The highly anticipated mini-series, The Bible, debuted on the History Channel in what is sure to be one of the networks highest rated shows in years. What started out as the subject of a casual conversation over tea four years ago, has turned into a 20 million dollar special effects blockbuster that producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank) says rivals big budget Hollywood films.

"No one had tried to tie it all together and use modern computer graphics to bring images like Moses parting the Red Sea to life on screen," said Burnett.

Tonight's episode was the first of five two-hour chunks that will air each Sunday night with the finale airing on Easter Sunday.

What sets The Bible apart from similar attempts is instead of looking at the bible as a whole giving viewers an overview of the book, Burnett chose to focus on specific stories in the bible, delving deep into each characters story, emotionally engaging the audience. After slowly depicting the story of creation, The Bible detailed the lives of two of the bible's better known subjects, Abraham and Moses, giving viewers a never before seen glimpse into their lives.

Burnett shot the majority of The Bible in the deserts of Morocco in 2012 to give the film an "authentic look and feel."

Lifetime will re-air The Bible later this week. It will air internationally, and the DVD drops in the Spring. The movie's script will be bound and released later this Spring also. And churches will be allowed to use parts of the mini-series for educational purposes.

The next airing of the The Bible will air next Sunday at 8pm on the History Channel.