Netflix Fantasy Comedy Series Is The Best Sitcom Of The Decade
In the last ten years, many great sitcoms have been made but the absolute best is also one of the most unique, The Good Place. With a fantasy premise deeply rooted in the philosophy of ethics and theology, it’s a self-consciously literary show that still consistently delivers big laughs. With an incredible cast, beloved characters, and strong writing I believe it belongs on the list of all-time great sitcoms.
Finding Humor In The Afterlife
Originally aired in 2016, The Good Place is about a group of people who die and find themselves together in the afterlife. The show is full of twists and turns I won’t spoil here, but the initial conflict centers around Elanor, who was mistakenly sent to the show’s equivalent of Heaven instead of Hell. It raises questions of justice, people’s capacity for ethical improvement, social values, and the function of religion, which remain central themes even as the premise of the show continually shifts.
Heaven Has An Amazing Cast
The Good Place brought together an amazing cast of established actors and relative newcomers, all of whom knocked it out of the park. The main cast includes sitcom legend Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D’Arcy Carden, and Manny Jacinto. The supporting cast is just as great, including Tiya Sircar, Adam Scott, Marc Evan Jackson, Amy Okuda, Micheal McKean, Jason Mantzoukas, Maya Rudolph, Mike O’Malley, Paul Scherer, Stephen Merchant, and Nicole Byer.
Every Character Is Likable
The great actors in The Good Place bring the immensely likable characters to life. Every character in the main cast is funny and much deeper than the archetypes they initially seem to embody. More importantly, the relationships between the characters are heartfelt and dynamic throughout the four-season run, with great romantic couples like Jason and Janet, as well as some of my favorite TV platonic pairings, like Michael and Elanor.
Like many people, my anticipation for The Good Place was high due to its creator, Michael Schur, who worked on The Office before co-creating Parks and Recreations and Brooklyn 99. While the show never reached the viewership heights of Schur’s other work, it was a critical darling. The show has a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and frequently appears on best sitcom lists and articles.
Steeped In Real Philosophy
One of the most unique things about The Good Place is that it’s explicitly rooted in philosophy. Through the character Chidi, who was a moral philosopher before he died, the show explores the work of real philosophers as he teaches the other characters. The show is also loosely based on Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist play No Exit, buoying its academic legitimacy.
While an academically minded show connected to an existentialist play doesn’t sound like a great comedy, The Good Place turns its serious premise into comedy gold. Its fantastical premise allows the show to make a wide variety of jokes, from Maya Rudolph playing a divine judge obsessed with pop culture to a character with wind chimes for genitals. It expertly infuses its intellectual ideas with the comedic sensibilities of more straightforward sitcoms.
A Sitcom With Character Development
The Good Place is a great comedy, but it’s also exceptionally well crafted, on par with even the best prestige TV dramas. It takes its afterlife-centered premise seriously with a plot that could easily work as a straightforward theological fantasy. Characters have compelling arcs, the plot always moves forward without feeling rushed, and every creative decision feels purposeful.
Streaming On Netflix
REVIEW SCORE
Sitcoms are often written off as entertaining but hollow entertainment, but The Good Place proves the genre can generate genuine masterpieces. It has jokes I still think about years after it ended, just like Seinfeld and The Office, but it’s also an insightful philosophical work. Watch The Good Place on Netflix to experience the best sitcom of the last decade.
