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The Good Place is the brilliant Netflix comedy created by Michael Schur (The Office US, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). It revolves around Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell), who finds herself in the Good Place, a heavenly utopia. The Good Place is a meticulously designed and managed afterlife created by the "architect" Michael (portrayed by Ted Danson) as a reward for living a virtuous life. Our The Good Place facts include what Tahani was originally going to be called, what Eleanor’s Shrimpies were actually made of by the props team and which philosopher was the main inspiration for the series.
The Good Place is the brilliant Netflix comedy created by Michael Schur (The Office US, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). It revolves around Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell), who finds herself in the Good Place, a heavenly utopia. The Good Place is a meticulously designed and managed afterlife created by the "architect" Michael (portrayed by Ted Danson) as a reward for living a virtuous life. Our The Good Place facts include what Tahani was originally going to be called, what Eleanor’s Shrimpies were actually made of by the props team and which philosopher was the main inspiration for the series.
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The Good Place is the brilliant Netflix comedy created by Michael Schur (The Office US, Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). It made its US debut on NBC on September 19, 2016, and concluded on January 30, 2020, consisting of four seasons and a total of 53 episodes.
The series undergoes significant plot developments throughout its run, but initially, it revolves around Eleanor Shellstrop (played by Kristen Bell), who finds herself in the Good Place, a heavenly utopia. The Good Place is a meticulously designed and managed afterlife created by the "architect" Michael (portrayed by Ted Danson) as a reward for living a virtuous life. However, Eleanor realises that she has been mistakenly placed there and must conceal her morally flawed past while striving to become a better and more ethical person. William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, and Manny Jacinto also star as fellow residents of the Good Place, alongside D'Arcy Carden, who plays Janet, an artificial being assisting the residents.
Our The Good Place facts include what Tahani was originally going to be called, what Eleanor’s Shrimpies were actually made of by the props team and which philosopher was the main inspiration for the series.
On August 13, 2015, NBC announced through a press release that they had ordered 13 episodes of a yet-to-be-titled show solely based on Michael Schur's pitch. The lead roles for the series were revealed on January 12, 2016, with Kristen Bell and Ted Danson being cast. The initial synopsis of the show was also unveiled, stating that it would centre around Eleanor creating her own self-improvement program with Michael as her guide.
It's worth noting that the concept of the afterlife had always been a part of the series, as Kristen Bell had prior knowledge of the twist ending of the first season when she signed on.
On February 11, 2016, William Jackson Harper joined the cast as Chris, although the character's name was later changed to Chidi.
Jameela Jamil was cast as Tessa on February 25, 2016, and her character was renamed Tahani. Manny Jacinto's involvement as a "sweet and good-natured Jason," whose dream was to become a DJ in Southern Florida, was revealed on March 3, 2016.
D'Arcy Carden was announced as a series regular on March 14, 2016, playing the role of Janet Della-Denunzio, described as a violin salesperson with a complex history. However, it was later revealed that this description was a hoax, according to writer Megan Amram.
The final premise of the show, including the afterlife concept, was officially announced on May 15, 2016, as part of NBC's lineup for the 2016–17 TV season.
According to Michael Schur, the original plan was to incorporate religious elements into the show after conducting research on various faiths and groups. However, the decision was made to adopt a more inclusive approach that encompassed all faiths and avoided endorsing any particular religious viewpoint.
Schur explained, "I stopped doing research because I realised it's about versions of ethical behaviour, not religious salvation. The show isn't taking a side. The people in the show come from every country and religion."
Michael Schur also highlighted that The Good Place's setting in San Marino, California's Huntington Botanical Gardens already had a multicultural ambiance, and the neighbourhoods portrayed in the series would feature individuals from diverse non-denominational and interdenominational backgrounds who interacted with each other regardless of their religious affiliations.
The exteriors in the show are filmed at the Little Europe set in Universal Studios California and also the Huntington Gardens in San Marino, California.
The Good Place drew inspiration from the acclaimed TV series Lost, which was a personal favourite of Michael Schur, the creator. In fact, one of the first people Schur consulted when developing the show was Damon Lindelof, co-creator of Lost.
Michael Schur Schur envisioned The Good Place to have a similar storytelling style with serialised cliffhangers and future storylines. During a lunch meeting with Lindelof, Schur discussed the concept, asking him, "Is this anything?" and sought guidance on the show's direction.
The surprising twist in the first season of The Good Place, revealing that the Good Place was actually the Bad Place and that the main characters—Chidi, Eleanor, Jason, and Tahani—were intentionally chosen to torment each other indefinitely, bears resemblance to philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre's play, "No Exit."
