Ladies: If he’s funny and a little goofy but has a serious side, makes you laugh and makes you cry, keeps you guessing and always brings a smile to your face, that’s not your man. That’s NBC’s “The Good Place.”
If you haven’t yet seen “The Good Place,” I suggest that you start watching it immediately. In fact, don’t even finish reading this article. (Or maybe do, you know, because I kind of worked hard on it.)
“The Good Place” starts out by telling the story of a girl named Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell). Eleanor, for a lack of a more tasteful word, sucks. Let’s just say, she isn’t the best of humans. At the beginning of the pilot episode, Eleanor discovers that she has died and gone to the afterlife; more specifically, the Good Place. She realizes that this is a mistake and that she should really be in the Bad Place. Eleanor isn’t supposed to be in the Good Place, but she’s willing to do what it takes to stay.
I remember how I felt all the way back in my senior year of high school watching those first few initial episodes. One of my first thoughts was “wow, this is a weird show.” Then, after several plot twists, I began to think that the show was even weirder. The script, concepts and overall presentation were whimsical, a little crazy and gave off the feeling that this was the kind of show that was so chaotic even the screenwriters didn’t even know what was going on. That was my first (wrong) impression.
Yet somehow, I couldn’t stop watching. There was something about it that left me hitting “watch next episode” every twenty-two minutes.
As Eleanor’s story unravels, the show evolves into what is truly a complex, intricate but cohesive plot. It leaves audiences with genuine questions about humanity, morality and everything in between while simultaneously keeping them amused and entertained.
“The Good Place,” is created by screenwriter Michael Scur, co-creator of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.” He also co-created “Brooklyn 99” and was a producer on “Master of None.” Let me just say that Michael Scur is a very talented individual. To bring eternal doom and lighthearted comedy together so elegantly can’t be an easy feat, which is why I think that this show is nothing less than a work of comedic and dramatic art.
What I love most about “The Good Place” is how much it contradicts itself. It’s a show that deals with the existential questions we all face as human beings, but it deals with them in a way that is downright hilarious. It’s a show full of touching and romantic moments, hilarious jokes and some of the most lovable characters I’ve ever seen in a TV show. Featuring notable actors such as Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Maya Rudolph and others, “The Good Place” is insanely well-done.
It’s been over a year since I first started watching this show, and “The Good Place” just completed its series finale. I never expected that I would feel this emotional over a show that I used to think was weird, but I guess that’s just what the combination of philosophy and fun does to you. It gets you hooked.
“The Good Place” is available on Netflix as well as the NBC website.
