I think the moment Michael truly wins the audience over is when he tricks the demons into thinking the humans escaped by hiding them all underneath the train. He almost bursts into tears when he sees the humans safe and sound and it is so adorably wholesome.
I loved that the music when they first discovered they were in the bad place and Michael is evil is playing while the train leaves as they look up and see him. The music changes and at that point you know 100% definitively that Michael is on their side.
Another note: when they suspect Michael of having been switched out with an imposter and ask him to reveal himself, he says that he’s worried they will never treat him the same if they see his true form. And they RESPECT that. They find another way to test things and eventually find out it was Janet who was replaced. This show is top notch.
To be fair, it wasn't just respecting his fears, but also knowing that the experiment might be ruined by a gigantic fire squid appearing over the neighborhood, that prompted them to look for another solution.
It still amazes me that this show got made at all. Having in the pitch "Let's make a comedy show about the human experience, heaven, hell, earth and moral philosophy" and not get inmediatly trown out of the room of the bureaucrats must have been an incredible feat. Not to mention getting to finish several seasons of it with a coherent well though, and overall great finale. We need MORE people like this.
Well, hearing Shur describe it, it was more, “You’re amazing, make whatever you want.” The fact that it was continued is the real hurdle. Seems more like a show the execs would cut off, and we would only get the full story in 10 years from a “what could have been” book.
This still amazes me. It contains every element that shouldn't work in a sitcom like format, like special effects, outlandish worlds and characters' circumstances completely changing. The fact that it works and the fact that it didn't go off the rails (no pun intended) in later seasons is a minor miracle.
@@corvidwranglerPretty much. If I recall correctly from the podcast, after making The Office, Parks and Rec, and Brooklyn 99 they basically gave him the creative equivalent of a blank check.
@@Squantit really isn’t. Aside from the deeply fascinating and surprisingly emotional story, it is also one of the funniest and ridiculous shows I’ve seen. I gotta say, I don’t think I’ve ever watched anything so well written and well balanced. Highly recommend The Good Place.
its not my favorite line because Jason "every time i have a problem, i throw a molotov and boom!!, i have another problem" is golden and i can use it in my dnd tables.
My favorite scene. But something I find underrated is real elenor saying she did something Yada Yada Yada then she did something else Yada Yada Yada then she learned English watching Seinfeld. And of course the Yada Yada Yada thing was a famous thing from Seinfeld. Just perfect.
Applying reality to this fictional show, sometimes it is the simplest mind that can see things for what they really are. Complex minds can often over complicate simple solutions. This why there are some problems young children can solve more readily than adults, they haven't been brought up yet to a set standard of seemingly practical solutions. Young children can more easily think outside the box.
That trolley problem bit at the start is so poetically perfect because the actual point and as close to solution as the origional author of the trolley problem devised it to point out is that you cannot solve the problem by working within the confines of the problem. Its a point about how the arbitrary rules of philosophical though problems can force us to make inhumane decisions. Just like how the good place's afterlife is broken but because they refuse to work outside the rules of the system they can't stop it.
Your insightful response on the arbitrary rules of philosophy made me rethink my opinion on western-and eastern philosophy. Maybe Chidi was particularly relevant to quote Thich Nhat Hanh at the end of season 4: the Buddhist principle of practicing peaceful nonduality was the answer to arbitrary rules.
what a load of nonsense, there is nothing inhumane or immoral about choosing to kill just one instead of five ... if not to kill is not an option at all then its also no issue morally and the experiement therefor also doesnt force an inhumane choice, simple af. Everything beyond that is pretentious nonsense irrelevant to the problem. the whole point of the trolley problem is to teach silly people that they aint in control of everything and therefor they aint responsible for every consequence of their choices. Choice in itself is an illusion considered the causality which pretty much runs everything on a physical level, humans just aint able to grasp the complexity of all the factors involved and the inescapable causality which triggers our brains to make a "choice". Humans just should be contempt with doing the least harm as thats in our best interest, and the people who dont believe in children stories about a magic afterlife only need to consider the real life consequences which effects thems physicly, legally and socially.
