Third season of ‘Vindication’ set to begin streaming Sept. 1
By Jane Rodgers/Southern Baptist TEXAN
BURLESON, Texas (BP) – Jarod O’Flaherty, producer, writer, and director of the faith-based crime drama “Vindication,” understands cliffhanger endings. Fans of the PureFlix original series have awaited the premiere of the eight-episode third season since 2021, when season 2 ended with a shocking finale placing the fates of several main characters in jeopardy.
Vindication fans won’t have to wait much longer.
The first two episodes of season 3 are set to premiere on PureFlix Sept. 1. Episodes will be released every Friday through the end of the season.
The series is a production of Retta Baptist Church of Burleson. Throughout the first three seasons, church members have appeared as extras, served on crews, provided locations for filming, and otherwise been integrally involved.
“We’ve used almost everyone in our church. We have to wait for new members to join,” O’Flaherty said with a chuckle. He noted that many “rooms, corners, and paved surfaces of the church” appear in season 3, albeit camouflaged.
Vindication offers story arcs which present the Gospel during the narrative without such scenes feeling forced. Actors can look directly into the camera and share their faith as they speak to incarcerated felons or Bible study attendees.
Season three promises more of the same, with actors Todd Terry, Peggy Schott, Venus Monique, Emma Elle Roberts, and T.C. Stallings, among others, reprising their season 2 roles.
The series has been streamed in Turkey, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, South and Central America and various Russian-language markets, O’Flaherty confirmed, adding that viewership has been in the millions, with more than 1 million YouTube views in Latin America alone.
Many of the lead actors are Christ followers, O’Flaherty said, but not all the crew or other actors are believers – yet. One crew member accepted Jesus after the filming of season 3, he said. Another actor admitted there is “something different” about the set that was “shaking her up inside.”
“Our core has so many strong Christians,” O’Flaherty said. “So there were goosebumps everywhere when she said it.” They all knew the actor was referring to the work of the Holy Spirit.
“To have a story about Texas cops with a powerful faith message, that’s what Vindication is all about,” O’Flaherty added.
Even before season three premieres, Retta Vision inked a deal to begin production of season four, and filming began July 22. PureFlix, which recently merged with the Great American Channel, generally does only three seasons of any series, so Vindication’s fourth season will likely stream on Redeem TV or another outlet depending upon distribution agreements.
Fans wanting to catch up on the first two seasons before watching the third can see them with a subscription to PureFlix or for free on Redeem TV, a donation-based streaming service.
OBU to launch graduate programs in health care
SHAWNEE, Okla. (BP) – OBU officials have announced plans to launch four new hybrid accelerated graduate degree programs in health care through a partnership with Evidence in Motion, a leading learning solutions company. Pending accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission, OBU will launch four new accelerated graduate healthcare programs including Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (MS-SLP) and Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant (MMS-PA). Each program can be completed in two years or less.
The degree programs will be built and delivered using a hybrid and accelerated education model which will make them highly accessible to aspiring health care professionals throughout Oklahoma and the entire nation. Courses will primarily be taught online, with portions of the program delivered in person on the OBU campus through hands-on lab immersion experiences. Each program will also include clinical and capstone requirements. This accelerated hybrid model is career-focused with a seamless transition into clinical practice and post-professional education programs.
The healthcare industry is facing many challenges in filling needed positions as there are too few graduates to meet current demand.
“This new partnership with EIM will help OBU continue innovative leadership now in graduate health care,” said Heath A. Thomas, OBU president. “At OBU, we are focused on providing well-equipped, faith-forward professionals to meet the needs of our communities. With these degrees in particular, we will be able to help our communities meet severe healthcare needs and address employee shortages we are experiencing in Oklahoma and throughout the nation.”
