I think it's less about preaching and more about viewership and the market. Markets go through fluctuations. Television producers want to sell ads or subscriptions, which requires viewership. Producers create content they believe will draw in viewers. TV shows that don't perform get axed.

There had been a slowdown in the religious market over the previous decade, but lately it is surging again, as you noted. That would indicate the market for it has returned, or at least producers believe it has.

I am skeptical of some of the arguments I'm seeing here. I don't buy into the "TV in cahoots with churches" argument or any of the other conspiracies. There's no solid evidence that I can see for that kind of conclusion. Correlation is not causation. Television is about entertainment, which is about viewership, which sells ads, which is about money. As with anything, you get more truth when you follow the money.

It does appear that the media is in league with the churches and is always pushing the religious agenda.

Even Queer Eye on Netflix, they mention god. And their show is “preaching” inclusion no matter who you are.

I think that TV has gotten preachy. It's not all bad as it cuts down on the amount of TV I watch.

I do not watch Netflix, nor much TV, at all. But, I have noticed that on the nightly news on the ABC station I get, a cross is subtly built into the backdrop. A show like "God Friended Me," which I have not looked at, sounds like it literally drips with religious BS!

Netflix "low hanging" anti-christian shows... "Sabrina" & "Lucifer"

entertaining, easy watches...

unless you don't like cannibalism in church, but hey, that's what Christians in real life do (at least symbolically).

Highway to Heaven was the worst, IMO. Have you watched Mindhunter yet? Good look into the founding of the FBI behavioral analysis unit.
If you like silly, juvenile humor, season on of American Vandal is hilarious.

I have not watched network TV or network series in years as I prefer streaming movies and documentaries. I HAVE wished for an indicator of religious content, though, as I get pretty aggravated when a movie with NO mention of religious topics tries to shove a christian message down my throat. A cross symbol or such in the description could work.

Isn't this preachiness expected w 45's appointees etc pushing through media mergers and buyouts that favor his voting base, esp the fundies? I figured that's why it's getting so prevalent and obnoxious.

Right now, the right wingers and bible belters have the mic... or..."the mandate" as it is sometimes called. As you find some shows based in the bible belt as preachy, others are normalizing religion in a tongue and cheek way, like "the good place", yet, are still overtly religious. Anyway...I wonder if religious pop tv themes show up about 3 yrs into a republican's term, esp if it might turn into 2 terms... sure seems like "highway to heaven" was during the reagan years.

Yes!

Just like the cigarette and liquor commercials have returned!

Every movie and TV show now has smokers!!!

Those old westerns were always morality tales "A mans got to do...".
Netflix has a few you might like. "The Good Place" has just finished as has "Frankie and Grace", and "Sex Education". Also "Peaky Blinders" if it`s not too violent for you. I am told by my female friends that the star Cillian Murphy knocks Rob Lowe into a cocked hat in the eye candy stakes. Even eclipsing Tom Hardy who, to be honest dresses down for his role in it.
Look out for some BBC shows that might come your way soon. "Dracula" and a new version of "War of the worlds"

What bothers me is that the religion or lack of religion appears to have more to do with viewership than the creators writing what they want to tell a story. It is all about viewership and demographics, in other words the dollar dictates how the stories are written.

Animal Planet roars!

It all stands out to me. The preachiness is trying to sell to a market. Everything today is Reality TV and we know this has nothing to do with reality. This trend is why films like "God Is Not Dead" have made the movies. Some people eat this stuff up. Media today is in the "reality" market and that is sad.

I watch TV shows like "Batwoman" for example because her lesbian character is not having numerous affairs all over the screen, so I can accept it that Batwoman is a lesbian. This does not bother me. It would if she was also some super religious freak at the same time.

I do make fun of TV shows often and "Chicago PD" is one. I'm sure it is a good show but in jest I write sometimes that I am watching "Chcago Petey" re-runs.

Have you seen ‘You’ on Netflix. Superb storyline and excellent dialogue. It’s a tense psychodrama.

Totally off all tv drama these days.

They are blind to all that, it is their normal.

I don't watch much TV, and likely define that differently than you are using the term. TV to me means broadcast, advertisement driven TV.

I have avoided that most of my life, it irritates me that I have someone hawking BS in my face in my home.

I enjoy films, and all through Video to CD was a collector. No I stream most content, and that includes some series content, usually two seasons after people said it was good, I do not follow trends and am not member of the club of celebrity, I do not follow them. If one does something well enough I recall who they are, I never know suat about their personal lives.

I recall that epoch of TV, late seventies, early eighties . .
I was more likely listening to this . . .

Huh.....from the early 60 's.... The Beaver aka "Beaver Cleaver"

I avoided them , have Netflix, Disney, CBS all access, Amazon prime

The xians are NEVER satisfied with religious TV when they KNOW jews own it all ... they hate Mormon TV, 7thDay Adventist and catholic TV because the cults are not xian ...... Rrrruussshhah dingy Crazy GREEDY LIMPboss radio cult liar dittohead is loved by TrumpOLINI and bigots of all stripes .....same with NFL players ....all are loved for their choreographed violence on the field and geebush jeehobah ghostholes off the field.....Amerikkkans want to kill as many Muslims and Buddhists as possible no matter going bankrupt 22 trillion$ borrowed since ReaGUN 1982 killing Iranians Afghans Iraqis Yemeni Libyans ....its not going to end until people BOYCOTT DIVEST SANCTION illegal wars everywhere from Peru to Palestine....Star Trek started out non-religious and the xian Trekkies fought back until they got the bible translated into Klingonese.....a fiction book into a 100% fiction language BELIEVED infallible and perfect.....preachers preach popes rape children and religion can only be stopped by Atheists shaming believers into reality UNlike the xians who murdered Zeus and Apollo believers

That's why I don't have a telly at home.

Yes, I noticed! The price went up and the quality disappeared! I'm not a conspiracy theorist but using the Ukraine fiasco as an example: could not the FCC threaten license renewal if censorship was not the "new great achievement"? Check out song lyrics if you want to be alarmed. John Lennon's imagine has the phrase "imagine no religion" "missing'"! Bruce Springsteen: .."fast ball past you, make you look like a damn fool"' "damn fool" replaced by "water boy" which doesn't even fit lyrically. This is not a clown show ruining our country......VOTE

I see why I don't have the same impressions as yours...I don't watch the same stuff as you. First off, NO tv except for occasional news (I skip around and watch a little of everything except Fox). I've had a lot of good experience with Netflix, but didn't watch any of the things you mentioned.

Rob Lowe?!?