I’m currently living through my roommates who know absolutely nothing about the show. They’re German and it wasn’t super popular here so they haven’t had anything spoiled. It’s very exciting
What I think is really underappreciated is how much of a mentor figure Eleanor was to Michael, not just Chidi. Chidi might have taught him the theoretical side but Eleanor was the one who guided him and taught him how to do the right thing from her own personal expeirence. Its why at the end of Derek, shes the one he comes to for advice and I think her telling him to "stick with it, demon buddy" helped solidify how much Michael cared for them.
Same and im just crying right now watching this video and remembering it. It was seriously so beautiful and touching. This show made me take personal stock for the first time in decades.
I've seen the show from start to finish four times now. I bawl the entire final episode, alone, because my wife refuses to watch the last two episodes again.
You made me cry without even mentioning the "Picture a Wave" scene. 😭 Michael's character arc is very well written, but having an actor as talented as Ted Dansen really transformed the performance.
It also was a bit of a meta cast. He's a sitcom veteran known for playing dear god anything but this sort of character. It helps make the Season 1 twist even more shocking when it is finally revealed.
One of my favorite Ted moments was when he starts becoming a "guardian angel" (for lack of a better term), starting with the bar scene and he talks to Eleanor, connecting her to Chidi. I also love that even after Michael starts to redeem himself, he has to learn how to best interfere and meddle. I love him!
As much as I’m a fan of Schitt’s Creek, I always thought the final episode of The Good Place should have won the 2020 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. By a mile.
In my opinion, The Good Place had THE BEST finale of any series I've seen. Such a beautiful sendoff to all the main characters. And the series didn't overstay their welcome- 4 seasons were enough to tell the story and keeping it short enough to avoid becoming too repetitive or going off the rails.
This is a show that I genuinely think people need to see at least once in their lifetime. The light but important look at life, friendship, love, and goodness is so important for every living person to consider.
I was so excited to see a) that the show covered the Trolley Problem, and b) that it revisited it, and actually got it right. I had never seen this anywhere else before. I had never seen anyone, in life, or in entertainment, both address the Trolley Problem, and go any further than some moral relativistic, or utilitarian stance. It was amazing, and having Michael be the character who came to the right answer was a brilliant choice.
I was so terrified the entire time I was watching this series until the very end that they were going to pull another twist in which Michael had actually been against them all along. So happy that’s not what happened 🙏 Also, this is undoubtedly one of the top three comedies to come out over the last ten years 💯
@@wcopter5514 for me personally, the best three I’ve seen that have come out in the last decade are The Good Place, Schitt’s Creek, and Ted Lasso. And that’s talking about more typical comedies. I’m categorizing black comedies as their own thing. That’s just me though. HBU?
@@wcopter5514 I wasn’t either but after watching it, I gained a new appreciation for the sport. I honestly think you can get into it even if you’re not into sports at all. Excellent characters, top-notch writing, and drama that is just as strong as the comedy. I would personally recommend it.
@@wcopter5514 - I resisted “Ted Lasso” for a long time, for the same reason. I have zero interest in sports, so I was sure I wouldn’t be interested in a show about football, but once I actually watched a couple of episodes, I was hooked. It’s not really about football. It has football in it, of course, but that’s just a backdrop. The show itself is about so much more than that and it’s fantastic.
For me, THE moment was when Janet asked Michael to kill her to go on with the plan, but he refuses and when she pushes him and asks why, Michael suddenly just scream "BECAUSE YOU'RE MY FRIEND" almost crying 🥺 I was crying with him and I really understood he was turning good
I started watching the good place off a whim of curiosity about the memes I'd seen from it. A few weeks later, I found myself sitting alone at 1AM with tears welling in my eyes as I struggled to process the ending of one of my favorite shows to ever be televised. Nothing else has ever made me laugh so hysterically or feel such deep cathartic release so many times over. Michael was, unquestionably, a huge part of that. In my mind, he is the purest demonstration of the "anyone and everyone can be better if only given the chance to do it and some love to guide them" theme in the show. The longest way to go from where he starts, by far, and he makes the journey beautifully.
And it was exactly the right length. Wouldn’t change a single thing about it. I love seeing a show that knows what it wants, executes, and leaves before it wears out it’s welcome. The last few episodes had me bawling
Have to love that bread reference to Les Miserables, which is all about an unjust system prioritizing justice over mercy. And, in fact, the transformation of the main character from an individual concerned about only himself, due to injustice, into a truly good person when another shows him mercy.
