Jesus of Nazareth (1977)

This epic story chronicles the conception, birth, and life of Jesus from the town of Nazareth, who becomes a gifted but controversial Rabbi, garnering many followers while preaching peace and an alternate interpretation of the Jewish scriptures. He eventually succumbs to the will of the religious and civil leadership of Roman-occupied Palestine, but lives on after spawning the religion of Christianity, still practiced today. Franco Zeffierelli's depiction, featuring an all-star cast, caused initial pre-broadcast jitters and protests. However it eventually garnered enormous praise, leading the miniseries to become a yearly Easter time staple on both network television and cable.