Pro-Christian Fantasy Series Dominates Streaming, Creator Cites Underserved Audience

A fantasy series adapted from a New York Times bestselling book, "The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of Merlin," has unexpectedly climbed to the top of streaming charts in the United States and Europe, bypassing mainstream media reviews and industry recognition.

As of Wednesday, the seven-episode series ranked as the second most-watched show on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S., surpassed only by the thriller "Reacher." The series, set before the era of King Arthur, portrays Merlin as a Christian prophet who reemerges in post-Roman Britain to unite fractured kingdoms against Saxon invaders.

Jeremy Boreing, creator and director of the series and co-founder of The Daily Wire, stated in an interview that he believes the show appeals to an audience seeking content that "celebrates, not demeans, the foundational narrative of Western culture." He described the series as being for "anyone who loves great fantasy, who loves historical fiction and likes stories that are imbued with hope and traditional values like duty and inheritance." Boreing clarified that the show is not intended to be polemical or exclusively for conservatives or Christians.

Boreing suggested that the apparent lack of coverage from major media outlets is a deliberate strategy. He recalled The Daily Wire's early success on Facebook, where criticism from outlets like The New York Times, he contended, only served to increase its visibility. "They learned that a far better tool in their arsenal is to ignore us than to try to meet us on the battlefield," Boreing said. "If they ignore us, that's a way of shutting us out of the conversation."

Despite a reported absence of legacy media reviews and limited paid advertising, "The Pendragon Cycle" has seen growing viewership, which Boreing attributes to strong word-of-mouth, opportune timing, and "divine intervention." He noted that the show offers an optimistic vision of civilization and history, contrasting with what he described as the "nihilistic fantasy shows over the last 20 years."

Released in January on the subscription service DailyWire+, the series initially struggled to gain traction. Its breakthrough came with its July debut in the UK on Prime Video, an event Boreing reportedly learned about from the author of the novels, Stephen Lawhead. Boreing, who stepped down as co-CEO of The Daily Wire in March, spent three decades aiming to adapt Lawhead's series, ultimately founding his own media company to achieve this vision.

Boreing also commented on internal cultural debates, characterizing a rift within the American right. He positioned himself as being in opposition to perspectives he attributed to Tucker Carlson, stating, "I am actively attempting to advance the other side of that battle." Boreing asserted that his vision promotes a proud history and heritage, emphasizing human agency and the pursuit of goodness, in contrast to what he described as the "politics of nihilism, anger and despair."

Regarding the series' future, Boreing acknowledged that its continued success is now in the hands of the audience and The Daily Wire, as he no longer leads the company that produced it.