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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this reality series addresses the potentially sensitive topic of religion, with some bias toward or against certain religions. Jay Bakker (the son of '70s and '80s TV evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker) mentions having a difficult time with religion as he was growing up, and he's now creating his own religion, which bucks some of the conventions of Christianity. This may upset viewers who have an unquestioning faith. It may prompt others to think about what they do or don't believe in.

Families can talk about faith and religion and what it means to them. If you go to church or another place of worship, do you enjoy what you learn there? Is there anything about your religion that you question or that makes you uncomfortable? How do you handle that? What do you think of the religion that Jay has created? Is religion a good topic for a TV show? Why or why not? Do you think Jay would have a TV show if his parents weren't Jim and Tammy Faye?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Larisa Wiseman

The engaging reality series ONE PUNK UNDER GOD documents the efforts of 31-year-old Jay Bakker -- son of former televangelists/PTL Club hosts Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker -- as he tries to generate interest in, and funding for, a new religion he's created called the Revolution.

Lest anyone think Jay is trying to follow in the footsteps of his famous (or, some may say, infamous) parents, he's quick to point out that in starting the Revolution, he's out to do his own thing and is willing to accept that not everyone will find his brand of religion palatable. He readily admits that "for some groups, we're too Christian, and for Christians, we're not Christian enough." He also confesses that he had a difficult time with religion while he was growing up.

Jay's followers congregate in, of all places, a bar, and he receives financial support for his undertaking from his friend Stu, a father-figure type who owns an auto body shop. Ironically, many of Stu's beliefs -- religious and political -- are opposite of what Jay stands for, and the older man often jokes that he's not quite sure why he's helping Jay; it's clear, however, that the two have a soft spot for each other. Jay's wife, Amanda, on the other hand, says in her interviews that she has no involvement whatsoever in Jay's mission but that she does give him her full moral support.

On first impression, with his heavily tattooed arms, pierced lip, and black T-shirts, Jay comes across as a typical punk. But as the camera follows him around, viewers see that there's a down-to-earth, sensitive soul behind the rebellious facade. "All I want to do is love people," he says in reference to his preaching. Several times, when he's talking – to the camera, to his wife, or to a gathering of followers -- about his faltering relationship with his father, it's touching to see his emotions well up to the surface.

During a visit to the defunct and dilapidated Heritage USA -- a sort of Christian Disneyland built by the Bakkers in the 1980s -- Jay recalls fond moments from his childhood. It's a bittersweet pilgrimage that brings out Jay's conflicted emotions, reinforcing the fact that he's had to overcome many hurdles (in particular, the sex scandal that triggered his father's fall from grace) and that creating the Revolution represents a major transition time in his life.

While today's teens may not know much about the Bakker saga, they'll probably be able to relate to Jay's story in many ways -- feeling confined as a child (in his case, by the rigid structure of religion), wanting to express himself in his own unique way and make his own mark in the world, and wanting to mend relationships with a parent but not knowing how. Jay's honest, straightforward manner draws viewers in as he embarks on his emotional and spiritual journey.

Another good reality series that documents journeys of self-discovery is Roadtrip Nation. For a darkly comic take on a young person's re-examination of their religion, consider the movie Saved! And for more on the Bakkers, older teens might be interested in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content There's some mention of Jim Bakker's infidelity ("he had sex with a woman he shouldn't have had sex with").
Violence
Language
Message
	Social Behavior Jay's message is that he wants people to feel loved and embraced for who they are. But there is some bias toward or against certain religions.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Jay's followers congregate in a bar.

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