Michael’s arc is one of the best arcs in all of media. And you’re right about the turning point moment. TGP was such a GREAT show, one of the best in TV history.
To add on, the way Michael and Eleanor’s arcs are mirrored in an exaggerated, funhouse kind of way is soooo good. And the way they bond over their mean ways, but ultimate desire to do better is sweet bc they ultimately build each other up in a way they’ve never been encouraged before and constantly want the other to do better.
I loved this show, I still love it. I binge it all the number on Netflix. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has helped me through a number of difficult hardships, and has eased my anxiety when it comes to when I decide to end it all.
Interesting fact. Most of the survivors who tried to end their lives jumping of the golden gate bridge regretted their decision as they jumped. They realized all their problems were solvable.
Sorry if things have been so rough that you've thought about ending it all. I think one of the things the show also displays is how valuable human life is though. It's hard to see sometimes, but that includes yours. Hope things get better.
Crazy the impact a show can have. An act of fiction can literally save life’s. That in itself is amazing. Maybe you can see the beauty in that and wanna do the same for someone else
During the height of the pandemic I sat with mother-in-law and had her watch two shows with me: Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Good Place. They’re two of the best shows ever made and, as a practicing Buddhist, she was fully engrossed with both for their story, characters, and moral/ethical situations. Michael’s arc is indeed a big pet if what makes TGP so special.
It really is hard to believe that this was actually an American network television show. What it attempted and what it achieved are so far beyond the norm that it takes your breath away. It is surely one of the five best network TV series in history.
I absolutely adore this show. Apart from the moral and ethical teachings in it, it’s just a good watch and a perfect blend between education and comedy. Michael definitely won my heart by the end of the series
Michael was my favorite character, it still brings me to tears (of happiness) whenever I think about how he ended, it's quite a simple but truly beautiful ending
I always giggle when imagining this hypothetical. Outside of American English a trolley means what you would call a shopping cart. The visual of people being run over by a madman in a shopping trolley is amusing.
@@bazhumke4040as much as I love atla, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Neither is the good place but the lessons and especially the ending I think everyone should experience.
The moment that The Good Place went from, "a really damn good show," to my favorite show of all time was when Michael solved The Trolley Problem. That's when I knew that this show didn't just want to parrot moral philosophy, it wanted to give its audience a base of understanding from which it could philosophize for itself, and it did it with one of the most emotionally resonant moments in television.
This show is criminally underated. Always baffles me when people say that they didnt heard of it or passed on it. The Good Place is the perfect example that you can have an hilarious sitcom produced after 2010, and reimagined the genre in its own way. I’ll always come back to that show fondly and remember it as one of the best show of its era
There’s actually another version of the trolley problem that Michael had to experience. The episode immediately after “The trolley problem” He had to choose between marbleising Janet or let her glitches destroy the neighbourhood.
The hardest thing about this show is, yes it is amazing from the way beginning, but the season 1 finale makes it exponentially better. The problem is, when I get people to watch it, they think its just okay because they haven't seen the twist and so it feels like its the same problem will never be solved. But I also don't want to tell them there is a twist because they need to find out themselves so no one actually understands how freaking amazing this show is
Say it like this: The show is good, funny, maybe not overly exciting but the concept is solid. The finale of season 1 brings greater context the rest of the season and makes every episode leading up to it retroactively better.
The Good Place is my favorite show of all time. As funny as The Office, as heartfelt as Parks and Rec, plus it does long form philosophical storytelling better than Lost ever did 🤣
I have rewatched this show so many times! It’s one show I’ll never get tired of, although I wish I could experience it for the first time again. I love that this show fosters critical thinking and delivers philosophy in an immersive experience. Your commentary was great! Keep it up 😊
Look, Michael was my fave character from season one. When he was revealed to be a villain, my heart broke a little. To see his redemption starting in season 2, to see how he grows to care about Team Cockroach... It was everything I could have hoped.
I LOVED this series! I agree that it was amazing that it ever made it on air in the first place. It was moral, meaningful, a masterpiece of writing and production, and funnier than hell, too.
"Despite Micheal being 'the villain' I never seen him as one, the guy is just too charming and likable" You're one relationship with a narcissistic sociopath away from a really, really, really bad wakeup call.
