5 Reasons “God Friended Me” is a Game-Changer

I’m gonna ruffle some feathers here.

The term “faith-based entertainment” — which I use grudgingly at times because that is what my fellow journalist friends use — all-too-often means “no thanks, I’ll watch something else”. It translates roughly to unwatchable, preachy, and and most of all…not entertaining.

Like you, I’ve been yearning for premium faith content that I actually want to watch. And, like you, I was beginning to despair of ever seeing that, especially on network TV.

And then, “God Friended Me” came along out of nowhere.

Now, here’s the thing.

Hollywood has tried to do this stuff often, the problem is that typically, Hollywood is as bad at making it as some of the independent “faith-based” creators, but in a different way. The independents make stuff that just isn’t watchable, but is solid from a theology perspective. Hollywood makes stuff that is watchable, but is a theological train wreck.

Fundamentally, the industry doesn’t understand “our crowd” and so they have a hard time understanding what is going to work and what won’t. Case in point, I once had a studio producer show me some content that featured demons as the heros, and I had to inform him that — while this is technically faith-based if you really want to point a fine point on it — that’s not the faith we are all talking about. He was genuinely surprised.

Billboard in Los Angeles

So, with this background before you, you’ll forgive me for being completely cynical when I saw the billboard near my home in Los Angeles. My instant reaction was, “Good Lord, what irreverent, horrible, tone-deaf thing are they going to do this time?”

And then, a reporter friend of mine called and said, “Hey, I know you know this audience in and out, can you comment on a story I’m writing on this new CBS show?”

“Sure,” I said, and then fired up my Apple TV to watch the pilot.

(Incidentally, you can watch it streaming by clicking here)

So, I watched.

And I watched.

And I kept watching.

Scene from “God Friended Me”

I immediately ran to the kitchen and proclaimed to my wife, “You have to see this!”

She came in, we finished, and we looked at each other. We were silent.

I was instantly reminded of an interview I did with ENJOY CEO Ron Johnson for my Dove Channel series, in which the famous Apple Store creator laid out the new for some “new thinking” in the conversation on faith. The faith community — he explained — had been relying on just the heart to articulate faith for far too long, and argued that we also needed to consider the concept of the path to faith through the mind (this is absolutely, 300% Biblical).

So, I called reporter Christian Toto and told him what I thought.

(P.S. Here’s the full story Christian wrote for The Washington Times by the way, absolutely worth a read.)

“We are long-overdue for some new thinking in how we communicate faith to a new generation,” said Mr. Faraci, president of Inspire Buzz, a marketing firm that promotes family-friendly content. “The reason ‘God Friended Me’ is working is that it’s doing that, not pulling from the old playbook.”

The show’s depiction of Miles’ conflicted thoughts on faith are instantly relatable, he said.

“They’re having the conversation in the show that young people are already having. … A lot of faith content is speaking to an older generation,” Mr. Faraci said. The new show is “thought-provoking, fresh and different. It asks really good questions that people from the faith community appreciate and people who don’t come from a faith background appreciate, too.”

If you’ve read this far, you’re thinking — Ok ENOUGH ALREADY — just tell me why this show is so great.

• It’s Entertaining as All Get Out: Like it’s predecessor (without which I’m not sure this would have been made) The Good Place, you have absolutely no idea what is going to happen and the show keeps you guessing. Above all else, it’s just great TV no matter who you are.
• It Explores Faith for a New Generation, While Keeping it Interesting for Everyone Else: The show assumes the viewer has little grid for traditional religion and plays on that, but also alludes to the fact that many Millennails still believe in a Higher Power and are asking deep, existential questions. It explores all of these things you’ve heard people talk about, from a multi-generational view.
• The Cast is Diverse Without Being Forced: you’d think a cast featuring a group like this would be cliche’, but it’s not. The characters work beautfully together, one of the reasons the show is so fresh, fun, and different. There are so many storylines and each character really works. Can’t wait to see how the patchwork comes together.
• The Show is Focused on What God is Focused on — People: Without knowing where the show is going after just two episodes, one thing is clear, this show is all heart. Rather than focusing on doctrine or religion, it’s focused on God’s heart for people, and our role in His plan by being is hands and feet. In the words of Ron Johnson, making love visual.
• America is Itching to Have this Conversation on Screen: We all know that faith can be explored in a fun and fresh way, we just didn’t know that network TV was capable of putting something up that accomplished that goal. I’m still pinching myself. How did this thing get up there again? The fact is, this really does hit the cultural nail on the head, and is sparkling conversations all over the place.

(Incidentally, the Rotten Tomatoes audience is loving it too, with 81% saying yes yes yes we like)

So congrats to CBS, you have a hit on your hands.

We can’t wait to see how you — and potentially other players in a traditionally clueless town when it comes to faith — might be able to change our expectations.

Originally published at medium.com on October 12, 2018.