In the play, three strangers who have died find themselves in a single room and realise their incompatibility, leading them to the conclusion that "hell is other people." Ted Danson and Kristen Bell were the only actors who knew this ultimate premise right from the start.
Some critics have also drawn comparisons between The Good Place and the 1960s surreal TV show "The Prisoner" due to the isolated and rule-bound setting depicted in the series.
Outside of the United States, The Good Place is distributed on Netflix in several international territories. The first season was released on September 21, 2017, and subsequent seasons' episodes became available on Netflix within 24 hours of their U.S. broadcast.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of The Good Place holds a rating of 92% based on 74 reviews, with an average score of 7.80/10.
The critical consensus on the site describes it as “a supremely entertaining and clever portrayal of the afterlife, highlighting the outstanding performances by Kristen Bell and Ted Danson”.
12. The Good Place Is Refreshing Because Of Its Positivity
Critics have pointed out that The Good Place stands apart from the trend of antiheroes and cynical themes, instead presenting likeable characters and positive messages.
James Poniewozik of The New York Times expressed his admiration, stating that the show's optimism about human nature is a refreshing departure from the prevailing artistic bleakness. He praised the series for its ability to create entertaining television while exploring the idea of redemption for both humans and the occasional immortal demon.
The Good Place has also received acclaim for its exploration and creative utilisation of ethics and philosophy. Various critics have lauded its inclusion of thought-provoking topics such as the trolley problem thought experiment by Philippa Foot, Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative, T. M. Scanlon's "What We Owe to Each Other," and the works of Aristotle and Søren Kierkegaard.
Andrew P. Street of The Guardian emphasised that moral philosophy serves as the show's core, making it engaging and even cool to delve into philosophical concepts.
In 2019, The Good Place was ranked 69th on The Guardian's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, further highlighting its impact and success.
In 2017, The Good Place was named one of the top 10 television programs of the year by the American Film Institute, and in 2019, it received a Peabody Award for its contributions to entertainment.
The Good Place gained numerous awards and nominations during its airing. Throughout its run, the show received fourteen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including two for Outstanding Comedy Series in its third and fourth seasons. It also earned two Golden Globe Award nominations in 2019, one of which was for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy.
Several The Good Place cast members were honoured with awards for their exceptional performances on the show. Ted Danson, for his portrayal of Michael, received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. He also earned three Critics' Choice Television Award nominations, winning one in 2018, along with two Satellite Awards and a TCA Award nomination.
Kristen Bell, who played Eleanor, received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy. She also received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination, two People's Choice Awards nominations (winning one in 2019), a Teen Choice Award nomination, and a TCA Award nomination.
Maya Rudolph received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, while William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D'Arcy Carden, and Adam Scott all earned nominations for their exceptional work on the show.
The Good Place incorporates various theories of moral philosophy and ethics through the character of Chidi Anagonye, a moral philosophy professor. The show delves into the works of prominent philosophers such as John Locke, Tim Scanlon, Peter Singer, and Derek Parfit. It explores a wide range of ethical perspectives, covering topics from Jonathan Dancy's theory of moral particularism to Aristotelian virtue ethics, Kantian deontology, and even moral nihilism.
To ensure accuracy and depth, UCLA philosophy professor Pamela Hieronymi and Clemson philosophy professor Todd May were consulted and made cameo appearances in the final episode.
In the second season, The Good Place’s philosophy aligns closely with Aristotle's teachings, emphasising the importance of practice in ethical behaviour. Chidi's extensive 4,000-page ethical treatise takes inspiration from Derek Parfit's work, "On What Matters," which attempts to propose a comprehensive theory encompassing all ethical perspectives. While Schur couldn't finish reading the lengthy book, it influenced the complex nature of Chidi's treatise.
The central idea of "What We Owe to Each Other" by Tim Scanlon serves as the backbone of the entire show. The concept of contractualism is presented, suggesting that acting morally involves adhering to principles that no reasonable person could reject. Through the relationships between the characters, The Good Place explores this notion of contractualism, as the main humans, Michael, and Janet form their own society, striving to act in ways that are morally justifiable, even if it contradicts the rules and dictates of higher powers.
