20 votes

The Good Place - good or bad?

I've seen every episode of The Good Place up to this point and still can't decide if I like it or not. It's a very strange situation. The premise, while novel, doesn't work well (in my opinion) on a TV show budget or schedule and I find myself wondering why I'm watching it.

Reviews of the show are generally very positive, but it feels like the writers are constantly scrambling for new ideas when the concept just doesn't lend itself to that much TV.

I love Michael Schur's work generally and like Kristen Bell as an actress, but I still can't decide if I like this or not. Thoughts?

8 comments

  1. [2]
    tesseractcat
    Link
    I enjoyed the first two seasons, but the latest season seems like a bit of a stretch. I think it should have been wrapped up faster, the latest arc (them living on earth) seems just like a less...

    I enjoyed the first two seasons, but the latest season seems like a bit of a stretch. I think it should have been wrapped up faster, the latest arc (them living on earth) seems just like a less funny duplication of the first arc. Besides, the entire premise of the show seems to be that people can grow and change to become something different, but by sending them back and erasing all their growth, all of the shows character development and progress seems to have disappeared (other than the non-human characters, of course), which made the show less coherent and less enjoyable for me personally.

    10 votes
    1. guywithhair
      Link Parent
      I agree that the latest season has felt a bit strange. It is strange to transition from the character growth in the first two seasons to a setting in which that growth is null and void. I feel...

      I agree that the latest season has felt a bit strange. It is strange to transition from the character growth in the first two seasons to a setting in which that growth is null and void. I feel like there have been several holes in the plot that detract from the overall arch of the show.

      That said, I've really enjoyed the show so far. As a whole, I think they've done a great job on trading off between humor and the metaphysical ideas that would come to a show like this. My biggest fear is that they'll end up writing themselves into a hole as the show goes on. This is one of those series that I would like to see them end earlier than absolutely necessary just to keep it contained.

      4 votes
  2. sebs
    Link
    I was in the same situation... I didn't really know why I keep watching it... but waiting for the middle season break to end I've watch it again trying to pay more attention and I founded it more...

    I was in the same situation... I didn't really know why I keep watching it... but waiting for the middle season break to end I've watch it again trying to pay more attention and I founded it more enjoyable and funny than the first time for some reason.

    I think that the show tries to make episodes funny around very hard topics and in the very short time they have per episode that doesn't really pays of very well unless you are really paying attention; it feels too fast paced.

    And the dorkiness of the jokes, the situation and general tone is a very heavy contrast to the philosophy and morality stuff. The repetition of having "lessons"/explications/definitions eventually kinda wears you off a little, it becomes monotonous.

    But overall I like it.

    [SPOILERS]
    And actually in the third season it became more interesting to me, because now you have the general plot of "saving humanity" besides the personal journey of each character.
    [/SPOILERS]

    5 votes
  3. tomf
    Link
    I love it. Its a quick, fun series. The casting is excellent, too. For a network comedy, its one of my favorite new series.

    I love it. Its a quick, fun series. The casting is excellent, too. For a network comedy, its one of my favorite new series.

    4 votes
  4. DanBC
    Link
    I didn't enjoy it and I dropped out halfway through season 2. I didn't find it that funny. I thought the set up was interesting but they didn't do enough with it. The plot twist at the end of S1...

    I didn't enjoy it and I dropped out halfway through season 2.

    I didn't find it that funny. I thought the set up was interesting but they didn't do enough with it. The plot twist at the end of S1 just made S2 tedious.

    I can see why people like it, but I really can't understand why it rates so highly across a bunch of sites. I'm obviously missing something, but I don't know what.

    For a comedy set in hell (although it's showing it's age a lot now) the BBC Radio Four "Old Harry's Game" is better. (Sorry for the mobile link) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Harry's_Game

    4 votes
  5. unknown user
    Link
    In my opinion, the first two seasons are the best damn live-action comedy series of 2010s, and I don't think there was an episode that didn't make me laugh at least once. I am yet to see the third...

    In my opinion, the first two seasons are the best damn live-action comedy series of 2010s, and I don't think there was an episode that didn't make me laugh at least once. I am yet to see the third season, but I'm hoping that it's as good as the last two.

    3 votes
  6. nsz
    Link
    First season is really good imo, the idea felt novel and they hadn't yet bug themselves into an escalation game where everything starts to feel absurd.

    First season is really good imo, the idea felt novel and they hadn't yet bug themselves into an escalation game where everything starts to feel absurd.

    1 vote
  7. asteroid
    Link
    I have only watched the first two seasons, but I liked it enough to have re-watched it. It's not brilliant all the way through, but it does a VERY good job of consistently surprising me. That's a...

    I have only watched the first two seasons, but I liked it enough to have re-watched it. It's not brilliant all the way through, but it does a VERY good job of consistently surprising me. That's a breath of fresh air, given how much TV is predictable.

    1 vote