A THOUSAND TOMORROWS: Episodes 1.4-6

Name: A THOUSAND TOMORROWS: Episodes 1.4-6
Item: A THOUSAND TOMORROWS: Episodes 1.4-6
Author: Lillie Jaenchen

"Trusting God’s Plan"

Family Content: +1 Moderately questionable elements. (Discernment required for young children.)

Entertainment Quality:

	None	Light	Moderate	Heavy
Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

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What You Need To Know:

In A THOUSAND TOMORROWS: Episodes 4-6, streaming on Great American Pure Flix, Cody, a rodeo star, and Ali, a champion barrel rider, grow closer and get married. They learn to trust that God holds their future in His hands. Cody discovers Ali will die unless she has lung transplant to help her cystic fibrosis. So, Cody and her father volunteer to be her donors. Cody learns more about God and forgiveness, and reconciles with his father. Ali’s illness returns, but she competes another season on the rodeo circuit, despite Cody’s concern.

Intense rodeo scenes, sweeping landscapes and poignant performances in A THOUSAND TOMORROWS make an exciting, heartfelt ride. However, the rodeo scenes sometimes seem repetitious in the final episodes. That said, A THOUSAND TOMORROWS has a strong Christian, moral worldview. Characters read Bibles, pray for one another, attend church, and reject ungodly actions. The episodes also celebrate godly romantic relationships and traditional marriage. Also, themes of forgiveness, self-sacrifice, sacrificial love, hard work, kindness, redemption, and hope permeate the story. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children because of scenes involving terminal illness, hospitals and death.

Content:

(CCC, BBB, V, S, AA, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Very strong Christian, moral worldview, where characters read their Bibles, pray for one another, attend a church service, celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, and choose to trust God rather than succumb to fear, also celebrates traditional marriage and promotes themes of forgiveness, self-sacrifice, sacrificial love, hard work, kindness, redemption, and hope;

Foul Language:

No obscenities or profanities;

Violence:

A man throws things at his family, one scene shows a mother hitting her daughter on her back to help her through a coughing attack, and rodeo action scenes show bull riders being thrown off bulls;

Sex:

No illicit sex, but a married couple passionately kiss a few times, one time on their bed;

Nudity:

No nudity;

Alcohol Use:

A man is very drunk in one scene;

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

No smoking or drug use; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

A character lies about going to a doctor’s appointment but later confesses.

More Detail:

A THOUSAND TOMORROWS: Episodes 4-6 follows Cody, a rodeo star, and Ali, a barrel riding champ, as they grow in their relationship, marry and confront the reality of Ali’s illness. Intense rodeo scenes, sweeping landscapes and moving, purposeful acting in A THOUSAND TOMORROWS conclude a touching love story revolving around a strong Christian, moral worldview.

Episode 4 begins with a flashback to Ali and her sister as children. Both girls suffer from cystic fibrosis and cannot leave the house. However, as they watch their neighbor ride her horse, they disobey their parents and go outside. The episode jumps forward to present day at the rodeo championship in Las Vegas. Cody and Ali have started dating, but Ali’s mom is unsure if they should be together. Ali attends the cowboy church service, and after the service, Cody decides to talk to Ali’s mom that evening. During their conversation, Cody reveals that he has left his past behind to pursue Ali. Later, Cody and Ali talk about why he’s angry. He reveals his bitterness that his father left their family, claiming that anger has made him successful. The championship competition occurs the next day, and Ali has a cough attack in the middle of her ride, costing her a barrel racing win. She invites Cody to spend Christmas with her family. Meanwhile, Ali’s doctor reveals that she needs a lung transplant.

Episode 5 begins with a flashback to Christmas at the Gunner home when Cody was young. After he, his mother and brother start decorating the tree, his father shows up drunk and violently throws decorations around. The episode jumps forward to Christmas at the Daniels’ ranch. Ali and Cody talk about the meaning of Christmas, and she reads the Christmas story from Luke 2. She tells Cody that her relationship with Jesus gives her peace. Later, Cody finally talks to his dad, who apologizes for leaving. After Ali’s violent cystic fibrosis attack, Cody tells her father that he is still fully committed to their relationship and wants to marry her. Her dad reveals she is dying and tells him she needs a lung transplant. He decides to donate his lung and proposes to her. Before the surgery, Ali’s father tells Cody the story of Jesus calming the storm, and Cody’s dad comes to see him. The surgery is successful, and Ali and Cody marry.

In Episode 6, Ali reveals that she wants to return to the rodeo circuit. Cody tries to discourage her because he is concerned about her condition. However, her dad reminds him of Proverbs 3, and Cody reads the Bible for the first time. Ali goes back on the circuit, but as her lungs show signs of cystic fibrosis again, her doctor says she will only live for three more years. However, she doesn’t want the disease to control her and finishes the season. Eventually, the worst happens, and Cody must face life without her, eventually finding peace and joy again.

Intense rodeo scenes, sweeping landscapes and moving, purposeful acting in A THOUSAND TOMORROWS make for an exciting, heartfelt ride. Some of the rodeo sequences could have been condensed because they begin to feel repetitive, but the plot is generally engaging, and each character develops in ways that draw viewers into the story.

A THOUSAND TOMORROWS is based on a novel by Karen Kingsbury. Episodes 4 to 6 have a strong Christian, moral worldview where characters read their Bibles, pray for one another and attend a church service. The episodes also celebrate God-centered romantic relationships, traditional marriage and the true meaning of Christmas, with themes of forgiveness, hard work, kindness, redemption, and hope permeating the story. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for younger children because of scenes involving terminal illness, hospitals and death.