NBC has canceled "The Book of Daniel," about a troubled Episcopalian priest and his family, but not because it had a gay character (one of Daniel's sons). Religious conservatives were successful in mau-mauing advertisers to flee because of far more controversial plot elements. Foremost among these: Daniel's conversations with Jesus, who gently encourages him to do the right thing ("now would be a good time to stop," he tells Daniel, who is addicted to prescription pills). This wasn't the judgmental storm trooper that fundamentalists like to envision. And so one of TV's rare attempts to deal with spirituality in everyday life, as lived by imperfect men and woman, bites the dust.
More: Some interesting comments, many arguing
the show was poorly conceived and quite rightly pulled-and that
social conservative activists had little to do with its
demise.