The biblical saga "Of Kings and Prophets" has just been pulled by ABC Network from its Fall schedule, and a major casting change and reboot has been set for the series.
According to Deadline, "Of Kings and Prophets" has received mixed reviews, prompting ABC, which originally had big plans for the costume drama, to cut it down from 13 to just 10 episodes, as well as recast the role of Joab, who was played in the pilot by Tomer Kapon.
Another possible role change concerns Merav, who is played by Alex McGregor. It remains uncertain whether or not the show will be cancelled or simply postponed due to its weak ratings.
The show is actually based on the biblical book of Samuel, and follows the life of Saul, the King of Israel, his family, and political rivals. It is set in Israel but filmed in Cape Town, South Africa. It stars Ray Winstone as Saul; Simone Kessell as Anohim, his queen and wife; Haaz Sleiman as Jonathan; Oliver Rix as David, the second king of Israel; James Floyd as Ish-bosheth, the younger son of Saul and Anohim; Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Michal, the daughter of Saul; and Mohammad Bakri as Samuel.
"Of Kings and Country" has actually been deemed by Crosswalk as one of the five new shows Christians should be aware of. They said it "could be good or bad for Christians, depending on how faithful it is to scripture. The story of David is ripe with adventure and lessons about God's love, but it wouldn't be the first time pop-culture has played fast and loose with the Bible. At the very least, the show deserves our scrutiny."
The list also includes "Lucifer," "The Real O'Neals," "Angel from Hell," and "The Muppets."
Meanwhile, another ABC drama called "Quantico" has received far better ratings than "Of Kings and Prophets" and will be moved to a better timeslot from Tuesday 10 p.m. to Sunday 10 p.m., joining other popular shows such as "Once Upon a Time" and "Blood & Oil."
