Workplace comedies have been a staple since the dawn of the television age, from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to The Office. There is just something universal of going in punching the clock. From being in close proximity to people you otherwise would have never talked to and the occasional office flirtations, to the potential pouching from rival companies, to the banality of doing the same job over and over again. And then there is the aloof boss who has decided to blow up the Earth.
Okay, that last one is exclusive to the latest workplace comedy, Miracle Workers, which imagines God as the CEO of Heaven Inc. with departments like clouds, mammals, and bug control (spoiler alert, that department is not doing a very good job) while the Angels are resigned to being the worker bees. The show follows Geraldine Viswanathan (Blockers) as she finally gets to leave the Dirt Department for The Department of Answered Prayers only to find an overworked Daniel Radcliffe (Now You See Me 2) who spends most his days melting snowflakes one at a time for hours to answer the prayer of finding one’s car keys. See he is not allowed to break the laws of physics so it is rerouting wind patterns to uncover gloves under leaves.
Just last week I was lamenting the lack of extremely weird show despite there being an overabundance of outputs these days. I pointed out there was nothing truly bizarre since the FXX comedy Man Seeking Woman. Well that show was created by Simon Rich who also created Miracle Workers and wrote the book What in God’s Name that the series is based on. And that warped sense of humor continues on the new show.
So right as Viswanathan finally got a more exciting job, God has decided to blow up the Earth after a day of watching a wall of cable news. But Viswanathan convinces God to give Earth a reprieve if she is able to answer one of the prayers labeled “Impossible” and God gives her two weeks or kaboom. So hell or high water, the miracle workers go to work to make that one last wish come true by any means necessary. Oh, and I forgot to mention, God is played by Steve Buscemi (Grown Up’s 2). Yes, that Steve Buscemi.
What is great is all the actors completely buy into their characters no matter how absurd things get around them. Seriously, there is a “Burst Appendix” button that of course comes into play in hilarious fashion. Viswanathan is a great find and is perfect as the wide eyed newbie who will stop at nothing to prove she belongs. Go ahead and put her in ever comedy from her on out please. Though The best character may be the newscaster who comments on all the acts of God that the miracle workers and God create during the show. His delivery is just deadpan gold.
There is really only one complaint I can give to Miracle Workers: It is too short at just seven half hours. Really, without ads, you could watch the entire series in under two and a half hours (which comes to think of it would have made for a decent movie). If you are going to give the team two weeks, how about fourteen episodes, one day per episode? Instead we go from twelve days until the end of the world to six just like that and we are left to wonder what shenanigans happening in those six day.
Also TBS is calling the show a “limited series” but I really hope we get more seasons. It would not be unprecedented, Big Little Lies got a second season as did The Alienist on Turner’s other channel. But being too short is the best complaint you can have. For those that are missing the heavenly comedy of The Good Place will definitely want to check out Miracle Workers.
Miracle Workers airs Tuesdays at 10:30 on TBS. Or just watch the first episode below.
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