The Good Place

Questions of morality are always relevant to society. Philosophers have grappled with plausible answers to these questions for thousands of years. Yet, throughout the years, philosophy has become less popular, as it gained the connotation of being too pretentious or difficult a subject for the general public. But NBC’s sitcom, The Good Place, ponders these questions of philosophy with a modern twist. Now three seasons stong, The Good Place is piloted with Eleanor Shellstrop, played by a sharp Kristen Bell, waking up in what is called “The Good Place,” the afterlife heaven alternative that is reserved for those who have racked up enough points, to earn permission to enter. She is then greeted by Michael (Ted Danson), the architect of this particular good place neighborhood. He explains her death, along with the reality of the afterlife.

As Eleanor acclimates to her new home, she is applauded for the good works she did during her life and is introduced to her soulmate (everyone in the Good Place has one), Chidi. It in Chidi that she confides that she has been wrongfully placed in the Good Place, and is not who they thought she is. Afraid of the ominous stories she has heard of the Bad Place, she entreats Chidi, previously a professor of ethics, to help her maintain the facade of being the ‘real’ Eleanor. He reluctantly agrees, and teaches her all he knows about ethics. Along their journey, they encounter two other members of the Good Place, Jason and Tahani, who similarly are having trouble acclimating to the place where everything should be perfect and serene. The four form an unconventional team of sorts, as they battle through the tumults of the flawed neighborhood.

The show’s humor is spot on, if at times odd, and its quirks (from the endless frozen yogurt to the clowns in the bedroom) will keep you laughing for the whole 23 minutes, even if you are not sure why. The combination of dry and satirical humor blends nicely with the thought-provoking ethics content, as it provides an intro philosophy class to many who are unfamiliar with the doctrines of Plato and Voltaire. The end of season one closes with a shocking twist that had me shocked for days. After this jaw dropping twist (no spoilers!), season two continues sharply and without missing a beat. Season three has been slightly less impressive than the former, but The Good Place is nonetheless a must-watch show. This is like no sitcom I’ve watched before. I recommend to all this hilarious show that will provide its audience with both comedy and concrete philosophical insight.