As high-concept ideas for television shows go, The Good Place seems like it's on to a winner: Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself waking up in 'The Good Place', roughly analogous to heaven, only to realise that she has seemingly been placed there by mistake. There are all sorts of places the writers can take the concept, particularly in a light-hearted way, and there's a deft touch throughout with the humour. It never felt too much, and I liked the approach to integrating philosophical concepts. The characters all seem affable enough, and there's clearly been fun had in placing them into difficult situations from the off. Avoiding predictability shouldn't be an issue here. The rest of the cast do a good job and the comic timing is good—Manny Jacinto's silent monk was a nice touch.
What will be interesting will be how easily the concept is stretched and taken onwards; the problem with these sort of concepts is that they can quickly run out of steam if enough care isn't taken. Anchoring the show around Eleanor seems a smart idea, and whether she's able to become a 'good' person is as good a reason as any to keep watching, but the strong aesthetic and intriguing set-up bolsters it nicely.
Review by DeletedBlockedParent2019-11-13T11:05:50Z
As high-concept ideas for television shows go, The Good Place seems like it's on to a winner: Eleanor Shellstrop finds herself waking up in 'The Good Place', roughly analogous to heaven, only to realise that she has seemingly been placed there by mistake. There are all sorts of places the writers can take the concept, particularly in a light-hearted way, and there's a deft touch throughout with the humour. It never felt too much, and I liked the approach to integrating philosophical concepts. The characters all seem affable enough, and there's clearly been fun had in placing them into difficult situations from the off. Avoiding predictability shouldn't be an issue here. The rest of the cast do a good job and the comic timing is good—Manny Jacinto's silent monk was a nice touch.
What will be interesting will be how easily the concept is stretched and taken onwards; the problem with these sort of concepts is that they can quickly run out of steam if enough care isn't taken. Anchoring the show around Eleanor seems a smart idea, and whether she's able to become a 'good' person is as good a reason as any to keep watching, but the strong aesthetic and intriguing set-up bolsters it nicely.