The Good Place
2016
Original language: English
- sci-fi & fantasy
- comedy
The story
Eleanor Shellstrop, an ordinary woman who, through an extraordinary string of events, enters the afterlife where she comes to realize that she hasn't been a very good person. With the help of her wise afterlife mentor, she's determined to shed her old way of living and discover the awesome (or at least the pretty good) person within.
What it’s like
Bright, saturated sitcom colour: a tidy suburban neighbourhood of cream-coloured houses, pastel accents and soft, even multi-camera-style lighting that never gets moody, with a glossy digital finish and an occasional glance into a blank white void that looks like a clean office. The camera stays close and tidy, with quick reverse shots and punchline cutaways, and the score is light, bouncy and synth-tinged, dropping into a sudden hush for the philosophical beats. The vibe is warm, witty and mildly anxious, the kind of show that suits a lazy weekend, a comfort rewatch, or an evening when you want to laugh without thinking too hard. Pacing is brisk, with episodes built on escalating misunderstandings and rapid-fire banter, but the emotional thread is steady: a self-centred woman and a group of unlikely companions slowly learn to care about one another and about what it means to be decent. Intensity is low: there is some cursing, some comic embarrassment, and a recurring running gag about eternal torment that stays cartoonish, with no gore and no real violence. It is for people who want clever, feel-good comedy with a generous heart and a sweet, philosophical edge.
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