Prior to the fourth season's release of The Good Place in September 2019, NBC introduced a six-episode web series titled The Good Place Presents: The Selection. The series was made available on NBC's website, app, and YouTube channel, with Eric Kissack serving as the director. Set within a narrative gap during the Season 3 episode 11 titled "Chidi Sees the Time-Knife," The Selection follows Shawn, Michael's former demon boss, and his subordinates as they deliberate on which four individuals to choose for Michael's new iteration of The Good Place.
The main cast of The Selection consists of Marc Evan Jackson, Josh Siegal, Bambadjan Bamba, Amy Okuda, and Jama Williamson, reprising their roles from The Good Place as Shawn and his underlings. In the third episode, Joe Mande also returns to reprise his role as Toddrick "Todd" Hemple. The series received a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
On January 4, 2019, The Good Place YouTube channel uploaded a video titled "Janet's Void: What Actually Happens When * BING *." The video featured Janet standing in her void for five hours, occasionally disappearing. Observant viewers noticed that her disappearances coincided with the length of an episode, approximately 22 minutes.
When Michael Schur approached Ted Danson to play the role of Michael, he didn't expect such a famous actor to accept the part. To his delight, Danson agreed to join the show.
As a fan of NBC's Must See TV Thursday lineup during his childhood, Michael Schur had idolised Michael J. Fox from Family Ties and Ted Danson from Cheers. Working with them in future projects was his dream, and Danson's involvement in The Good Place fulfilled that dream.
The shrimp consumed by Eleanor in the series are fake due to Kristen Bell's vegetarian diet. Bell described them as "rubber nuggets" that were painted to resemble shrimp, although the accompanying dipping sauces were real.
The primary neighbourhood in The Good Place is called "Neighborhood 12358W," with the numbers corresponding to the Fibonacci Sequence, where each number is obtained by adding the two preceding numbers.
The frozen yoghurt in The Good Place is actually mashed potatoes to keep continuity and to stop it melting on set.
The role of Tahani marked Jameela Jamil's debut in a series or film.
The Good Place features various characters named "Doug." Both Eleanor and Jason have fathers named Doug (Shellstrop and Donkey Doug), and there is also Doug Forcett, the stoner who had insights about the afterlife. Additionally, Michael steals the "Book of Dougs" from the afterlife accounting office.
Jameela Jamil's character, Tahani, appeared on the cover of a magazine that was being read by Kristen Bell's character, Eleanor, in a scene preceding Eleanor's death.
In Season 1 of The Good Place, Chidi and his friend dine at a restaurant called "Eating Nemo." In Season 3, Eleanor enjoys a drink at a bar named "Drinking Nemo."
The word "literally" is used in every episode of The Good Place, at least once.
The Good Place has a podcast called The Good Place: The Podcast, hosted by Marc Evan Jackson, who portrays Shawn in the show. The podcast offers behind-the-scenes insights and features interviews with cast and crew members.
Several unique stores are featured in The Good Place, including:
All Chocolate Everything
All the Books
Infinite Light
The Good Plates
Everything Fits Clothes Store
Your Anticipated Needs
Warm Blankets
Childhood Mementos
From Schmear to Eternity
You do the Hokey Gnocchi and you get yourself some food
The Pesto's yet to come
Lasagne Come Out Tomorrow
Ziti of Stars
Cake Canaveral
Cruller Intentions
Beignet and the Jets
Sushi and the Banshees
Ponzu Scheme
Chicken Soup for the Mouth
The Foot Lager
…and at least eight different frozen yoghourt stores.
Interestingly, on the Little Europe set at Universal Studios, the All Chocolate Everything store is actually the location of the VIP tour restrooms!
D'Arcy Carden portrays the character of Janet. It is worth noting that Janet is also the name of the air service that transports people to Area 51, known as "Just Another Non-Existent Terminal." This parallel highlights the concept of Janet's nature as a non-existent being.
Josh Siegal, who plays Glenn in the show, is not only an actor but also a co-executive producer of The Good Place. He has written one episode in each season: "What We Owe To Each Other" (Season 1), "The Trolley Problem" (Season 2), "Janet(s)" (Season 3), and "The Funeral To End All Funerals" (Season 4).
Nick Offerman was initially offered the role of Shawn but ultimately declined the offer. Michael Schur had previously worked with Offerman on Parks and Recreation where he was the memorable Ron Swanson.
The premiere episode of The Good Place "Pilot" (2016), gained 8.04 million viewers.
In the pilot episode, Kristen Bell's character, Eleanor Shellstrop, can be seen wearing a University of Michigan shirt. This detail is significant as Bell was born and raised in Michigan.
