CBS drama ‘God Friended Me’ ending after 2 seasons
Q: Why is “God Friended Me” ending? I saw that the last episode is coming.
A: The program is indeed wrapping things up with a two-hour finale April 26 on CBS. A statement from the companies behind the show reportedly said, “The creative team behind the show has one last ‘friend suggestion’ in mind, as well as an ending we hope brings a satisfying conclusion to Miles’ journey in search of the God Account.”
The reason for the ending, several reports indicated, is ratings. Deadline.com noted that, while the show had a good-sized audience, at least at first, it was not big with young adult viewers prized by network advertisers. And TVLine.com noted that, both with young adults and in total viewers, the show had dropped 20% or more in its second season — not at all a good sign for longterm survival. But, as the quote above suggests, the makers of the show were warned this was coming and were able to come up with an ending instead of just disappearing from the airwaves.
Q: I watch reruns of “That ’70s Show.” What happened to Lisa Robin Kelly? Someone said she passed away.
A: Kelly, who played Laurie Forman on the Fox sitcom, died in her sleep in 2013, reportedly due to multiple drug intoxication. In 2012 she told ABC News that a drinking problem led to her departure from “That ’70s Show.” (Christina Moore played the role after
Kelly.) She was 43 when she died and, according to People magazine, “had a history with illegal substances and was arrested at least four times over the past three years (before her death) for DUI, spousal abuse and assault.”
Q: On “NCIS: LA” Nell Jones revealed she was resigning her position. Why did she do that?
A: Renee Felice Smith, who plays Nell, “wanted to go do other projects for a bit,” I’m told. The show is accommodating to actors wanting to take time off for other efforts.
Q: I remember “Sea Hunt” quite well, but I seem to remember another scuba show featuring a father-daughter team with the daughter possibly being in her midteens. I have had no luck finding anything online.
A: Many TV viewers fondly remember “Sea Hunt,” a syndicated series where Lloyd Bridges played diver Mike Nelson from 1958 to 1961. But there was indeed another scuba show around the same time: “Assignment: Underwater,” with Bill Williams as a diver and boat skipper and Diane Mountford as his daughter Patty. It aired for a single season in 1960-61.
Update: CBS has now set the date for a new round of “The Amazing Race,” which was discussed in last week’s column. Its 32nd season will begin with a two-hour premiere May 20. Locations will include Trinidad and Tobago, France, Germany, Kazakhstan and Brazil. As I mentioned not long ago, the season was completed before the coronavirus pandemic.
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