God Friended Me Season 2 Episode 4 Review: All Those Yesterdays
Lizzy Buczak
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The gang is back together on God Friended Me Season 2 Episode 4.
It's good timing as Joy receives her most intense friend suggestion yet: her daughter.
It's never easy to confront your past, but it's necessary to move forward. Navigating something so personal and close to home was difficult for Joy.
She shied away from getting any help from Miles, Cara, and Rakesh, but it was the kind of situation that called for their expertise.
Miles had to face his past during God Friended Me Season 1, so he, of all people, understands the delicacy of the situation.
Joy's impulsivity proved to be the most significant uphill battle, especially once Rakesh figured out that Lauren, Joy's daughter, was looking for answers about her identity.
Immediately, Joy wanted to tell her daughter that she was her mother, which wasn't the best idea.
There's a big difference between helping someone and destroying someone's family.
The God Account sent Joy the suggestion because she's the only one who could offer Lauren any peace or answers, but that didn't necessarily mean that she needed to out herself.
That's why it was good that Miles was in her corner seeing things more clearly without the personal connection.
Miles knew they couldn't say anything to Lauren without talking with her parents first, and once he saw that they weren't on the same page, he knew for certain that it wasn't the right move.
Joy hasn't been a fan-favorite, and storming out of the store and telling Miles and Cara to mind their own business didn't do her any favors.
She came off more than just impulsive -- she came off selfish and rude.
While the situation was extremely difficult -- I cannot imagine what it feels like to see your daughter and realize she's been craving to know you -- it wasn't Joy's call to make, and it wasn't necessary to throw caution to the wind.
We did learn a little bit about Lauren. She had Joy's gluten allergy and her impulsivity, which was made evident by her decision to use her father's credit card to purchase a bus ticket to Chicago in search of a third cousin.
Like mother, like daughter.
Joy proved that she had a maternal instinct, and when it mattered, put her daughter's needs above her own. Again.
Whenever Joy tells Miles to trust her, I get worried, but this time, she knew exactly how to convince Lauren that going to Chicago was a bad idea.
The heart-to-heart delivered all the feels, and the waterworks were flowing!
Joy connecting with her daughter in such a selfless way was beautiful.
She gave her insight about her great grandfather, Kai, without overstepping.
And that little tidbit of information meant the world to Lauren.
She was satisfied simply knowing where she came from, which also means she wasn't entirely ready to meet her birth mother yet.
God Friended Me handled matters of adoption in a caring manner; they showed the reality not only for the people giving up a child but also for the adopted children and their parents.
Oh, hold up. So suddenly Cara's back, and I'm no longer part of the team or something?
Rakesh
While Lauren didn't figure out that her mother was "lawyer Joy," Lauren's adoptive mother pieced it together.
Joy's storyline may have come to a close as she decided to head back to Chicago for her hearing, but it's unlikely that this is the last we'll see of her.
Something tells me she'll be back in some capacity to either help out with a friend suggestion or to tell Lauren the truth when she's ready to hear it. Are you sad she's leaving?
As we close the book on Joy, Miles returns to being the God Account's favorite.
I can't say I'm too disappointed. Joy took the storyline in a new direction, but she was difficult at times.
It's nice to see Miles back in action. However, if Miles is going back to being the God Account's right-hand man, doesn't that negate looking for a purpose in his future?
What was the point of going to Paris, finding "The Path" artwork, and attempting to find Audrey Grenelle?
It all seems pretty useless for now, but, as we know, the God Account doesn't do anything without a good reason.
Audrey will likely come into play somewhere down the line. Unless we've already met her.
Does anyone else think Grenelle was posing as the assistant? They never looked up a photo of her so that they wouldn't know what she looked like.
Joy and Lauren's storyline perfectly accentuated Cara's journey with her own mother.
And that isn't just because Susan knew Lauren and her family.
Cara learned a great deal about the relationship between a mother and daughter while helping Joy.
More importantly, she learned that families are stronger together and can get through almost anything because of love.
That realization helped her decide to move in with her mother and her step-sister.
Susan: Small, strange world we live in sometimes.
Cara: Yeah, you get used to it when you're dealing with the God Account.
Susan can make up for lost time now that Cara's given her a real second chance.
Cara's been playing it safe with everyone in her life. She didn't want to move in with her mom out of fear that it would ruin the way things are, which is exactly why she hasn't fully been honest about her feelings for Miles.
She's afraid that taking a risk with both her mother and her boyfriend will change the relationships for the worse, but what if it changes them for the better?
Speaking of second chances, Arthur is getting another one with the church.
Bishop Thompson approached him about becoming his Chief of Staff.
Now, that's vastly different from Arthur's previous responsibilities at Harlem Episcopal, but the way I see it, it's like leveling up in any industry.
Miles: Why? Who's the friend suggestion?
Joy: My daughter.
It's an enticing proposition, one that got Arthur very excited.
Unlike Trish, he hasn't really taken to retirement well.
And that's not surprising. Up until Arthur met Trish, he had dedicated his whole life to the church; it's all he knew.
Arthur showed respect for Trish by telling the Bishop he'd have to talk over the offer with his fiancee.
He takes his relationship with Trish seriously, values her opinion, and sees that his decisions also influence her. However, I'm not too pleased with how Trish handled the situation.
We've been trying to figure out what Lauren's problem is, and all this time I've been the answer.
Joy
She was surprised by the offer, and you could see she'd made up her mind before Arthur even finished the question.
She didn't consider how happy it would make him. She didn't ask him what he wanted; she told him what she wanted out of their retirement, which was to find a new purpose together.
That doesn't seem entirely fair.
Why can't they spend time together AND follow their own paths?
Arthur was willing to make a compromise that would make both him and her happy.
It's very clear that his happiness is more than just engaging in retirement activities like playing tennis with his new wife.
We've been trying to figure out what Lauren's problem is, and all this time I've been the answer.
Joy
Arthur's life always had a greater purpose and even if he's not dedicated to the job full-time, he still would like to help out in some capacity.
Now that the Bishop offered a trial-run, Arthur will likely take it and see that it brings him joy.
Will Trish get on board? Or will she see the trial-run as his way of undermining her?
God Friended Me is one of the best things to happen to television.
The series continues to present cases that are widely different from each other to encourage audiences to become more understanding and empathetic.
The goal is to help people no matter their age, race, sex or sexual orientation.
It's not just a feel-good show, it's the kind of reminder that our society needs now more than ever.
I won't turn my back on her, Miles. I can't. This is my chance to finally give her what she needs.
Joy
Do you think Arthur should take a part-time gig with the church?
Will Cara and Susan's living arrangements work?
You can watch God Friended Me online if you missed any episodes.
Let us know your thoughts and feelings below in the comments section.
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Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
