Second Coming

Actor Christopher Eccleston (28 Days Later) is superb as a modern-day messiah in this captivating drama written by Russell T. Davies, author of the original British Queer as Folk series and the lovely Bob and Rose. Eccleston plays Steve Baxter, a mild-mannered, Manchester pub-crawler called one night to his true destiny as the second Son of God. After a couple of convincing miracles, the world looks to Steve for guidance, but he gives mixed signals: on one hand, he calls for a Third Testament to establish a foundation for living in the modern age; on the other, he predicts an imminent Judgment Day. The confusion causes mass mayhem, and Steve's disciples, especially an almost-but-not-quite love of his life (Lesley Sharp), try to make sense of the conflict while preventing devils, in human form, from undermining his mission. Ultimately, Davies's story concerns profound questions about human freedom and choice. --Tom Keogh