When I watched the first episode, I was fed up with tv shows that try too hard with story telling using magic and such, stuff outside of reality, and I brushed it off. Then a friend mentioned the show and how they were teaching Philosphy to the audience and I gave it a second chance, catching up to the 3rd season, and after it was done, watching the final season. I am so glad I did! This is one of my favorite shows of all time, and just seeing this video, I want to rewatch it again. I know with the twist, it's revealed that he's Evil, but he spent so much time in season 1 pretending to be good that the "evil" he was, didn't really register for me, and then he worked with the humans someone what, so a lot of the evil he did was played for laughs. But I would say ultimately, it was a good change for his character.
Michael pivots from being a villain to the path of being a human in the Trolley Problem episode itself. It's the moment when he apologizes sarcastically and then says the same words with genuine remorse and heart. Up until that second, he'd still been torturing them. After that, he slowly grew into the good person/demon who would sacrifice himself for the others.
Ive been rewatching the series *again* and i lo ve that there's still so much to think about when it comes to this show! I love the way you framed it, cause i never wouldve made this connection but now it seems so obvious
Honestly cannot think of a show that can compare! Only drawback is that I know I can never re-watch it because I couldn't stomach the beautifully painful finale again...
The point that i see Michael changing is when he goes from mocking Chidi after the trolly problem to truly apologizing to Chidi using the exact same words, but talking from his heart rather than from sarcasm.
There's a long stretch of the latter part of the show where the big conflict is the heroes trying to convince the celestial powers-that-be that humans are worthy of more mercy than it would seem, and my guess was that the protagonists' ability to redeem Michael (a literal demon!) would somehow play into that. Still feels weird that it didn't.
I usually hate characters that were written to be "stupid" but I really liked Jason. Dunno he seemed like a really chill kinda dumb guy. I know it's unrelated but seeing him just reminded me😅
There is such a good 3 episode arc here where Michael (masterfully played by Ted Danson) grows so much as a character and really evolves his way of thinking. It starts in episode 4 with an existential crisis about his own mortality, then pivots to the wisdom of realizing his own limitation in episode 5 and of being vulnerable around others and asking for help. And finally in this episode he admits to himself and to Janet that he has both the capability of deep friendship and a fundamental need for it. In each episode he reverts to some kind of denial and/or repression of his emotions, either with a mid life crisis, torturing chidi and acting out, or telling Janet that killing her would be bad for the plan. Michael is a being who loves and needs his friends. It is this growth and realization that I feel really bonds us again to Michael even after the reveal at the end of the 1st season. And also Ted Danson just forking nails it!
The good place is the most wholesome, entertaining, and endearing show I’ve ever watched! I honestly can’t think of one thing that was bad or pointless, and it ended exactly how it should’ve, when it should’ve.
@@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 But thats the point!!!! Eleanor is supposed to be annoying, aggravating, a person that’s hard to get along with and Chidi is supposed to slow things down because he’s indecisive! These are their problems that they spend the show working on, and why they by default go to the bad place. If anything this just proves how well the actors portrayed their characters because how you feel about them is exactly how they’re supposed to come across!
@@angel_in-black They purposefully made a bad show with purposely poorly written characters? Riiiiiight. They are so 1 dimensional. Flanderised i dare say
@@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 if you don’t like the show, what are you doing criticizing it in the comments of a video of it?! I never said everyone should like this show and anyone who doesn’t is stupid, if you don’t like it, that’s fine, I respect your opinion. There’s shows I’m not a fan of that people like, but I don’t go to videos about them and tell people they suck.
I love how he still held his demon habits while trying to improve since hes had 1000s of years of experience, makes for a more satisfying character progression and some funny circumstances such as his strategy in the trolley problem
one of the best tv shows all time ever to be created! The journey you will have and experiencing this show for the first time and the glorious ending that will hit you deep. 100% recommended for those who haven't seen it yet and not being spoiled.
I love that you get extra minus points just for being "more French" not even just for being French, for doing anything even associated with France. That's hilarious.
The Good Place is one of my favorite shows, for reasons exactly like this. The creators make you think and set up the story incredibly well. I think I have to watch it again soon...