Some of Kamilah's (Rebecca Hazlewood) notable achievements include being the youngest person to graduate from the University of Oxford, a world-class painter, a social activist, an iconoclast, an Olympic gold medalist in archery, a Grammy award winner for her album, a BAFTA award winner for her documentary about her Grammy-winning album, voted "Most likely to be Banksy," offered the cover girl position for International Sophisticate Magazine, and the youngest person ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The clock on Michael's office wall is arranged to spell "Jeremy Bearimy," a concept unique to the show's universe.
Janet, portrayed by D'Arcy Carden, is not a human girl or an Eternal Being, but rather a personified vessel of knowledge, similar to an Artificial Intelligence. It is important to note that Janet is not a robot, and she politely corrects anyone who mistakes her for one.
Both Marc Evan Jackson (Shawn) and Jason Mantzoukas (Derek) have previously worked on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013), with Jackson playing Kevin Cozner and Mantzoukas portraying Adrian Pimento. Michael Schur, the creator of The Good Place, is also the creator of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
In one The Good Place episode, when Eleanor (Kristen Bell) removes Tahani's (Jameela Jamil) diary, the bottom of the diary reveals "Foreword by Malala Yousafzai and Kylie Minogue." Malala Yousafzai is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate known for her human rights activism, while Kylie Minogue is an Australian singer and songwriter.
After the The Good Place series finale, NBC aired a special show hosted by Seth Meyers where the main characters toasted to each other.
Michael, portrayed by Ted Danson, possesses several powers and abilities, including immortality, the ability to see in nine different dimensions, memory manipulation, reality warping within the afterlife neighbourhood he creates, and the capability to construct artificial simulations.
Janet mentions that there have been 25 versions of herself, suggesting that she undergoes upgrades similar to a computer program. Additionally, she refers to herself in the third person when discussing her existence as if she were an object.
Despite the swear/curse filter in The Good Place, certain technical swear/curse words in English, such as "damn," "crap," and "hell," are not filtered.
While Ted Danson and Kirsten Bell were instructed not to disclose the ending of the first season to anyone, Ted accidentally revealed it to John Krasinski. In an interview with Seth Meyers, Danson shared that he and John were conversing when Ted mentioned working with Michael Schur, who had written The Office. Ted noticed John's assumption that it was The Office in heaven, prompting him to reveal the secret.
All the coffee cups featured in The Good Place are green and display the text "The Good Place."
On multiple occasions, Derek (played by Jason Mantzoukas) can be seen holding a martini glass filled with pimento olives. In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, another series created by Michael Schur, Mantzoukas plays a character named Adrian Pimento.
Adam Scott (Trevor) and Kristen Bell (Eleanor) previously worked together on a Veronica Mars (2004) episode, Mars vs. Mars (2005) as well as the Party Down (2009) episodes, Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception (2009) and Party Down Company Picnic (2010). They have also worked together on three Parks and Recreation (2009) episodes: 6.3 The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic (2013), 6.6 Filibuster (2013) & 6.10 Second Chunce (2014).
Adam Scott, who portrays Trevor, and Marc Evan Jackson, who plays Shawn, previously worked together on Parks and Recreation (2009) as Ben Wyatt and Trevor Nelsson, respectively.
Jason Mantzoukas (Derek) and Adam Scott (Trevor) have also previously worked together on Parks and Recreation (2009) as Dennis Feinstein and Ben Wyatt, respectively.
In The Good Place Episode 1.5, "Category 55 Emergency Doomsday Crisis" (2016), Michael reprimands Tahani for viewing the manual for the neighbourhood, stating that it is only meant for Architects and Janets. This implies that there are multiple Janet's present at any given time, potentially one for each neighbourhood.
Other aspects about Janet also suggest this, such as her loss of abilities outside her assigned neighbourhood, and it is eventually confirmed in Episode 2.6, "Janet and Michael" (2017).
Maribeth Monroe (Mindy) and Marc Evan Jackson (Shawn) both had small roles in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017). Monroe portrayed the teacher who puts Bethany in detention, while Jackson played the principal in the detention scenes.
The Bad Place not only houses humans and Bad Janets but also Immortal Beings whose sole purpose is to torture and inflict pain on the resident humans. It is assumed that Immortal Beings and Bad Janets have the freedom to come and go as they please, unlike humans.
The name "Jianyu Li," which Jason assumes when posing as a Buddhist monk, translates to "in jail" in Mandarin. Jason's DJ name is Mr. Music the DJ.
