The Good Place, One of the Best Shows on TV

Netflix is a great resource for the modern age. It allows us to find new content at the drop of a hat, and binge watch shows we've never even heard of.

For example, The Good Place. I had only heard of The Good Place once before it hit Netflix UK on the 21st of September, and that was through one of my American friends, telling me it was one of the things to look out for.

The Good Place was created and written by Michael Schur, the genius behind Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine Nine, and is about the afterlife. Kristen Bell stars as Eleanor Shellstrop, a woman who dies and goes to the aforementioned Good Place, greeted by the world's creator, Michael (Ted Danson) and discovers that because of how good of a person she was when she was alive, she is now allowed to spend the rest of eternity in Heaven.

The twist? She wasn't a good person, in the slightest. She was evil and manipulative and an alcoholic, and most certainly doesn't belong in The Good Place. To avoid spoiling this gem for any viewers, she spends most of the first season trying to become a better person by learning morals from her soulmate, Chidi Anagonye, and earning her place. This idea of soulmates is a key part of the narrative; every person who is in The Good Place has a soulmate, someone who is perfect for them in every way. Now, Chidi and Eleanor is a weird one because, as we mentioned earlier, she doesn't belong here. Therefore, her and Chidi can't really be soulmates. But, as the series goes on, there is some chemistry between the two of them, and we do see them both grow as people.

The other key characters include Tahani, a philanthropist and wealthy woman who lives a lavish lifestyle, owns a mansion in the afterlife that Eleanor is continuously jealous of, and is always cheerful. Jianyu is another main character, a monk who took a vow of silence at the age of seven and won't allow himself to speak whatsoever, who grows to become one of the funniest people in comedy television right now. Finally, we have Janet, a cyborg who is designed to cater to everyone's needs instantly, simply from someone saying her name and asking her for something. Think of her as a walking, talking, less murderous HAL, and you'll love her within the first three episodes.

Each of these characters gets their own chance to live and tell their story, with Chidi, Tahani and Jianyu all getting flashbacks throughout certain episodes explaining how they died and what happened leading up to those situations. For example, with Chidi, we see him being completely indecisive and not knowing what to do, hating his colleague's cowboy boots but feeling bad for not telling him that he hates them until he gets his own pair. Tahani has a poor relationship with her sister, which is the key focus of all of her anger and the reason why she is so happy to be dead. And Jianyu? I'll let you find out that one on your own, as it ties into the overarching storyline for the first season.

The reason this show works so well is because of Michael Schur. One of the best sitcom writers of our generation, he understands all of his characters inside and out and gives each of them a moment to breathe and live inside the worlds he makes for them. Everyone who is here belongs where they do, even if, in terms of the plot, it doesn't seem that way. He takes the very common idea of "What happens after we die?" and makes it into a deep and moving piece of television that can connect with audiences all around, playing on 'the outsider' in every single one of us.

If you live in the UK, I highly recommend watching this on Netflix. Americans can find it on NBC, and the rest of the world will find a way.