I really enjoyed watching the first three and a half seasons of this show. And then for some ridiculous reason, I decided to binge the last 7 episodes of the final season while screaming high on mushrooms. Literally a life-changing experience. 11/10 would recommend. Great show.
I watched a few episodes when it premiered and thought it was too corny. Then sometime, after season 4, I stumbled on Marc Evan Jackson "I play Shawn'' "The Good Place: The Podcast". The first few episodes intrigued me so I went back and got caught up. The Good Place became one of my top 5 TV shows of all time. Full disclosure, I probably have a dozen shows in my top five over my 6 decades. :) The podcast is an excellent reflection on the show and explains how deep the philosophy roots go.
Regarding the Trolley Problem: it's interesting humans use thought experiments that are devoid of realistic context,has unrealistic constraints, and usually leads experimentees to think about humans as just numbers (again, devoid of context) to illustrate human morality. It's a good example of how reductionist and anti-ecological our thinking can and has been.
That's kind of the point of thought experiments, though. They're scenarios that can't be practically tested, existing solely in the realm of "What if?", with the intent of having people consider scenarios outside of the realms of rationality and even practicality. Thought experiment as a means of exploring unknown possibilities predates things like geometry and algebra.
Never saw the good place, but some reason, today I'm getting all this stuff about what appears to be a fantastic show :) Can't wait to go back and watch it :)
I think the moment Michael truly wins the audience over is when he tricks the demons into thinking the humans escaped by hiding them all underneath the train. He almost bursts into tears when he sees the humans safe and sound and it is so adorably wholesome.
I loved that the music when they first discovered they were in the bad place and Michael is evil is playing while the train leaves as they look up and see him. The music changes and at that point you know 100% definitively that Michael is on their side.
The way he says “YOU GUYS” made me cry the first time I saw it lol
This is absolutely the moment I fell for Michael’s character, yes
honestly that moment was so cute
Exactly this
Another note: when they suspect Michael of having been switched out with an imposter and ask him to reveal himself, he says that he’s worried they will never treat him the same if they see his true form. And they RESPECT that. They find another way to test things and eventually find out it was Janet who was replaced. This show is top notch.
To be fair, it wasn't just respecting his fears, but also knowing that the experiment might be ruined by a gigantic fire squid appearing over the neighborhood, that prompted them to look for another solution.
I loved that reveal! I just finished the series & said "...not a girl?" when she didn't😩
@@briannajazmin7144?
I don’t think that’s respect that’s just stupid
@@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 k
It still amazes me that this show got made at all. Having in the pitch "Let's make a comedy show about the human experience, heaven, hell, earth and moral philosophy" and not get inmediatly trown out of the room of the bureaucrats must have been an incredible feat. Not to mention getting to finish several seasons of it with a coherent well though, and overall great finale. We need MORE people like this.
Well, hearing Shur describe it, it was more, “You’re amazing, make whatever you want.” The fact that it was continued is the real hurdle. Seems more like a show the execs would cut off, and we would only get the full story in 10 years from a “what could have been” book.
This still amazes me. It contains every element that shouldn't work in a sitcom like format, like special effects, outlandish worlds and characters' circumstances completely changing. The fact that it works and the fact that it didn't go off the rails (no pun intended) in later seasons is a minor miracle.
@@corvidwranglerPretty much. If I recall correctly from the podcast, after making The Office, Parks and Rec, and Brooklyn 99 they basically gave him the creative equivalent of a blank check.
I think they just really trusted Michael Schur since he’d been knocking it out of the park
@@futurehistoryarchaeologist4480 Yeah, it was just his pedigree that got him the shot. I'm grateful he chose to make this show.
"Jason figured it out? Jason?! This is a real low point. Yeah, this one hurts." Will always be my favorite line from the series.
Randomly clicked on this video to see if the show is funny and I really hope that line isn't as good as it gets.
@@Squantit really isn’t. Aside from the deeply fascinating and surprisingly emotional story, it is also one of the funniest and ridiculous shows I’ve seen. I gotta say, I don’t think I’ve ever watched anything so well written and well balanced. Highly recommend The Good Place.
its not my favorite line because Jason "every time i have a problem, i throw a molotov and boom!!, i have another problem" is golden and i can use it in my dnd tables.
