"...it is very rare to see a character on TV with religious beliefs
who *isn't* a fanatic."

Excuse me while I reach for my baseball bat. You've just struck a
nerve.

That is the biggest line of crap in the world, perpetuated by the
religious right and parrotted all over the place as though it were true,
and it's not. The television landscape, past and present, is *littered*
with religious-type people who are sympathetically portrayed. I don't
have my volume of TOTAL TELEVISION with me at the moment, but just off
the top of my head...there were bunches of prayerful folks in "Little
House on the Prarie," in "Father Murphy," in the "Father Dowling"
mysteries, in "Helltown"...not to mention the many, MANY times they
appear in dramatic series (we had about 5 sympathetic priest/reverend
characters per season in "Murder, She Wrote").

One can *say* that it is rare, but saying it doesn't make it so.
There have been religious people as stars of shows (I left out "Dr.
Quinn" with guest stars of this nature) and guest stars of shows, as
recurring characters and regular characters, in dramas and sitcoms....

Now: I've just named you a whole bunch of series, and once I get to
my library can name you a lot more. I for one would very much appreciate
it if you could name one -- just ONE -- series with an atheist as the
lead character. An avowed atheist, just as Father Dowling is an avowed
priest.

(Oh, yeah, and let's not forget the practicing catholics, protestants
and jews portrayed in "Picket Fences.")

Your serve.

jms