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.

What I’m Watching: Better Things (Season Finale)

Better Things: Season 2, Episode 10 “Graduation” (B+)

This episode, which was a very fitting finale, offered something this show rarely does - a chance to see all the characters we know together in one room. We had the immediate family, Marion, Dormin, Rich, Tressa, Sunny, and Jeff all there to make Max feel wanted after Xander predictably bailed on one of the most important and influential days of her life. I enjoyed seeing them all interact together, and that’s an element of this often-insular show that I’d love to see more of in the future, particularly Marion’s relationships with the likes of Rich, Sunny, and his mother. We’ve come to know Duke as the adventurous one, Frankie as the rebellious one, intent on not answering the door only because her mother was yelling at her, and Max as the less-than-intelligent and mostly whiny one. Her strict demands for things like a keg weren’t all that bright, and she fell for Sam’s trick that had her bite into an onion to cure her hangover. Ultimately, Sam got her something completely unexpected, a family dance routine that had her smiling from ear to ear. Xander not showing up is inconsequential since it’s always just been Sam in this family of women, and I’m sure that’s going to be even more the case going forward as Louis C.K.’s involvement with this presumably falls off completely in season three next year. This has been a good season, and there’s no denying the strength of this cast, particularly its Emmy-nominated leading actress who has truly found a perfect role for her talents and affect.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Pamela Adlon