TV Review: Miracle Workers

Miracle Workers

TBS, three seasons, (2019-)

Miracle Workers is a comedy series that uses the same ensemble cast in different storylines for each season. The storylines are from the writings of humorist Simon Rich. The first season is based on Rich's 2012 novel "What in God's Name." It takes place at Heaven Inc.'s corporate headquarters, where God, played by Steve Buscemi, is a little bored and looking for new interests. Feeling frustrated with how Earth and humanity have turned out, he starts the clock on the world's end. A small group of angels led by Craig Bog, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is humanity's only hope.

The ensemble includes a love interest, best friend, middle management, and hapless humans. God's assistant, Sanjay, is played by Karon Suni. He is ambitious and tries not to get involved but finally decides to help save the earth. Geraldine Viswanathan plays Craig's love interest and co-worker, Eliza, who gets transferred to Craig's department of answering prayers.

God has challenged Craig and Eliza to perform an impossible miracle to save humanity, make two humans fall in love.

For the second season, Rich's short story "Revolution" takes the ensemble into the Dark Ages. There is backward health care, widespread ignorance, and a class system that finds most people poorer than poor.

Steve Buscemi plays Edward, a widower with a terrible job that he is stubbornly proud of. His ambitious daughter, Al (Geraldine Viswanathan), wants to become a doctor but must fight the prevailing medical ignorance of the times. She catches the attention of Prince Chauncy, played by Daniel Radcliffe, the King's underwhelming son. After breaking out of the castle, he decides he wants out of his pampered life and into Al's. Of course, the show finds plenty of humor in the plague-ridden dark ages.

The show has just started its third season for TBS. Radcliffe plays a small-town preacher who decides to lead his flock on the Oregon Trail. He enlists the help, unknowingly, of the wanted outlaw, Bennie the Teen (Buscemi), to make the arduous trip. Bennie is quickly caught by a bounty hunter (Suni), and the preacher and an adventurous prairie wife (Viswanathan) must come to his rescue to keep the wagon train on track.

The dialogue is quick, funny, and irreverent. It is lighthearted with very slight nods to Monty Python and Mel Brooks, so expect a fair amount of wackiness and a lot of historical and cultural references mixed with broad physical comedy. I am looking forward to this closer-to-home season on the Oregon Trail.