Shooting The Good Place series finale in Paris presented challenges due to the constant crowds. However, the passing of former French President Jacques Chirac during production resulted in blocked-off streets, allowing uninterrupted filming of Eleanor and Chidi's scene on the bridge for two and a half hours. Except for a late reshoot, this scene marked the final one filmed for the finale.
In The Good Place series finale, the scenes in the woods with the final door were shot in a serene glen of coastal redwoods near San Francisco. The arch of branches used in the scene was actually a leftover from a recent wedding, which the set designers repurposed with minimal changes.
Ted Danson's wife, Mary Steenburgen, makes a cameo appearance alongside him in the series finale.
In The Good Place Episode 2.9, "Best Self" (2018), Chidi expresses his wish for him and Eleanor to have met under normal circumstances, such as at a philosophy conference or after one of his lectures. Coincidentally, in Episode 2.12, "Somewhere Else" (2018), Eleanor does indeed come knocking on Chidi's door, seeking his help with philosophy after watching one of his lectures online.
Michael has reset his neighbourhood over 800 times, with the longest iteration lasting 11 months and the average reboot lasting only 5 months, it is possible that from Michael's perspective, this has been going on for nearly 400 years.
In Season 2, Tahani expresses her strong dislike for cargo pants but eventually wears them in an attempt to bond with her soulmate, who prefers casual attire. In Season 3, she chooses to wear cargo pants while visiting the monastery on Earth as part of her journey to become a better person.
Dax Shepard, who is married to Kristen Bell in real life, guest stars as a demon in Episode 10 of Season 2, titled "Rhonda, Diana, Jake, and Trent" (2018).
Despite being a Professor of Moral Philosophy and theoretically having the best chance of realising that "The Good Place" is actually "The Bad Place," Chidi never figures it out in any of Michael's 802 attempts. However, he does discover the truth later in the episode "Help Is Other People" (2019) when he becomes a resident in Michael's new experiment in the Medium Place.
Eleanor is usually the one to figure out that they are in The Bad Place, although there was one instance where Jason was the first to realise it.
There are strong implications that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) may be bisexual. Throughout various reboots, she has been intimate with Chidi on eight occasions and has expressed attraction towards Tahani, Janet, Simone, and Vicky.
The creator of The Good Place, Michael Schur, has acknowledged inadvertent similarities between the show and another TV series, Westworld (2016). While Westworld explores the theme of robots gradually gaining consciousness, The Good Place portrays Janet's gradual development of her own consciousness. It's worth noting that The Good Place finished shooting before Westworld aired.
The Medium Place came into existence in the 1980s following the death of Mindy St. Claire (Maribeth Monroe). The Good Place and The Bad Place engaged in a prolonged dispute over who should claim her. Eventually, they reached a compromise and created a new realm of mediocre existence where Mindy resides alone for eternity. As the only resident, there is no formal neighbourhood; it consists of a single house and a railway station with a sign that reads "Neighbourhood: [N/A]."
Chidi met his demise when an air conditioner fell on him. Eleanor was fatally struck by a truck advertising erectile dysfunction pills after a row of shopping carts pushed her into its path. Jianyu, known as Jason, died when he forgot to drill air holes in the safe he was hiding in during an attempted taco place robbery. In the second season, it was revealed that Tahani was crushed by a statue of her sister while attempting to dismantle it.
In the scene where Eleanor is leaving the grocery store just before her death, there is a stack of pizzas positioned at the front of her shopping cart. When Michael erases their memories and redesigns the neighbourhood for the first time, he replaces the frozen yoghurt shops with pizza stores.
Michael creates effects by snapping his fingers, similar to how Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) does it. Both characters are omnipotent immortals who have existed since the beginning of time. Interestingly, the actual Good Place faces issues akin to those of the Q Continuum depicted in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Deathwish."
Janet has the ability to alter her appearance, typically doing so during reboots, although she can change it at any time. In the episode "Existential Crisis" (2017), she briefly appears in different clothes and with blonde hair, prompting Michael to refer to her as "Janette."
Janet was created by beings known as "the Makers of Light, Darkness, and Everything" to serve as the operational mainframe for both the Good Place and the Bad Place. Originally intended for a Good Place neighbourhood, the Janet we see was stolen by Bad Place architect Michael to operate his own neighbourhood.
During their time in the Medium Place, Janet and Jason attempt to engage in sexual activity without success. Later, it is revealed that Jason and Tahani do have sex. Furthermore, Derek (Jason Mantzoukas), designed as a male counterpart to Janet, is shown to lack genitals. Given these facts, it is likely that Janet shares the same characteristic.
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