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2 • October 21 - 27, 2018 • Brainerd Dispatch By Kyla Brewer TV Media I n many areas, church attendance has been on the decline as peo- ple continue to question the exis- tence and nature of God. A new television series has the potential to spark thoughtful conversations about spirituality and religion, for believers and non-believers alike. Brandon Micheal Hall ("The Mayor") stars as Miles Finer, an atheist whose life is turned upside down when he accepts a social media friend request from some- one claiming to be God in "God Friended Me," airing Sunday, Oct. 21, on CBS. Through a series of friend suggestions, "God" has led Miles to Cara Bloom (Violett Beane, "The Flash"), a struggling young journalist who becomes an unlikely sidekick as he inadver- tently helps those in need. While the premise may require a leap of faith, TV industry pundits seem to have an open mind about the series, which has been fea- tured in such high-profile publica- tions as Vanity Fair and Variety. In a September vanityfair.com article, creator Bryan Wynbrandt ("Gotham") explained the pur- pose of the show. "The hope of the show is to fo- cus on the positive when there is so much negative," Wynbrandt said. Before accepting the friend re- quest, Miles had been promoting his atheist views on his podcast, which put him at odds with his fa- ther, Rev. Arthur Finer (Joe Morton, "Scandal"). A prominent preacher at Harlem's Trinity Church, Arthur is, not surprisingly, hurt by his son's lack of faith. Miles' sister, Ali (Javicia Leslie, "Killer Coach," 2016), works as a bartender by day and studies psychology at night, often offering up advice to her brother and Cara as they try to solve the mystery behind the God account. They also enlist the help of Miles' best friend, Rakesh (Suraj Sharma, "Life of Pi," 2012), a hacker who tries to find informa- tion about the account. In an effort to promote the show and get people talking about it, CBS served up an early release of the pilot episode, which the net- work made available on a variety of platforms — including CBS. com, CBS All Access, the CBS app, Facebook Premieres and Twitter — as of Friday, Aug. 31. CBS exec- utive George Schweitzer had high praise for the unique series when the early release was announced. "This is a show that deserves advance exposure," Schweitzer said. "Once people see 'God Friended Me,' they respond to its positive and life-affirming values." In the vein of such iconic televi- sion series as "Touched by an An- gel" and "Highway to Heaven," the show aspires to inspire viewers as Miles helps those in need, whom he finds via "God's" friend suggestions. Whether he's saving a doctor from stepping in front of a train or helping Cara reconnect with her long-lost mother (Rachel Bay Jones, "Dear Evan Hansen"), Miles can't help but wonder if the God account is really a hoax or something more. As it turns out, Miles discovers he has an unex- pected connection to Cara: her mother was a nurse to his mother, who died of breast cancer when he was still a child. His experiences with the God account soon prompt him to question his long-held stance on spirituality and religion. The role is an interesting choice for Hall, whose mother is a preach- er. He's claimed on more than one occasion that he practically grew up in a church, but he hasn't shied away from tackling the role of atheist Miles. The actor studied drama at New York's prestigious Julliard School and landed parts in television series such as "Search Party" and "The Mayor" before signing on for "God Friended Me." His new co-stars include an Emmy winner, a Tony winner and some talented up-and-comers. TV viewers may remember Beane for her role as Jesse Chamber Wells/ Jesse Quick in the popular CW su- perhero series "The Flash." Horror film fans may recognize her from the blockbuster slasher "Truth or Dare" (2018), in which she played Markie Cameron. Her other credits include the TV shows "The Resi- dent" and "The Leftovers." Indian actor Sharma shot to fame in the film adaptation of "Life of Pi" (2012), based on the popular novel. He also appeared in the fourth season of Showtime's politi- cal thriller, "Homeland." Morton won an Emmy in 2014 for his guest-starring turn as Olivia Pope's (Kerry Washington, "Django Un- chained," 2012) father, Eli, in ABC's "Scandal." He's also well known for his portrayal of Henry Deacon in the Syfy series "Eureka." "God Friended Me" is the first major series role for Leslie, but she's also appeared in "Mac- Gyver" and "Chef Julian." Though she may not be instantly recogniz- able to TV fans, recurring cast member Jones is a revered stage actress, having appeared in many Broadway productions, from "Pip- pin" to "Dear Evan Hansen." Each episode of "God Friended Me" brings the characters closer as they search for the ultimate truth. The drama may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it joins a recent smattering of TV dramas that ex- plore spiritual or religious themes, including NBC's "The Good Place" and CBS's "Living Biblically." Internet highway to heaven: Atheist finds divine online in 'God Friended Me' Cover Story this week Violett Beane stars in "God Friended Me" Conan Actress Ellen Pompeo hinted that two years from now, she may leave "Grey's Anatomy." When they heard this, fans of the show said, "Wait, that show is still on?" The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon The co-founders of Instagram are planning to leave the company. But we all know they're just going to open another one under a different name so their parents can't see it. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Today Bill Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for sexual assault. Incredibly sad story. At this point, obviously no one can defend Bill Cosby, unless you are his publicist. Jimmy Kimmel Live Watching Trump speak at the United Nations is like when your alcoholic uncle grabs the microphone at your wedding. No good can come of it. Late Night With Seth Meyers According to reports, rapper Cardi B is in talks to perform with Maroon 5 at this year's Super Bowl halftime show. So if you like Cardi B, and you also like Maroon 5, you're trying way too hard to connect with your kids. Late Laughs 001784061r1 501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN 218-828-1823 www.heartlandtireservice.com MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Thr days of the LOWEST PRICES of the year SAVINGS OCTOBER 25-26-27 ONLY! 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