God Friended Me

Hall is charismatic and likable enough to ground the show’s fantastical premise in something semi-real, or at least real enough to make the series palatable. God Friended Me also has a sense of humor and a sense of plot-driven momentum.

God has historically been good to CBS, in the form of faith-oriented series like "Touched by an Angel" and "Joan of Arcadia." The network returns to those roots with God Friended Me, an appealing show that weaves religion into its premise, while owing at least as much to the since-departed "Person of Interest" as those aforementioned dramas.

It's all a bit predictable, but Hall is a charming lead, and the we're-not-alone-in-the-universe premise is pleasantly palatable. [28 Sep 2018, p.50]

Setting aside a glib and emotionally manipulative launch, of all the "This Is Us" wannabes ("Manifest," "A Million Little Things," "New Amsterdam") in the 2018 fall lineup, "God Friended Me" may stand the best chance of success.

God Friended Me is a heartwarming series that falls flat on the execution. But if it can learn to laugh at itself and stick to simplicity, it just might stand a chance at survival.

Having Hall to anchor the show is good, because the story swirling around him is bonkers.

Yes, it’s all hokey, and yet the premiere holds some promise as a thoughtful feel-good drama.

It’s sweet, loaded with a talented cast (Morton is particularly authentic), but it could use a bit more of the devil to it, if you know what I mean.

Like the show’s interludes of theological discourse, its moments of regret and redemption are made to be easy to grasp and digest in the context of a Sunday night, broadcast network, mostly-family-friendly comic drama. For those less invested in the God question, or less attracted to sentiment, the show will run mostly on the substantial charm and chemistry of its young stars and the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew sleuthing they do together.

With its shiny, colorful exteriors and bathed-in-light church sequences, there’s a glossy sheen to much of "God Friended Me." The test going forward is if it’s willing to dig beneath it.

Yes, the premise is ridiculous, but some of the best moments happen when the show leans fully into its own cheesiness and embraces the awesome storytelling power of pushing a person to be more decent. And thanks in large part to Hall, a charismatic actor who can make even “The Millennial Prophet” sound halfway convincing, rooting the show in Miles’ journey of having and losing his faith makes for some truly meaningful moments.

Warmed-over hash.