The Good Place

I really don’t watch too much TV. I do like good documentaries, though. One day a few years ago, my wife and I decided to watch The Good Place. Not sure why – it looked lighthearted and fun. Maybe a little quirky. We’d also heard good things about the show. I think we were both looking for something at the time that could help us decompress from the day and laugh a little bit.

The premise of the show is that the characters have died on Earth and gone to The Good Place for eternity. The setting is bright and cheery, very colorful, an idyllic location. Curse words are forbidden – for example, the characters say “fork” and “bullshirt” in place of the alternative versions of those words. Ted Danson is fantastic. Kristen Bell is perfect in the lead role. William Jackson and the other actors fill out the cast well.

The first few episodes are exactly what you would expect. The show takes the time to set the scene, introduce the characters, insert a few laughs, etc. Kind of your typical sitcom formula.

But then something happens. It subtly adds layers, complexity, and nuance to the show and the characters. It begins to more deeply explore what it means to be human, what it means to be “good,” what it means to be “bad.” There’s a richness to the tapestry being woven that is both unexpected and surprisingly well done that caused me to question my own human journey (in a good way). There are heartfelt moments, there is growth, there is a dynamism to the show that continues to propel each episode and each season forward until the grand finale – which is done in an understated way that fits the ethos perfectly.

I laughed and I cried. I reflected on the show for many weeks after watching it – certain moments that just clung to my brain and made me think. In my opinion, it’s the best TV show ever made – it reflects the best and worst of us (and humanity) in a way that makes us laugh and ponder at the same time.  

Here’s a link to the Season 1 trailer. If you get a chance, give the show a watch. I promise you won’t regret it.

Until next week.

Cheers,

Andy

(All written content created the old-fashioned way.)