or “Godly” choice when it comes to my entertainment diet. And I imagine other Christian women do too.
The Bible is clear that we must guard our hearts and minds:
- “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” — Psalm 101:3
- “Your eye is a lamp to your whole body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light.” — Luke 11:34
We know we have to be careful not to pursue worldly desires or ideals.
And yet, it’s still hard to understand what is and isn’t okay in the modern entertainment landscape. You don’t want to feel super spiritual and only watch movies about Jesus. I mean, I love The Chosen, but it’s not the only storyline that appeals to me.
But if the entertainment we’re watching doesn’t glorify God, even in a small way, should it truly be off the table?
I’ll keep it 100: I honestly don’t know.
I’m still navigating the entertainment part of my faith journey, working to understand where the line is drawn. It’s a conversation I need to have with God daily . . . or at least every time I turn on the TV.
What About You, Sis?
This topic is heavy on my heart. I’d love to hear how you navigate this struggle.
- Do you ever feel convicted about watching certain movies or TV shows?
- How do you decide what is “off the table” as a woman of faith?
Share your truth below in the comments! Let’s figure this out together.
I really liked this article about entertainment and I can honestly say I have those same thoughts. I absolutely love Reasonable Doubt and was captivated by her, Jax, strong character. I also wrestled with the sex scenes but then I convinced myself that they are married, imitating black love, etc. Then, I think what about the other scenes (those committing adultery and fornication), I’m still intrigued, and not turning away even with feeling the conviction.
What I have learned is that if it’s not right with my spirit then I need to immediately stop watching it. You get caught up in the characters very easily. Terrence H. really opened my eyes. In one of his interviews he mentioned about getting into character, almost calling on the spirit of that character so he could really play the character. What spirits are inviting into our being when we watch certain things? God said, our bodies are the temple of God. “Corinthians 6:19, and signifies that our bodies are sacred and should be treated with respect because the Holy Spirit dwells within believers. ” How we care for our physical and mental health to are important for glorifying God. Think about how you would take care of a rental car…you would do everything in your power to return that car back to it’s original owner in it’s original (or shape you received it) condition. So, just be mindful of what you take in.