My favorite scene. But something I find underrated is real elenor saying she did something Yada Yada Yada then she did something else Yada Yada Yada then she learned English watching Seinfeld. And of course the Yada Yada Yada thing was a famous thing from Seinfeld. Just perfect.
Eleanor's "I'm a legit snack", said through tears, always killed me. She absolutely nails the delivery.
One of a very small number of shows that a) didn't overstay its welcome, and b) stuck the landing. Just a near-flawless gem from start to finish.
Perhaps Michael Shur learned from his mistakes. "The story's been told. To continue on would be crass." J. D. Salinger, _BoJack Horseman_
@wvu05 Isn't that the guy from Hollywoo stars and celebrities, what do they know? Do they know things? Let's find out!?
@@Freakcheeks The very one. He asked the question and found out the answer.
It was the most satisfying finale I have ever experienced! Perfection
I always loved the "Jason figured it out?!?!"
I have GOT to use the whole tirade one day in a social setting. I've got this one in the chamber ready to pop. LOL!
It's a prank show!
It never gets old! The pure shame in his voice “this one hurts 🤦”… 😂lmfao
Applying reality to this fictional show, sometimes it is the simplest mind that can see things for what they really are. Complex minds can often over complicate simple solutions. This why there are some problems young children can solve more readily than adults, they haven't been brought up yet to a set standard of seemingly practical solutions. Young children can more easily think outside the box.
I often think or go watch this scene when I manage to puzzle something out I didn't think I was capable of.
That trolley problem bit at the start is so poetically perfect because the actual point and as close to solution as the origional author of the trolley problem devised it to point out is that you cannot solve the problem by working within the confines of the problem. Its a point about how the arbitrary rules of philosophical though problems can force us to make inhumane decisions. Just like how the good place's afterlife is broken but because they refuse to work outside the rules of the system they can't stop it.
HOLY MOTHER FORKING SHIRT BALLS!!!!!!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯
Jim Kirk was RIGHT. The Kobayishi Maru proves it!
there is no correct solution to the trolley problem. there are only personnel solutions.
Your insightful response on the arbitrary rules of philosophy made me rethink my opinion on western-and eastern philosophy.
Maybe Chidi was particularly relevant to quote Thich Nhat Hanh at the end of season 4: the Buddhist principle of practicing peaceful nonduality was the answer to arbitrary rules.
what a load of nonsense, there is nothing inhumane or immoral about choosing to kill just one instead of five ... if not to kill is not an option at all then its also no issue morally and the experiement therefor also doesnt force an inhumane choice, simple af. Everything beyond that is pretentious nonsense irrelevant to the problem.
the whole point of the trolley problem is to teach silly people that they aint in control of everything and therefor they aint responsible for every consequence of their choices. Choice in itself is an illusion considered the causality which pretty much runs everything on a physical level, humans just aint able to grasp the complexity of all the factors involved and the inescapable causality which triggers our brains to make a "choice".
Humans just should be contempt with doing the least harm as thats in our best interest, and the people who dont believe in children stories about a magic afterlife only need to consider the real life consequences which effects thems physicly, legally and socially.
"The Good Place" is one of the few shows I wish I could forget and experience for the first time all over again.
Clicks fingers in a Michael way....
Praise Bob
Honestly, I think it is better the second time, because when you know what's happening, season one is sooooo much more funny.
wouldnt we all
I’m currently living through my roommates who know absolutely nothing about the show. They’re German and it wasn’t super popular here so they haven’t had anything spoiled. It’s very exciting
What I think is really underappreciated is how much of a mentor figure Eleanor was to Michael, not just Chidi. Chidi might have taught him the theoretical side but Eleanor was the one who guided him and taught him how to do the right thing from her own personal expeirence. Its why at the end of Derek, shes the one he comes to for advice and I think her telling him to "stick with it, demon buddy" helped solidify how much Michael cared for them.
The finale makes my cry through every second of it. Ive never had such a overwheling emotional reaction to a fiction. What an amazing show.
Same and im just crying right now watching this video and remembering it. It was seriously so beautiful and touching. This show made me take personal stock for the first time in decades.
I've seen the show from start to finish four times now. I bawl the entire final episode, alone, because my wife refuses to watch the last two episodes again.
