Why “Miracle Workers” Should’ve Skipped God & Miracles

The first time I heard about the Miracle Workers, I was excited. Who wouldn’t want to see Steve Buschemi as God? It already sounded like a great plot! The trailer teased about the possible end of humanity because God lost his faith in us. Unfortunately, the first season of the “Miracle Workers” failed to live up to the hype. Sure, it was funny but it could’ve been better. It has a strong cast of actors, a great what-if scenario, and the first season felt like a (literal) heavenly version of The Office. The show’s first season had potential yet didn’t leave the impression that a second season was in the works.

So, it came as a surprise that it had a second and third season. Especially, when I found out that it was actually an anthology based on creator, Simon Rich’s many short stories.

Both of the newer seasons were surprisingly good —I mean Daniel Radcliffe in drag singing She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain When She Comes was amazing. So, it’s surprising the first season fell flat on a premise about an alcoholic God ready to annihilate earth. It sounds like a ridiculously cool story just typing it out.

What happened? Or at least, why did the first season of Miracle Workers feels like a different show. And why its second season was much stronger.

As Miracle Workers, They Could’ve Had A Better Miracle

The first season focused on God realizing that the only solution to Earth’s troubles is to blow it up. But then the angels, played by Daniel Radcliffe and Geraldine Viswanathan, from the Prayer Department made a deal to ensure humanity’s safety. What was the deal? To create one of the greatest miracles there is —true love.

To prove that humanity is worth saving, the angels decided to play matchmaker. Yes, the fate of the world laid in the hands of two ordinary humans falling in love.

Now, love isn’t the greatest miracle neither can a romance of two awkward people be a deciding fate. It sounded ridiculous but it wasn’t a bad plot—if it was just one or two episodes rather than the whole series. With this hanging on the line, you fail to see the miracle of their work. Radcliffe and Viswanathan are angels of the Prayer Department, there should be much more interesting requests there than someone’s love life.

The introduction of the Prayer Department should’ve been utilized more. It had the potential to create more ridiculous plotlines or God being a horrible boss with a drinking problem. Buscemi's character makes the most absurd demands — from exploding an atheist comedian’s penis because he didn’t like his stand-up to watching his employees tie themselves into pretzels.

There were many possibilities and other miracles the Miracle Workers could have run with. Yet they chose the romance route.

And that’s when you fail to see the spark of the show. The actors were good enough that you didn’t mind the plot. But at the same time, you do not see the urgency of it. The jokes landed well. Buschemi and Radcliffe are two amazing actors with great comedic timing — I just wish the overall premise of the show gave it more justice.

Miracle Workers season 1 is a funny comedy yet the concept had more room to grow but was never really given the chance.

Comparing Miracles and Angels With The Execution of “The Good Place”

There have been shows that deal with religion and God, it’s not really new. Shows like Neil Gaiman’s The Good Omens and American Gods deal with celestials through a more serious mythological lens with a few comedic moments. Meanwhile, Lucifer takes hell and heaven to Los Angeles in a Mystery Comedy genre. But the one show Miracle Workers found itself being constantly compared to was The Good Place.

And it’s no surprise. Miracle Workers felt like a heavenly spin-off.

However, they are two VERY different shows. Both just happen to be comedies set in the afterlife and the similarities stop there. Unlike the Miracle Workers, The Good Place focused more on translating moral concepts and the idea of heaven and hell into a 30-minute sitcom. It explored the concept of ethical consumption, the trolley problem, forgiveness, and how we’re all capable of change. The Good Place was able to juggle moral dilemmas and ethical philosophies without sounding preachy and staying funny.

There were people who expected Miracle Workers to be almost like The Good Place. It had all the pieces to be a slightly different version.

A Prayer Department with a stack of unanswered prayers. A God who lost all faith in humanity that he decided to drink and to destroy Earth was the only solution. Two misfit leads who want to make their mark and change the world. Steve Buscemi as God and Harry Potter as an angel.

The show had a lot of elements that worked in their favor. Sadly they threw their potential out of the window before it was even realized. It was a miracle that they had two more seasons.

Miracle Workers Season 2: There’s No God Here and It’s So Much Better

Season two definitely should’ve been the Miracle Workers' first season. For anyone who doesn’t keep up with the show, TBS stated that the show was always meant to be an anthology. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the second season took a different turn. Going from heaven to the dark ages.

And honestly, it was the best decision for the show.

Miracle Workers: Dark Ages has no relation to its first season nor does it have anything to do with God. But it does have the same cast and raunchy comedy.

Season 2 follows a group of villagers in the dark ages trying to keep their spirits up in the age of “fake news.” Even the modern references in the show didn’t feel out of place.

Unlike its first season, Miracle Workers: Dark Ages doesn’t follow a season-long arc. It was more episodic in nature. The second season focused more on its characters and their relationships. Which made it easy to watch. Even if you’re nitpicky about plot, you will enjoy it. It’s mostly a bunch of 14th century cahracters have 21st century problems.

It may not have a satisfying story arc, but it has a great lead and running gags that were actually funny. The show has even made an in-joke about how Buscemi went from being God to a shitshoveler. Characters spoke in current colloquialisms and language which made the show about the dark ages feel light.

Miracle Workers Season 3: Has a plot, but still delivers on laughs

Oregon Trail. That’s it, that’s the plot for season 3 and the chaos brought on a few laughs for 10 full episodes. It focuses on a group of settlers in the 1840s struggling to survive and packing up to move to Oregon for a fresh new start. But things start to go astray when they meet Buscemi’s character, Jim Nobody.

The best thing about doing anthologies is that there will always be a new story. Miracle Worker: Oregon Trail felt like a parody of a tried-and-true Western story. Buscemi and Radcliffe are the best scene partners. Even when moments felt dragging, they are able to land the jokes.

Sure, there were moments that felt a bit thrown together, but it’s okay if you’ve forgotten the plot. All you actually care about while watching is that it’s funny.

Because that is what Miracle Workers aim to be — funny and fun to watch.

You Are Meant To Laugh While Watching Miracle Workers And Nothing Else Really Matters

One of the reasons the first season didn’t leave much of an impression is because there was already a comedy about the afterlife. And The Good Place was able to mix philosophical ideas with jokes, so it was something more than just a fun watch for most viewers. Things always made sense in the show — even if there were demons and deities.

While Miracle Workers didn’t care if it made any sense.The series is packed with clever lines, running gags, and self-awareness. It was never meant to make any sense. If you find yourself laughing, they did their job.