A new television series introduces viewers to modern versions of Israel's great kings, thanks to Jewish writer and producer Michael Green, who is also technically an Israeli citizen. The series premiered on the United States television network NBC on March 8th.
Inspired by a walk that Green took through Israel's capital city of Jerusalem in 2006, the biblical drama "Kings" features David (David Shepherd), King Saul (Silas Benjamin, a reference to Saul's membership in the tribe of Benjamin), Jonathan (the king's son, Jack), Michal (the king's daughter, Michelle), and the Prophet Samuel (Reverend Ephraim Samuels).
Set in the modern day, the premier episode places Silas as King of Gilboa, living with the royal family in the capital city of Shilo (which was in fact capital of Israel prior to the rule of the real King David). At war with the neighboring nation of Gath, King Silas sends David to free Jack, who is kidnapped by the enemy nation in a manner similar to that of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, abducted by Hamas terrorists in June 2006.
Following his defeat of Gath's Goliath, David becomes a media celebrity. An introduction to Silas's daughter Michelle, leads the two to begin to fall in love (in the biblical account, Michal disobeys her father, King Saul, in order to save David, who subsequently takes her as his wife).
Green, a New Yorker, hopes the show will ultimately play in Israel and other countries. His mother is a Tel Aviv native, with much of her family remaining in Israel.