When ABC canceled his critically praised but ratings-challenged sitcom The Mayor at the end of 2017 after only 13 episodes, Brandon Micheal Hall found himself at a crossroads in life. Disillusioned, the actor wasn't at all sure what his next move might be. But that changed when CBS, and God, friended the actor, putting him on a new, albeit initially uncomfortable career path. In God Friended Me Hall plays a podcasting atheist who is forced to re-evaluate his beliefs after receiving a social media friend request from an entity known only as God. Turns out going against his actual beliefs was a blessing. "This project came at a time when my faith was lost after The Mayor," Hall told MediaVillage. "I was disillusioned with the industry. How does [a network] take an amazing, impactful show and say, 'Now we don't want that?' Kids would come up to me and say, ‘I want to be like you. I want to be a mayor. I have these ambitions. I see myself represented on the screen.’ The Mayor was impactful.
Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love
Subscribe to MediaVillage to receive email alerts featuring the latest content on advertising, media/TV, and marketing strategies and trends, including exclusive The Myers Report research findings.