With the first episode of The Good Place‘s third season recently released on Netflix, we’re here to tell you exactly why you need to catch up on seasons 1 and 2 immediately.
This innovative show is set in the afterlife, the so-called ‘Good Place’, where we are informed ‘good people’ go when they die. The first season introduces Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a self-diagnosed ‘trash-bag’ from Arizona who finds herself a resident of the ‘Good Place’, much to her surprise. She quickly realises the mistake and season 1 follows the subsequent issues she faces. And season 2? The twist in season 1 is enough reason to keep that quiet.
Created by the legendary Mike Schur, predominantly known for his work on ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’, ‘The Good Place’ features a celebrity cast of Kristen Bell and ‘Cheers’ star Ted Danson, along with some new faces, such as Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto.
Schur has previously acknowledged that this show is vastly different from anything he has worked on before, and yet it has still been incredibly successful. It creatively blends juvenile humour with intellectual, moral teachings of philosophy. In fact, these thought-provoking philosophical dilemmas have proven to be one of the most effective elements of the show.
One popular ethical experiment discussed in the show is ‘the trolley problem’. This problem depicts five people tied to a train track with a train rushing towards them. You have the power to switch a lever which diverts the train onto another track, which will inevitably kill one person. What would be the ethical thing to do? How does this have anything to with this TV series? Confused? Hooked? Well, get watching.
For those of you who are already addicted, and those who are on track to finish seasons 1 and 2 before doing any remotely useful uni work (the perks of 20-minute episodes), you may be excited to hear that these episodes are not your only access to ‘The Good Place’. A recent addition comes in the form of a podcast which aims to analyse in detail each episode. The podcast is hosted by Marc Evan Jackson (aka Shawn) and includes many special guests, one even being a philosophy advisor of the show.
‘The Good Place’ is truly a one-of-a-kind show and its inclusion of romance, humour, and a surprising amount of intellectual stimuli. Set your expectations high for season 3 and go ahead, get binging!
Emma Prentice
Image: NBC