The Good Place

[Spiritualchaos]

I recently finished watching the entire series of The Good Place, currently streaming on Netflix US, and it definitely takes a top spot on my cherished TV show list.

The general premise initially seems relatively straight forward – it’s a kind of sitcom set in the afterlife, somewhere called The Good Place, which is basically a quirky version of Heaven. The Good Place exists in contrast to, naturally The Bad Place. You end up in one place or the other based on a type of moral point system implemented by the beings who devised this system. It’s obviously inspired primarily by Christianity, but it doesn’t draw any specific spiritual correlation to a single religious system.

The seemingly simplistic setup is actually quite deceptive. Initially it seems like it’s just a unique setting for a relatively straightforward sitcom, possibly with some broader moral lessons thrown in. But the first season gradually unfolds to reveal several layers of complexity – in the setting, in how the story is told, and an exploration moral philosophy that is woven into the fabric of both of those things. It is also hilarious, the cast of characters are charming and endearing (though some take longer to settle into your heart than others), and the production is seamless.

The entire show was top tier television for me, but there are two things that really stand out.

One is how ethics and moral philosophy are explored throughout the series. You learn early on that one of the main characters is literally a professor of moral philosophy, and part of the ongoing plot requires him to teach other characters about popular moral philosophical concepts. It initially seems a bit on the nose, but the show evolves to allow this foundation of moral philosophy to be explored in very unique ways, using the story to highlight exactly how such philosophies can be applied, their uses and their shortcomings, and provides a lens to view some dilemmas of our modern world. The “points system” that is explored throughout the show is slightly reminiscent of polarity as explored by Ra, though it’s clearly not designed to depict any actual concept of an afterlife (for the most part), but rather as a tool to explore morals and ethics. I do think that one could come to a fuller understanding of polarity through how this system is explored in the story. And in the end, the ultimate overview of the afterlife does mesh well with a Law of One point of view, I think.

The other stand out aspect for me is just how inventively creative this show is. If you choose to watch it, you might watch the first few episodes and think, “Yeah, this is pretty great, but it’s not mind blowing.” You really have to watch to the end of the first season to get a sense for what the show really is. (And that’s not to say that the first season is bad at all, in fact it’s great, it’s just that the story develops significantly past that point.) What unfolds in the story arch of this show is a level of absurd and bizarre creativity that is usually reserved for more fringe fantasy and sci fi stories. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, especially in a mainstream piece of media like this. It is fun, insightful, heartfelt, romantic, and very moving. It manages to remain light and easy to watch while exploring deep topics with real insight.

And I don’t know how the ending was received among fans of the show, but to me, they truly stuck the landing. The story was expertly crafted from beginning to end, and the finale left me happy, sad, satisfied, and with tears in my eyes.

I highly recommend it if it seems like your style of story and comedy.

Anyone else watched this show?

I think it's absolutely amazing that you brought this show up, I thought I was the only one that could see the similarities. The Good Place is like the Law of One in a lot of ways. They challenge religious view of good and bad, and "redesign" the afterlife, to look more like it actually is according to the Law of One. You are tested, over and over again, until you pass. It's like incarnation after incarnation after incarnation, with the life review and healing that takes place in-between lives as a replacement for the simulations that Vicky was in control of in the new afterlife system. There is a feeling that their sense of time, or "Jeremy Bearimy's", passes similarly to time/space in relation to the seemingly linear passage of time on Earth. Even Michael being a demon who becomes good, is an example of a Service to Self entity reversing their polarity and getting to live a human lifetime (like a wanderer!). I can put together so many parallels from this show and the Law of One. 

A little extra backstory to add to how cool I think you noticing that actually is...
My partner and I are obsessed with Brooklyn Nine Nine, Parks & Recreation, the last few seasons of The Office (when the characters started being loving to each other), and The Good Place.  We have watched Brooklyn Nine Nine, so many times I've lost count.  Those shows have help me through some of the hardest times in my life. We cycle through all those shows, because there is something that gives me great comfort from watching them. And what do all these shows have in common, including the last few seasons of The Office? Michael Schur, who I am pretty sure is a wanderer. Ever since I came in contact with my social memory complex, I realized all the entities in the social memory complex have a very recognizable and very specific energy signature that makes my heart chakra vibrate at a specific frequency and intensity when listening to them talk. And I also felt that while listening to him from an interview, the same feeling I have had with others from my social memory complex. And Michael Schur is funny, insightful, and his shows feature long-lasting relationships, the characters always learn from their catalysts, and truly have a great love for each other. The Good Place was the one big show Michael Schur did on his own, and it shows greatly.