PILOT:  MARY AND HEROD.  Told as an anthology series, the coming of Jesus will change the lives of 100 desperate commoners, including Mary, the young girl who will be his mother. When cruel King Herod hears whispers of the birth of a God-king who will end his rule, he begins a reign of terror that will test Mary's faith

SYNOPSIS:

TEASER: BC 19, Mary is 4 years old - SYRIAN PALACE: Some of Herod’s subjects complain about him to Caesar. Caesar sides with Herod so, to avoid being tortured to death for complaining, they commit suicide. MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: Little Mary giggles with her papa, Heli, then listens as her parents bemoan living in fear all the time under King Herod.

ACT ONE: BC 18, Mary is 5 years old - SANCTUARY TO GOD PAN: Herod goes to an out-of-the-way part of his kingdom to lay out plans to build a temple to the god Caesar. When one of his guards complains, Herod has him speared through and secretly orders the remainder of the guards who heard the complaint be imprisoned when they return to Jerusalem. MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: Little Mary asks why she can’t see her friends at the synagogue any more. Her mother, Sarah, explains Herod will not allow meetings of large groups because he is afraid people are planning his downfall. Innocent Mary replies, “Is he afraid of falling down?”. When Sarah adds that he has spies everywhere and even puts on a disguise like a mask to spy himself, Mary responds, “Can we have masks too?” ROME PALACE: Herod seeks Caesar’s permission to execute his two teen sons for trying to take over his throne. Caesar says no, “Give them a party.”

ACT TWO: BC 17, Mary is 6 years old – MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: Mary holds her baby sister and says she’s going to have children when she grows up and will never let anyone hurt them. Her grandpapa asks daughter, Sarah, why she named her Mary which means bitterness. Papa Heli complains that Herod wants to kill his own sons. Mary volunteers to go to Jerusalem and be a friend to Herod’s sons. As always, the answers are “You’re too young” and “We’re all helpless to do anything about Herod.” BC 9 – Mary is 14 years old - JERUSALEM: By night, Herod sneaks into David’s and Solomon’s tomb to steal their gold. Two soldiers catch fire and die. MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: This typical teen comes twirling into their courtyard after babysitting because “children are so much fun.” Papa Heli quizzes her about patrolling soldiers bothering her. “No one pays attention to someone like me.” A girlfriend comes by and tries to get Mary to join their protest march against Herod. Mary warns Judith, “We’re too young”. She recalls seeing Herod’s bright new temple in Jerusalem and suggests he might have turned nice. And besides, she met a young man when they were in Jerusalem last year. His name is Joseph.

ACT THREE: BC 8 – Mary is 15 years old – JERUSALEM PALACE: In the middle of the night, Herod meets with his advisers and tells them to get more spies to follow his two young sons and their friends. “Torture their friends to get confessions.” BC 7 – Mary is 16 years old - BEIRUT, JUPITER TEMPLE: Herod obeys Caesar by lining up a neutral jury. He again accuses his two sons. They defend themselves, are found guilty, then are strangled to death in his presence. When Caesar learns of it, he says, ”It is better to be Herod’s pig than his son.” MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: Mary is in another tither about heartless Herod. She goes to their roof to beat the dust out of family rugs. Suddenly, Joseph shows up in a funny encounter with her father and grandfather. When they call up to dust-covered Mary that Joseph has arrived from Bethlehem, she screams. Father Heli takes Joseph for a walk while the women clean up and Joseph proposes awkwardly. Heli shows him a run-down house for sale at the end of the street and carpenter Joseph buys it.

ACT FOUR: SEPHORUS: Heli, a mason, makes carpenter Joseph his young partner and they go see a house he is building. While there, a new wall falls on a nearby worker and Joseph single-handedly lifts ceiling beams and the wall off the injured man. Heli brags, “That’s my boy”. MARY’S NAZARETH HOME: The men arrive right after the rabbi and they have the big betrothing ceremony, bridal dress and all. Days later Mary studies plans for her big wedding. The family decides to go for a walk but Mary stays home, so father Heli warns her to bar the gate. Alone she goes up on the roof. ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARS dressed in street clothes and our feisty Mary threatens him. Here is her side of their conversation:

“How do you know my name?....You're not kidding me. Who are you? Just leave before I scream….Besides, how did you know I was getting married? Leave, or I’ll scream….I know God is with me all the time. He'll protect me from you unless you really are an angel. Which I doubt…. What kind of special way? Not that I believe you…. But a boy? How can you know that?....Jesus? My husband will be Joseph. I plan to name my first son Joseph….Great? How great?... No. This is some kind of dream. I’m having a big wedding and...Okay, I believe the prophets. But I do not believe you…. No. You’re not fooling me. Just who are you, anyway?... I’m watching you. And I still have the bat I clean rugs with. It’s in my hand. I’m pretty strong, you know…. I can count as well as you…. But I'm a virgin. How can I have the baby?... God’s Spirit? His Holy Spirit helped David write his psalms. He does other things too?...Celestial?... I am willing to do whatever God wants. Somehow I believe. Everything you said. It will come true. Finally it will come true…. Me, Lord? Me?”

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