Shondaland's Next Project Is Pretty Holy

I've never gone to a school that wasn't a Catholic school, so I pretty much spent my childhood in a state of religious confusion until I learned the difference between the Protestant, Catholic, and Christian religions. It's a long story, but I offer that as my reason for why I'm already so interested in the fact that Shondaland is developing a Brides of Christ drama that is almost exactly what it sounds like on the tin. For those who are still confused, Shondaland is the name of the production company that includes Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers — though Rhimes did found the company, she's not the only name on TV shows that are produced by it. The same is true of Brides of Christ, which is a drama about Catholic nuns that will be written by Alison Schapker and executive produced by Schapker, Rhimes, and Beers. Yes, Catholic nuns.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show "centers on a group of Catholic nuns fighting the closure of their Bronx-based convent who must suddenly deal with three young novices whose arrival unearths long-buried secrets. The ensemble drama will throw into question everything you think you know about the 'Brides of Christ.'" There might be some people out there who are dubious over whether or not nuns can bring good drama, but my Catholic school upbringing has me laughing in the face of such people. Pop culture offerings about nuns pretty much range from Sister Mary Eunice on American Horror Story to any nun in Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act, including Whoopi Goldberg herself, but dramas centered on such a rich culture are rare enough for me to be excited.

It's still up in the air as to whether the show will actually make it to series, but, considering it comes from Shondaland, I'd say the chances are pretty good. I'm rooting for it just for the sheer fact that it will be nice to see a different perspective on a classically overlooked and misunderstood community that does a lot for those around them despite often being understaffed and underfunded. Sure, the very nature of a drama means we're going to have some unlikable characters, as well as see characters make a lot of mistakes that make them unsympathetic, but, considering the two extreme poles of public perception of nuns mentioned above, humanizing them through an ongoing drama is a definite improvement.

Though scarce, the details we've received about the show so far are enough to get me excited. And, given Shondaland's penchant for releasing shows with strong female characters that are unafraid to tackle feminist issues, Brides of Christ is quite likely to end up becoming one of the hottest new dramas.

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