God Friended Me Season 1 Episode 11 Review: 17 Years
Lizzy Buczak
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The God Account just got very personal.
For its winter midseason finale, God Friended Me Season 1 Episode 11 brought all of the feels.
The waterworks were flowing as Miles worked through his grief and anger directed at the most recent friend suggestion, Charles Cole.
Forgiveness doesn't come easy, especially when it requires you to forgive your mother's killer.
And honestly, it's even worse when your mother's killer is a good man who has regretted his actions ever since.
Early in the episode, Rabbi Schwartz asked Miles if he was prepared for the "biggest test" and though it came as a shocker initially, the God Account has been prepping Miles with all the necessary tools to make amends with Cole.
Miles' hesitation to even hear Cole's side of the story wasn't surprising, though the sheer amount of anger he displayed at the simple idea of hearing him out meant that he needed to.
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He was bottling up all that anger inside and thinking that it was normal when, in fact, it hurt more than the truth.
As Cara said, he refused to meet with Cole because he wanted to have someone to blame and he was scared after hearing him out that he wouldn't have that anymore.
We usually think of second chances as a way to move on, move forward. But I think second chances are about acceptance. That's why they're so rare. Because accepting who you are and what you really want isn't as easy as we like to think.
Miles
We often don't realize how much certain things weigh us down until we're forced to confront them.
We knew Rakesh and Cara were good friends since they joined Miles on this journey of helping people, but Miles should be incredibly grateful that they didn't listen to him while he was allowing emotions to cloud his judgment.
Though Miles made it clear he didn't want to help Cole, it wasn't necessarily his call to make.
You need to let go of the past -- the life you lost -- and start living the life you have. It's time both of us do.
Miles
Rakesh and Cara have as much of a say as he does as they've been just as invested.
And Cara approached it in a very respectful manner. If Cole didn't show any remorse for his action, they would walk away like nothing ever happened.
She even mentioned that Miles didn't owe Cole anything, but as we saw, Cole carried the accident with him for most of his life.
Sometimes, the guilt you carry is punishment enough.
No one can be harder on you than you are on yourself.
Cole thought about Ella Finer all the time, not just on the anniversary of her death. The accident affected his whole life including his relationship with others and his dream of becoming a firefighter.
But again, while Miles forgiveness may have meant a lot to Cole, it was more about Miles letting go of his anger to find inner peace.
I'm a bit disappointed that after Miles and Cole worked together during the fire, Miles didn't end up being his recommendation.
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He saw Cole was a good man who would risk his own life to help others -- a quality Miles also shares. Why wouldn't he vouch for him?
It would have been a nice full-circle moment had Miles accomplished what his father couldn't.
God Friended Me always provides proof that the universe works in mysterious ways and brings people into your life for reasons that are often unknown to you.
I loved how Miles summed up the idea behind second chances -- they aren't a way to start over, but rather, acceptance. Once you can accept what has happened, you will be able to move on.
Rakesh: You know, this intersection is within the ten-block radius of the Fibonacci spiral. It's can't be a coincidence.
Miles: It's not.
Cara: Who's "Charles Coles"?
Miles: He's the drunk driver that killed my mom.
Once Miles was able to move on, he joined his father and sister at the cemetery and finally celebrated his mother. Those are the kind of moments that make the show one of a kind.
Since the beginning, the series has succeeded in telling stories about the power of family.
In the beginning, Miles and his father were practically estranged, but over such a short period, they've found common ground and have been able to open up to each other about the most difficult subjects including their differing opinions on fate and religion.
If you don't have good friends and family, you don't have much.
Speaking of friends, Rakesh and Cara haven't just gotten invested in the friend suggestions; they're also on the cusp of finding Falken.
They were just a few data points away from pinpointing his location, so it was unfair for Miles to expect them to drop their search.
As Rabbi Zoe Schwartz mentioned, the only thing left for them finding out who's behind the God account and why they chose Miles.
Those have been the overarching questions of the season, and Cole's home, the bar and the fire completed the points for Rakesh's algorithm.
Though, I'm not sure how the God Account could have predicted the fire would be within the 10-mile radius of the Fibonacci Spiral. Did the God Account start the fire?
Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a firefight. But instead of saving lives, I ended up taking one.
Charles Cole
Regardless, Rakesh, Cara, and Miles got so close to getting all their answers.
As they walked into the home of Henry Chases' parents, the anticipation of what they'd find behind the door was unbearable.
And then, I was just as stunned to see Pria there to "tell Miles the truth."
Um, Pria, we've been looking for the truth for about 11 episodes! Where have you been?
It's unclear whether Pria is Falken and the person behind the God Account or if she's just associated with the account, but she knows a lot more than she was letting on.
But I doubt they'd reveal the identity so early on thus removing all suspense.
Part of me was a little upset that it was an actual person behind the God Account and not God himself, though I know that's impossible.
Momentarily, it seemed like the series was setting itself up for a finale, and I believed that maybe we'd never find out who the mastermind behind the account was.
Thankfully, this cliffhanger revealed otherwise.
The way Pria approached the so-called truth seemed rather personal.
Since all the friend suggestions have been hitting closer and closer to home as the spiral began looping inward, it seems as if forcing Miles to help people was, in actuality, forcing him to fulfill some kind of destiny.
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So again, it's less about the "who" and more about the "why Miles?"
We'll have to wait till 2019 to discover the truth or to see if Miles and Cara will finally come forward with their feelings for each other.
The series loves to tease us, but it's so frustrating.
There were a handful of moments when the chemistry between Cara and Miles was flying off the charts. I found myself shouting "kiss the girl" on a few occasions.
How did Miles not jump at the chance when Cara told him she called it off with Eli because "he wasn't the one"?
Sure, Miles may be dating Nia, but I can guarantee you she didn't even cross his mind.
And if it wasn't for Rakesh's terrible-as-usual-timing, Miles probably would have made a move.
Cara may not be ready to admit that her heart belongs to Miles, but at least she admitted that she shouldn't be leaving behind her work with the God Account for a promotion.
The God Account wasn't just a blessing for Miles; it was also a blessing for Cara to figure out what exactly it is that she wanted to do with her life.
Sometimes, you think you want something only to find out the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
The God account is many different things to many people.
Your sister said that the God Account sent you his name. I think that's for a reason. It's time for you to let go, son, because if you don't you will never be able to move forward.
Arthur Finer
Similarly, the show has been a blessing for many of us just looking for a glimmer of hope, for something to lift our spirits.
I've enjoyed my stay and am beyond grateful for the lessons and heartfelt moments the show has brought to my Sunday nights.
There is no other show like this on TV right now, and our society needs it.
Let us know what you thought of the finale and use this break to watch God Friended Me online!
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
