I'll be honest, I'm not much of a TV watcher anymore. I'd much rather read a book than watch Netflix. That being said, there is one specific show that I binge-watched in roughly a day. In case you haven't guessed from the title, that show is "The Good Place." Starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, it's a comedy revolving around what happens to someone after they die. It is by far one of the best shows I've seen in a long time. Plus, I think it's far better than two other extremely popular comedies, "The Office" and "Friends." Don't believe me? Check out these reasons and then go watch the show for yourself!
1. The concept
This show is by far one of the best premises I've heard in a long time. Eleanor Shellstrop, the main character, has died and ended up in The Good Place. There's only one problem: you're supposed to have lived a good life to end up there, and she, well, didn't. So we as viewers get to experience all of the hijinks that come with Eleanor being where she doesn't belong. Will someone find out? How will she pretend to be a good person? If you want to know more, you can check out this review of the show.
Instead of focusing on a group of office relationships or friendships, "The Good Place" focuses on Eleanor's relationship with her living self and the position her past actions have put her in. Hilarity ensues, but it all comes back to who she used to be and who she's trying to be now.
2. You never know what’s coming next
I love how this show allows storylines to carry through and doesn't have things end after one or two episodes. It's a comedy that conducts itself like a drama. I never knew what Eleanor was up to and I definitely did not know how the season would end. The twists and turns kept me interested far beyond what other comedies do.
Sorry "Friends" and "The Office," you're just too repetitive for me.
3. The ending of season 1 and season 2
Like I said, you never know what's coming next, and that's certainly true for the ending of both season 1 and season 2! Honestly they're both cliffhanger endings. I can't remember ever needing to know so desperately what happened next. The show pulls you in and it's a disappointment when it pushes you back out again.
While continuing to the next season of "The Office" and "Friends" is completely expected, I never did it because I needed to know what was happening to my favorite characters. Sure, I like the stories and become invested, but it's nothing like what happens at the end of season 1 and 2.
4. The "cursing"
This is the Good Place remember? No cursing allowed. At least, no actual cursing allowed. Common curse words are replaced with more mundane words like "fork" and "shirt." For some reason, that makes the "cursing" even funnier.
So no annoying bleeped words or words you don't want your kids to hear here! Sure, they're insinuated but it's all still clean.
5. You might actually learn something
Because Eleanor is stuck in The Good Place without actually belonging there, she's forced to find a way to pretend she belongs. Without giving too much away, she turns to learning philosophy and ethics. I know, sounds boring for everyone except those who like philosophy right? Wrong! I actually found myself learning small bits of philosophic thought while watching the show. Granted, I'm not going to become a philosophy teacher or anything like that just from watching the show, but I do think seeing it wrapped up in comedic events allows it to seep in some and not seem quite as boring.
I think the only thing I learned from "Friends" was the improbability of living in their apartment on their salaries and I'm not sure I've learned anything from "The Office."
6. The Twitter account
Sassy Twitter accounts have become all the rage these days. However, "The Good Place's" account is a work of genius. There is the perfect mix of show references, joke tweets, and responses to fans. I genuinely look forward to seeing their tweets, which is a feat in and of itself.
While both "The Office" and "Friends" have Twitter accounts, nothing can hold a candle to "The Good Place" Twitter. Plus, since the show is still ongoing, there are new jokes being added to the timeline all the time.
7. The jokes
Speaking of jokes, "The Good Place" does them right and does them well. I don't often laugh out loud at a show when watching by myself, but this show cracks me up in every single episode. I also often find the humor in shows becomes dull after you've watched it for a bit, but I never felt like that while watching "The Good Place." From dumb jokes to philosophical jokes to subtle (and not-so-subtle) digs, there is humor for everyone in this show.
While "The Office" and "Friends" hit certain kinds of humor, 'The Good Place' takes all types of humor and mushes them up into one big, hilarious bundle.
8. The number of episodes
Seriously, having a 13 episode season makes it easy to watch while leaving me wanting more. Sometimes it can feel like a slog when shows have a long season, especially comedic shows. Yet, "The Good Place" keeps you entertained up until the last second and then leaves you begging for the next season to come on right now! There isn't the search to see how many more episodes left or anything like that.
9. The podcast
That's right, the show also has a podcast. Everyone who has had something to do with "The Good Place" has been or will be on the podcast. It's the perfect way to stay up to date with this amazing show while also filling the void until the next season starts.
I mean, do I even need to compare it to the other two?
In case you couldn't tell, I think everyone should watch this show. With the second season coming to Netflix later this month and the third season's premiere date in September, you have just enough time to catch up before it comes on again! No, really, go do it.
