‘Daniel’ in tradition of ‘Peyton Place’

In an effort to attract viewers back to Friday nights, NBC makes a bold move – don’t dare call it a “Hail Mary Pass” – and serves up a soap opera about a reverend.

But this isn’t about a Roman Catholic priest. In fact, “The Book of Daniel” (9 p.m., NBC) is a lot more “O.C.” than “R.C.”

Aidan Quinn stars in the title role as Daniel Webster. Yes, he’s descended from that Daniel Webster, and his family has been in the Episcopal clergy business for some time.

His father, Bertrum (James Rebhorn), is a bishop who is very close to another church big shot (Ellen Burstyn). But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Don’t go looking for a new “7th Heaven” here. Everybody on this show has sex. OK, Daniel’s daughter Grace (Alison Pill) doesn’t seem to have sex in the first three episodes, but she is arrested for dealing drugs before the opening credits roll.

There’s straight sex, gay sex, and pre-, extra- and just plain marital sex going on almost all of the time. And in a plot twist too complicated to explain, Daniel’s gay son (Christian Campbell) has straight sex because he’s too embarrassed not to.

Between trysts, there is time for other scandals.

Daniel’s brother-in-law embezzles funds from the church’s building fund. Daniel’s gorgeous wife, Judith (Susanna Thompson), is seen with a martini pitcher permanently attached to her hand.

And later we learn that Daniel’s smug older brother, Worth (D.W. Moffett), still holds a torch for her.

For all of the hanky-panky, “Daniel” does manage to pack in some pathos, too.

Daniel attends to a woman’s deathbed. Daniel’s mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

That takes a toll on his father, pushing him into the arms of another bishop. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

And if this isn’t exciting enough, Daniel talks to Jesus. And Jesus (Garret Dillahunt) talks back!

With so much going on, these conversations take “Daniel” to another weird dimension. Jesus is depicted as an all-forgiving dude, straight out of “Godspell.”

For all of its many modern influences (“The Sopranos” and “Six Feet Under,” among others), “Daniel” is a real throwback to the days of “Peyton Place” or those great bad Liz and Dick movies like “The Sandpiper” about tortured, randy men of the cloth.

It’s the kind of New England WASP soap opera they used to make – a “Leave it to Cheever” for the 21st century.

Excesses aside, “Daniel” is a real hoot and twice as addictive as Daniel’s pills. The always-capable Dylan Baker plays a snobby fund-raiser, snitch and all-around drip with real gusto.

If you’re looking for pure, grown-up soap opera, “Book of Daniel” is the right pew for you.

Tonight’s other highlights

Tom Bergeron hosts “Dancing with the Stars” (8 p.m., ABC).

A race to find an antidote on the season premiere of “Stargate SG-1” (8 p.m., Sci Fi).

Pet psychologist Cesar Millan talks sense to dogs and their owners on the second-season premiere of “Dog Whisperer” (8 p.m., National Geographic).

The boys trek to Tinsel Town in the movie-length adaptation of the ‘tween series “Drake & Josh Go to Hollywood” (8 p.m., Nickelodeon).

The clinic reopens a 13-year-old case on “In Justice” (9 p.m., ABC).

Held hostage on the hive ship on the season premiere of “Stargate Atlantis” (9 p.m., Sci Fi).

An archaeologist claims to have discovered the tomb of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamen on “Egypt Untold” (9 p.m., Discovery).

Undercover work proves deadly on “Numb3rs” (10 p.m., CBS).

Scheduled on “20/20” (10 p.m., ABC): Star Jones; the proliferation of “e-waste”: old computers, monitors, mobile phones, batteries and chargers and other potentially toxic garbage.

Political quibbles imperil an attack on a Cylon ship on the season premiere of “Battlestar Galactica” (10 p.m., Sci FI).

Cult choice

A worried wife (Hope Davis) tracks down her wandering husband (Stanley Tucci) in the 1996 drama/comedy “The Daytrippers” (3:30 p.m., IFC).

Series notes

A neighborhood specter on “Ghost Whisperer” (8 p.m., CBS) … Old clips on “Most Outrageous Moments” (8 p.m., NBC) … A friend from Chicago on “Bernie Mac” (8 p.m., Fox) … On back-to-back episodes of “Beauty and the Geek” (WB), camping (8 p.m.), and a winner (9 p.m.) … A mystery windfall on “Malcolm in the Middle” (8:30 p.m., Fox) … A legal technicality on “Close to Home” (9 p.m., CBS) … Love’s labors lost on “Hope & Faith” (8:30 p.m., ABC) … Parenting styles clash on “Trading Spouses” (9 p.m., Fox).