💯 me too. Every. Single. Time.
Indeed. I was NOT expecting that at all, but man, did that one put me through the wringer!
It's peak bittersweet.
You made me cry without even mentioning the "Picture a Wave" scene. 😭 Michael's character arc is very well written, but having an actor as talented as Ted Dansen really transformed the performance.
It also was a bit of a meta cast. He's a sitcom veteran known for playing dear god anything but this sort of character. It helps make the Season 1 twist even more shocking when it is finally revealed.
This cast is golden in general. Everyone did their part as they should’ve
One of my favorite Ted moments was when he starts becoming a "guardian angel" (for lack of a better term), starting with the bar scene and he talks to Eleanor, connecting her to Chidi. I also love that even after Michael starts to redeem himself, he has to learn how to best interfere and meddle. I love him!
As much as I’m a fan of Schitt’s Creek, I always thought the final episode of The Good Place should have won the 2020 Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. By a mile.
Yes, I still don't understand how could it not
In my opinion, The Good Place had THE BEST finale of any series I've seen. Such a beautiful sendoff to all the main characters. And the series didn't overstay their welcome- 4 seasons were enough to tell the story and keeping it short enough to avoid becoming too repetitive or going off the rails.
It should have had a sadder ending
Oh I know this video is going to make me rewatch The Good Place
Same here
It is THE most rewatchable show out there I swear
Same
This comment makes me want to rewatch it.
Community was my go to for a long time but I've season every season at least 20 times? Good place has become my background show
This is a show that I genuinely think people need to see at least once in their lifetime. The light but important look at life, friendship, love, and goodness is so important for every living person to consider.
Love this show. Perfect casting all around, written well, cinematography, and just all around spectacular.
I was so excited to see a) that the show covered the Trolley Problem, and b) that it revisited it, and actually got it right. I had never seen this anywhere else before. I had never seen anyone, in life, or in entertainment, both address the Trolley Problem, and go any further than some moral relativistic, or utilitarian stance. It was amazing, and having Michael be the character who came to the right answer was a brilliant choice.
I was so terrified the entire time I was watching this series until the very end that they were going to pull another twist in which Michael had actually been against them all along. So happy that’s not what happened 🙏 Also, this is undoubtedly one of the top three comedies to come out over the last ten years 💯
What are the other two??
@@wcopter5514 for me personally, the best three I’ve seen that have come out in the last decade are The Good Place, Schitt’s Creek, and Ted Lasso. And that’s talking about more typical comedies. I’m categorizing black comedies as their own thing. That’s just me though. HBU?
@@BrendanPappas Totally agree with SC!! - Can't bring myself to watch Lasso, not into football :'
@@wcopter5514 I wasn’t either but after watching it, I gained a new appreciation for the sport. I honestly think you can get into it even if you’re not into sports at all. Excellent characters, top-notch writing, and drama that is just as strong as the comedy. I would personally recommend it.
@@wcopter5514 - I resisted “Ted Lasso” for a long time, for the same reason. I have zero interest in sports, so I was sure I wouldn’t be interested in a show about football, but once I actually watched a couple of episodes, I was hooked. It’s not really about football. It has football in it, of course, but that’s just a backdrop. The show itself is about so much more than that and it’s fantastic.
For me, THE moment was when Janet asked Michael to kill her to go on with the plan, but he refuses and when she pushes him and asks why, Michael suddenly just scream "BECAUSE YOU'RE MY FRIEND" almost crying 🥺
I was crying with him and I really understood he was turning good
Couldn't agree more. That's what got me to believe it wasn't all just another trick. And got me a little teary, to boot.
I started watching the good place off a whim of curiosity about the memes I'd seen from it. A few weeks later, I found myself sitting alone at 1AM with tears welling in my eyes as I struggled to process the ending of one of my favorite shows to ever be televised. Nothing else has ever made me laugh so hysterically or feel such deep cathartic release so many times over. Michael was, unquestionably, a huge part of that. In my mind, he is the purest demonstration of the "anyone and everyone can be better if only given the chance to do it and some love to guide them" theme in the show. The longest way to go from where he starts, by far, and he makes the journey beautifully.
