Executive producer Johnny Galecki (“Big Bang Theory”) wondered about the lack of religion on TV, adding that his No. 1 goal for his new production company was to do a comedy about it. He bought the rights to A.J. Jacobs’ book “The Year of Living Biblically,” and executive producer/writer Patrick Walsh (“2 Broke Girls”) turned it into a sitcom.
The show is not just trying to be all things to all people, it’s trying to be three shows. Chip and Leslie exist in one; Chip and his “God squad” — Father Gene and Rabbi Gil (David Krumholtz, “Numb3rs”) — exist in a second; and Chip and his co-workers and boss (stand-up comedian Tony Rock; Sara Gilbert, “The Talk”; and Camryn Manheim, “The Practice”) exist in a third.