God's favourite Idiot

Okay, it's not beat-for-beat the same as the mentioned film, but it does have that schmoozy, satirical comedy feeling centering on religious themes. Melissa ...

But of course, if you are a Melissa McCarthy fan (sorry Ben), you may find confidence in enjoying her comedy. For what it is, the Netflix comedy series offers nothing uniquely new but plays off religious references to gain a laugh. The comedy is in the character; a tech-support employee suddenly has to drum up his co-workers and friends and defend the living against the supernatural.

The authentic chemistry between the actor and her co-star husband elevates these apocalyptic hijinks to a higher plane … if not all the way to heaven.

But Falcone and McCarthy are great to watch, and the central relationship between their alter egos gives the whole thing enough charm, warmth and heart to get by. “Death is coming.” But she agrees to the date, and their relationship blossoms. “I like that you say shit that should embarrass you but it doesn’t,” she says, and Clark beams with happiness. Now she is back on the small screen (after last year’s dramatic role in Nine Perfect Strangers, where she was again one of the main reasons for watching) with God’s Favorite Idiot (Netflix), written by her husband and frequent collaborator Ben Falcone. He plays Clark, a mid-level tech worker, a sweet, slightly hapless, perfectly average man – until he is struck by lightning from what turns out to be a divine cloud and starts to gain powers and, intermittently, glow. Funny to her marrow, however variable the material may be ( Bridesmaids is terrible and this is a hill I intend to die on) she can be relied on to deliver the serotonin. If things are really, really bad I unleash the double dose of The Heat, co-starring Sandra Bullock. I am currently watching The Heat about 72 times a week.

The Melissa McCarthy Netflix comedy 'God's Favorite Idiot,' created by McCarthy's husband Ben Falcone, is a disaster — and sad for her fans.

What a waste of precious time in the career of a talented performer, one whose fans will follow her anywhere, and who rewards them with so little of what she can do. So he was: Clark, we learn, has been chosen by God to spread a message of peace and unity in the face of increasing demonic encroachment. Even after years worth of Falcone-led content, one still believes there are better ways McCarthy could be put to use onscreen, that she might find her way to collaborators who see her as an actor and not just a pratfall machine. After Amily kicks one of the Four Horsemen in the genitals, he remarks “I’m gonna need a minute, fellas!” to the other three. Surprising, that is, to those without familiarity with the breadth of McCarthy’s oeuvre. So it’s surprising that “God’s Favorite Idiot,” a new comedy series on Netflix, dropped without ever been having made available to critics in advance.

'God's Favorite Idiot' will premiere on Netflix with eight episodes due to an unexpected production halt, but more episodes of the comedy are still to come.

As for the rest of the cast, IMDb indicates that Falcone and McCarthy are the only actors set to appear in all eight episodes. We are so proud of God’s Favorite Idiot and cannot wait to share it with everyone.” God’s Favorite Idiot follows Clark Thompson (Ben Falcone), a tech support employee who falls in love with his co-worker Amily Luck (Melissa McCarthy) and also accidentally becomes the messenger of God amid the threat of apocalypse.