The September 4 episode of TBS’s People of Earth “Bee Kind,” revisited their sacrilegious storyline of a Catholic priest having an affair with a married woman, and this time, they took the story to even more offensive heights.
People of Earth is a comedy about a support group of people who have been abducted by aliens, and the aliens who abducted them. Chelsea (Tracee Chimo) is a married woman in the support group and Father Doug (Oscar Nunez) is a Catholic priest and fellow group member. The two have been having an affair since last season and this season, they decide that if they are continue their relationship, they have to do it “the right way,” as if that’s even possible.
Apparently the “right way” is for Father Doug to serve as a marriage counselor to Chelsea and her husband John and steer them towards divorce:
John: The fact that Chelsea was even willing to do this gives me hope. And I know that, with your help, we can get our marriage back on track.
Father Doug: It's always good to have hope, John. But have you thought about how healthy... A divorce might be?
John: Divorce? We didn't come here to talk about divorce.
Father Doug: I would be doing you a disservice as a marriage counselor if I wasn't willing to discuss all possible options.
John: I don't think we should talk about in our first session.
Chelsea: Well, Doug is the counselor, honey, right? So, let's let him counsel.
John: But... You are the only good thing in my life, Chelsea.
Father Doug: Why don't we try imagining life without Chelsea.
Chelsea: Just imagine -- imagine doing whatever -- whatever it is that gives you joy, without me coming home and nagging you.
Father Doug: "Pick up those socks! Take a bath!"
Yes, because a priest would talk about divorce as an option when the Catholic Church doesn’t even recognize divorce. Makes total sense!
Just in case you weren’t offended enough in the first scene, of course there must be a scene in the sacred confessional, too.
Soon after, Chelsea visits Father Doug in the confessional and apologizes, saying that going to him for counseling was John’s idea and that she didn’t want to be suspicious by saying no. When Chelsea reveals that she is leaning towards divorce, Father Doug continues giving her very un-priestly advice in this exchange:
Father Doug: I have to say, Chelsea, he seems sincere about reconciling.
Chelsea: I know. He's doing these -- these different things in bed, as well. He's trying –
Father Doug: No.
Chelsea: Okay. You know what? Forget it.
Father Doug: Okay. I just –
Chelsea: I think that it's too little too late, Doug, really, I do. I'm sorry, but I'm just gonna rip this marriage off like a band-aid. I think it's for the best, right? Doug!
Father Doug: I'm nodding. Yes. I forgot you can't see me. I'm nodding. I agree, I agree.
Chelsea later calls Father Doug to tell him that she informed John that she wants a divorce. When Father Doug asks how John took the news, Chelsea says, “Not very well,” and that “he mentioned something about maybe kicking your ass.”
Father Doug panics and tries to clear out the church before John arrives, but before he can get everyone out, John arrives in a fury:
Father Doug: Everyone? So sorry. Rehearsals are cancelled, please. Please, practice at home. Thank you. Thank you, Linda. Thank you, all. Rehearse at home. Exit, please. Please exit, thank you.
John: Can I, uh -- Can I have a word with you, Father?
Father Doug: Oh, no. Um... This is a sacred area! You're not allowed up here.
John: My wife was a sacred area.
Father Doug: You -- Oh! Okay. Ohh! Oy, my Bobby!
Chelsea: John, stop it! He's a priest!
John: He's a wife-stealer!
Chelsea: No, John, stop it! Fighting Doug won't solve anything! I don't love you anymore! I love Doug!
John: You love him?
Chelsea: Yeah.
Father Doug: I love you, too, Chelsea.
Chelsea: Oh. John, I'm sorry. Our marriage is over. It has been for a...
John: A l-l-long while. I know. I know it is. I cheated on you again. With a lady at a gas station. Oh. I have a problem.
Aww, those two silly love birds! How romantic! Declaring their declaration of love for each other on the altar, of all places, after he just flat-out said it was a sacred area. I always love a little blasphemy with my love stories!
And of course, the writers made John a habitual cheater so that we can all feel good about the destruction of their marriage and the affair between Chelsea and Father Doug. Because, come on! John’s a cheater anyway, so what does it matter, right? Don’t you feel better about it all now? /sarcasm
And if you had any bad feelings about Father Doug dishonoring the vows he made to God and the Catholic Church, the writers threw in one last feel-better, justification scene for him, too:
Doug: Taking a new path can be scary. But we must not be afraid to do that that is right -- even if no one agrees with you, even if it's hard -- especially if it's hard. You meet someone who, uh, changes your life in a way you never expected. I've met that someone. And I'm going to walk down a new path with her. Today is my last homily. From -- From today on, I will no longer be Father Doug... ...But just Doug.
Oh, yes! What a great message! A priest breaking his vows and leaving the Church - literally taking off the collar and stepping off the pulpit - for a married woman is “doing right.” (And if you hadn't noticed this subtle brainwashing, the writers really make a point of using the word "right" as often as possible to refer to this extremely wrong storyline.)
And if no one agrees with you, because they know that it’s wrong, and it’s hard, because you know deep down that you are letting down God, your church, and yourself, well, then that’s a sign that you should especially continue with your sacrilegious act.
Sounds like typical leftist logic. The kind that no real priest would ever go along with if he truly meant his vows to God and the church. But if the Hollywood left can make it appear that religious leaders are just hypocrites while also spreading a message of “do whatever you want despite wise counsel and the difficulty that comes from breaking your promise,” then they get to kill two moral birds with one liberal stone.
It's interesting as well that the writers chose three extremely sacred spaces/places for these three highly offensive scenes to take place- a Christian marriage counseling session, a confessional and an altar. Is nothing sacred to the Hollywood left anymore? Oh wait..none of it was ever sacred to them to begin with.
It’s terribly cliché to attack Christians and Christianity in such a way, but the Hollywood left never seems to care about displaying true talent. Their political and moral agendas will always trump creativity and brilliance, and this storyline is a perfect example.
