Monday, February 3, 2020

What I’m Watching: Miracle Workers (Season Premiere)


Miracle Workers: Dark Ages: Season 2, Episode 1 “Graduation” (B)

I had the chance to screen this episode last week at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, my only sampling of television but a very worthwhile one. I liked the first season of this show because of its creative approach to the ideas of an “answered prayers” department in heaven that could only do very small things like blow a leaf. This second season is totally different, and I think that it’s definitely gotten a bit less sophisticated. That said, it was absolutely hilarious hearing from series creator Simon Rich and several members of the cast, and I can tell that they’re all about the parody, which should hopefully make this show somewhat funnier. Rich emphasized that it’s not a medieval comedy that’s supposed to mimic “Game of Thrones” but instead that setting which brings the light the issues of our time. Each character having a last name that explains their family profession, like Pervert or Shitshoveler, is clever, and I definitely like the performances by Steve Buscemi and Geraldine Viswanathan. Daniel Radcliffe seems to be having fun too as the hapless prince who has no idea what he’s in for, and I’m ready to get into what this season is offering. Alexandra helping her father to elongate the shoveler they use is the first productive act against their fate, and I hope for such similarly helpful and humorous workarounds in the near future. I’d like to see a little less outright stupidity, but I’m confident that this show can deliver, even if it’s in a way similar to that of “Galavant” in the past.

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