[7.2/10] This definitely does all the things a pilot needs to do, particularly for a high concept show like The Good Place. It establishes the world. It introduces the characters. It sets the rules. It starts off a conflict. And it gives you a sense for what the tone and sensibility of the show.
I have to admit, I didn’t laugh as much as I was expecting with something from the team of Michael Schur and Drew Goddard, but there was plenty of good tone material -- stuff that makes you smile or appreciate what the show’s doing even if you’re not laughing out loud.
Mostly I’m excited for the potential for this show. You don’t normally get such weird, out there premises on a network sitcom these days, so something set in the afterlife, with someone who’s not supposed to be in Heaven bluffing their way through, brushing up against the regulations of the place, and whose very presence is causing problems has all sorts of promise. That, coupled with her desire to be “taught” to be good is intriguing.
Kristen Bell is, unsurprisingly, great as the libertine who ended up in paradise. The flashbacks to her at the telemarketing company, or insulting an environmentalist are amusing in their terribleness, and it’s a nice contrast to her in her perfect surroundings full of preternaturally decent people.
There was nothing that really knocked me off my feet in the first go here, but there was a lot to introduce in a half hour, and “Everything Is Fine” does so quite nicely. Very interested to see where the show goes from here.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-09-24T04:38:05Z
[7.2/10] This definitely does all the things a pilot needs to do, particularly for a high concept show like The Good Place. It establishes the world. It introduces the characters. It sets the rules. It starts off a conflict. And it gives you a sense for what the tone and sensibility of the show.
I have to admit, I didn’t laugh as much as I was expecting with something from the team of Michael Schur and Drew Goddard, but there was plenty of good tone material -- stuff that makes you smile or appreciate what the show’s doing even if you’re not laughing out loud.
Mostly I’m excited for the potential for this show. You don’t normally get such weird, out there premises on a network sitcom these days, so something set in the afterlife, with someone who’s not supposed to be in Heaven bluffing their way through, brushing up against the regulations of the place, and whose very presence is causing problems has all sorts of promise. That, coupled with her desire to be “taught” to be good is intriguing.
Kristen Bell is, unsurprisingly, great as the libertine who ended up in paradise. The flashbacks to her at the telemarketing company, or insulting an environmentalist are amusing in their terribleness, and it’s a nice contrast to her in her perfect surroundings full of preternaturally decent people.
There was nothing that really knocked me off my feet in the first go here, but there was a lot to introduce in a half hour, and “Everything Is Fine” does so quite nicely. Very interested to see where the show goes from here.