The Good Place - Pilot - Advanced Preview

The Good Place, NBC's newest crack at comedy gold, follows recently killed Eleanor Shellstrop (the always hilarious Kristen Bell) as she arrives in heaven. The only problem is that she quickly realizes she was mistakenly given admittance and a different Eleanor Shellstrop is supposed to be there. The Good Place definitely has a unique premise and ended up being one of my favorite comedy pilots I have seen in a loooooong time.

"You, Eleanor Shellstrop, are dead. Your life on earth has ended and you are now in the next phase of your existence in the universe.” 42 seconds in and The Good Place has established its basic premise. I think one of the strongest parts of the episode is that it asks and answers most of your questions within the first 5 minutes and does so with funny one liners. The details of this version of heaven are also perfectly done. It’s pretty colorful and the sets are fun and fantastical. So if you're nervous about wondering what the heck is going on during the entire pilot or buying into this quirky premise, don't fear. The writing and production value make immersing yourself in the world of The Good Place effortless.

Kristen Bell is also fantastic in this episode. The main reason the pilot works so well is that Kristen Bell has the rare ability to make a terrible person likable. Her hilarious performance is then magnified when she interacts with heaven’s saintly residents. In fact, the funniest scene of the pilot involves her getting hammered as she mingles with these sinless people at a party.

In terms of the supporting characters, Ted Danson is also wonderful as Michael, the leader of The Good Place. His too-happy attitude makes me excited for the possibility of him snapping and going crazy in a future episode. William Jackson Harper is also funny as the predetermined soul mate of Eleanor’s. Other than those two, the supporting cast is pretty under developed. If I had one hope for future episodes, it’s that the supporting cast gets some depth. I am not too worried, however, as The Good Place is created by Michael Schur, who is the same mind behind another hilarious ensemble comedy: Parks and Recreation.

Also, for those who are wondering what the show will be about on a weekly basis, the end of the episode has a fun twist that previews the ridiculousness in store for season 1.

Best Quotes not in the trailer:

Michael: The Good Place, sponsored by two otters holding hands while they sleep.

Eleanor: I was a medium person! I should get to spend eternity in a medium place! Like Cincinnati.

Eleanor: There was a guy who lived in Avondale, Arizona around 2002. His name was Kevin Paltonic. Is he gay?
Janet: No.
Eleanor: Really? Huh. I guess he just didn’t want to have sex with me.
Janet: That’s correct.

The Good Place premieres on Monday, September 19 after The Voice before moving to its normal Thursday at 8:30pm time slot on the 22nd. Let me know what part of NBC’s newest comedy you’re most excited for!

About the Author - Doug Greer

Doug Greer is a TV obsessed Leo from the Bay Area. His TV origin story begins in 7th grade, when his friend lent him her Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs and 144 episodes (and 9 days) later, he was hooked for life. All time favorites include (but most certaintly not limited to) everything Joss Whedon, Charmed, The 100, Nikita, Battlestar, and anything with a laugh track. More recently, Doug produced and help write a webseries for The CW called CW FanTalk and also produced webseries for actors such as AnnaLynne McCord and John Lehr. For the 2016-2017 season, Doug will be reviewing 2 Broke Girls, Mom, and The Good Place.

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