Sumith Prasad
In Apple TV+’s crime drama series ‘Bad Monkey,’ Caitlin is a recovering addict associated with Eternal Witness Fellowship, a megachurch in Florida. Along with her boyfriend, she tries to get better by participating in the activities of the religious establishment. Since she gets involved in the mystery behind the death of her father, Nick Stripling, the church becomes an integral setting of the narrative. In reality, Florida is home to various megachurches, which have unignorable presences throughout the state. However, when it comes to Eternal Witness Fellowship, we won’t be able to find an exact counterpart to it!
Eternal Witness Fellowship Helps Establish Florida as a Character in Bad Monkey
Eternal Witness Fellowship is a fictional megachurch in Florida. There are several churches with similar names located throughout the state. Some of them include Eternal Redeemer Fellowship in Middleburg, Eternal Hope Church of God in Jasper, and Faith Fellowship Church in Melbourne. However, none of these churches are related to Eternal Witness Fellowship. The religious establishment is also not part of the narrative of Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel ‘Bad Monkey,’ which serves as the source material of the black comedy series. The megachurch was created by Bill Lawrence and his team of writers to seemingly establish the narrative’s setting and enhance Caitlin’s storyline.
In the crime drama, Florida is nothing but a main character. The show uses several elements and places to establish the setting, including crab shacks, crocodile-filled swamps, and captivating beaches. The megachurch is another element Lawrence and fellow writers rely on to establish the way of life in the region. The Sunshine State is one of the states with the largest number of megachurches in the country. While Texas leads the list with nineteen, Florida is home to eleven, despite the Lone Star State being nearly four times larger than the latter in terms of area. This statistic proves how integral megachurches are for Floridians.
Some of the prominent megachurches in Florida include Christ Fellowship, which boasts a combined weekly attendance of over 28,000 in eleven locations. Founded by Dr. Tom and Donna Mullins in 1984, it is based in Palm Beach Gardens. Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale and its ten regional campuses cater to over 25,000 Floridians every week, making it another prominent religious institution in the state. Bethel Church is not only the oldest Baptist congregation in Jacksonville but also one of the religious establishments on the National Register of Historic Places. The church is home to 12,000 believers every week.
Eternal Witness Fellowship is also used to explore the recovery of Caitlin, who was estranged from her family due to her drug addiction. Her father, Nick, did not even talk to her for around a year because of her unacceptable way of life. Her affiliation with the religious institution stresses her attempts to leave her past behind and become a drug-free individual. Since churches are known for their rehabilitation efforts and centers worldwide, placing her in a megachurch makes sense.
Read More: Bad Monkey: Is the Apple TV+ Show Inspired by a True Story?
