HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis episode
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis episode
- 60–79Watch with care
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
Worldview score
What the story celebrates or condemns.
Why +2 for this episode
The episode dramatises Luke 5, showing Jesus' power and grace meeting a desperate, compromised man and calling him to follow.
- +2Affirms faithThis episodePresents faith in God positively and as true
- +1Positive valuesHonesty, sacrifice and family win out
- 0Mixed or neutralNo clear stance
- −1AmbivalentShows sin without judging it either way
- −2Glamorises sinMakes sin look attractive and rewarding
Age guide
How suitable this episode is for each age group.
Why 8+ for this episode
Roman threats, night-time raids on fishermen and a bleak prison scene bring mild tension, though little violence is shown. Themes of debt, informing and deception are handled gently.
- Under 8With a parent
- Ages 8–12Yes
- Ages 13–15Yes
- Ages 16–17Yes
- AdultsYes
A warm, tense retelling of the miraculous catch of fish and the calling of the first disciples. Gentle enough for most of the family, with some Roman menace.
Watch guide
What's in it?
LanguageNo swearing
The dialogue contains no profanity. Simon speaks sharply under pressure, but without bad language.
BlasphemyNone
God's name is used only in prayer, teaching and sincere speech.
Sex and nudityNone
There is no sexual content in this episode.
RelationshipsLoving marriage
Simon's marriage to Eden is shown as close and supportive, with tension over his debts.
ViolenceThreats, little shown
Roman officials threaten Simon and his family, and soldiers raid fishermen at night. There is menace but little or no violence on screen.
Frightening scenesMild tension
Night-time scenes on the water and Roman threats create tension, and John the Baptist is shown in prison.
Drugs and alcoholNone
No notable drinking or drug use.
AttitudesBetrayal, challenged
Simon has been informing to the Romans to pay his debts, and he deceives them to protect fellow Jews. Matthew collaborates with Rome as a tax collector. The story treats these compromises as burdens that grace answers.
OccultNone
There is no occult content. The miraculous catch of fish is a Gospel miracle shown reverently as the work of Jesus, not as magic or false spirituality.
- To knowContent to know about
- DiscussWorth discussing
- Early
Deception under pressure
Simon misleads Roman soldiers at the lake to protect fellow Jews, and a Roman official grows suspicious of him.
- Early
Threats and tension
Roman officials threaten Simon over his debts, and soldiers move against fishermen at night. Menace is strong but little violence is shown.
- Mid
Desperation and debt
Simon spends a tense night fishing, desperate to clear his debts, and catches nothing.
- Late
Miracle and calling
Jesus teaches the crowd from Simon's boat, and a miraculous catch of fish follows.
- Late
Faith and calling
Simon, overwhelmed, surrenders himself to Jesus, who calls him, Andrew, James and John to follow.
- Late
Imprisonment
Nicodemus visits John the Baptist in prison to ask about miracles. The prison setting is bleak but nothing graphic is shown.
How to play
- 1. Draw a cardOne person reads the question out loud.
- 2. Everyone answersThere are no wrong answers. Listen before you reply.
- 3. Pass it onThe next person draws, until the deck is done.
Faith & story
What does it say?
What's it about?The plot, without the ending
Simon is out of time. Roman pressure is growing, his debts are unpaid, and his family is at risk. He plans one last night of fishing to put things right. Andrew, newly returned from the Jordan, brings word of a teacher he believes is the Messiah, and Simon has little patience for it.
Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible
This episode dramatises the calling of the first disciples, and it mirrors Luke 5. Simon toils all night and catches nothing, then obeys a word that makes no sense to a fisherman, and the nets fill. Like Peter in the Gospel, he does not boast but falls before Jesus, aware of his own unworthiness. Jesus answers with a calling, not a rebuke. Simon's debts and his compromises with Rome show a man who cannot rescue himself by effort, and the story sets that beside grace that comes unearned. Jesus said he came to call sinners, not the righteous. Matthew, watching as a collaborator himself, is a reminder that this invitation reaches the compromised too. Andrew's eager testimony echoes John's Gospel, where he first brings his brother to Jesus. Jesus also teaches that the kingdom grows from small beginnings, as in the parables he tells from the boat. The episode invites viewers to ask what they are holding on to, and whether they would trust Jesus' word when experience says otherwise.
Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?
7 out of 9 fruits ripe in this episode
Ripe grapes are shown in the episode, buds are missing
- Patience
- Self-control
Jesus shows love and gentleness when he meets weary fishermen and asks to teach from their boat, and kindness when he meets Simon's failure with a calling, not a rebuke. Goodness appears in Simon, who deceives the Romans to shield fellow Jews at personal risk. Andrew shows faithfulness in his loyalty to his brother and joy in his eager news of the Messiah. Peace comes as Simon, once desperate, kneels before Jesus. A trace of jealousy shows in the Pharisees' unease over the Baptizer's growing following.
The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
Simon PeterShahar IsaacA proud, worn-down fisherman with heavy debts and Roman informing on his conscience. He is practical and sceptical, and he faces a moment that overturns his sense of what he deserves.
Jesus of NazarethJonathan RoumieThe teacher Andrew has found. He speaks with calm authority and gentle warmth, and he calls ordinary working men to follow him.
AndrewNoah JamesSimon's younger brother. He has spent time with John the Baptist and returns excited, trying to convince Simon to listen.
MatthewParas PatelA tax collector working for Rome. He is sent to watch Simon and ends up witnessing something he cannot explain.
NicodemusErick AvariA thoughtful Pharisee who is curious about the Baptizer and seeks answers about miracles.
How Christians are portrayed
Faith is portrayed warmly and reverently, with Jesus as compassionate and authoritative and the fishermen as ordinary, flawed people who respond. The religious leaders appear as curious and cautious, not simply as villains, and the episode treats belief as something that grows through encounter and doubt.
Community
What other Christians think
What did you notice?
Strong language (the f-word or similar)?
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Review
Helpful reviewer
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Given to members whose reviews 25 or more people have marked Helpful.
It rewards reviews that help other families decide, not how many someone writes. It's a sign others have found their reviews thoughtful, not a verdict on anyone's faith.
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Details
Episode details
- Cast
- Erick Avari, Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish
- First aired
- Apr 21, 2019
- Created by
- Dallas Jenkins
- Networks
- Prime Video, VidAngel, Angel
- Genre
- Action & Adventure, Family, Drama
- Episode length
- 47m
- Age rating
- US TV-PG · UK 12
How we analysed this
We gathered the episode's summary, its reception and facts about the series that independent sources agree on, then rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: medium.
Score = 100 − 16 × content concern (1.14) + 8 × worldview (+2) = 98
This is a guide to help families choose with wisdom, not a verdict on anyone's conscience ().
Updated 2026-10-14