Michael Schur is a sitcom legend
what he did with this 4 seasons of a show is amazing
And it was exactly the right length. Wouldn’t change a single thing about it. I love seeing a show that knows what it wants, executes, and leaves before it wears out it’s welcome. The last few episodes had me bawling
Have to love that bread reference to Les Miserables, which is all about an unjust system prioritizing justice over mercy. And, in fact, the transformation of the main character from an individual concerned about only himself, due to injustice, into a truly good person when another shows him mercy.
Michael’s arc is one of the best arcs in all of media. And you’re right about the turning point moment. TGP was such a GREAT show, one of the best in TV history.
To add on, the way Michael and Eleanor’s arcs are mirrored in an exaggerated, funhouse kind of way is soooo good. And the way they bond over their mean ways, but ultimate desire to do better is sweet bc they ultimately build each other up in a way they’ve never been encouraged before and constantly want the other to do better.
I loved this show, I still love it. I binge it all the number on Netflix. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has helped me through a number of difficult hardships, and has eased my anxiety when it comes to when I decide to end it all.
Seek help if you are struggling. Remember that 99.9% of hardships are temporary. Good luck and best wishes.
Interesting fact. Most of the survivors who tried to end their lives jumping of the golden gate bridge regretted their decision as they jumped. They realized all their problems were solvable.
Sorry if things have been so rough that you've thought about ending it all. I think one of the things the show also displays is how valuable human life is though. It's hard to see sometimes, but that includes yours. Hope things get better.
@@Shivas-cj7vr the view from halfway down
Crazy the impact a show can have. An act of fiction can literally save life’s. That in itself is amazing. Maybe you can see the beauty in that and wanna do the same for someone else
During the height of the pandemic I sat with mother-in-law and had her watch two shows with me: Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Good Place.
They’re two of the best shows ever made and, as a practicing Buddhist, she was fully engrossed with both for their story, characters, and moral/ethical situations.
Michael’s arc is indeed a big pet if what makes TGP so special.
It really is hard to believe that this was actually an American network television show. What it attempted and what it achieved are so far beyond the norm that it takes your breath away. It is surely one of the five best network TV series in history.
I absolutely adore this show. Apart from the moral and ethical teachings in it, it’s just a good watch and a perfect blend between education and comedy. Michael definitely won my heart by the end of the series
Michael was my favorite character, it still brings me to tears (of happiness) whenever I think about how he ended, it's quite a simple but truly beautiful ending
I always giggle when imagining this hypothetical. Outside of American English a trolley means what you would call a shopping cart. The visual of people being run over by a madman in a shopping trolley is amusing.
Made all the more interesting by the fact that Elenor was killed in an accident involving shopping carts.
@@croaxleigh nice, I just clicked.
I am in the third season and this show has damn near made me cry on multiple occasions.
Man, you are not ready for the finale.
Aside from community and himym no comedy series has made me feel this emotional
Season 3 finale is my pick for guaranteed tearjerker.
I’m not one of those people that say people “have to watch this or that” but if there’s one show I think everyone should watch, it’s the good place.
wb atla tho
@@bazhumke4040as much as I love atla, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Neither is the good place but the lessons and especially the ending I think everyone should experience.
i am more a guy to tell "watch every michael scur sitcom", Parks and Rec, Good Place, B99 are golden tier sitcoms
This show literally has the most character development of anything I have EVER seen!
One of the best shows ever made.
The moment that The Good Place went from, "a really damn good show," to my favorite show of all time was when Michael solved The Trolley Problem. That's when I knew that this show didn't just want to parrot moral philosophy, it wanted to give its audience a base of understanding from which it could philosophize for itself, and it did it with one of the most emotionally resonant moments in television.
brooooooo the way i haven't seen this in years and teared up at the clip of michael saving elanor anyway
Michael schur made the good place, parks and rec, and Brooklyn 99, absolute master at fantastic emotional comedy tv
Yes he's great. Watching Brooklyn 99 now, it's hilarious
This show is criminally underated. Always baffles me when people say that they didnt heard of it or passed on it. The Good Place is the perfect example that you can have an hilarious sitcom produced after 2010, and reimagined the genre in its own way. I’ll always come back to that show fondly and remember it as one of the best show of its era
Agreed
There’s actually another version of the trolley problem that Michael had to experience. The episode immediately after “The trolley problem” He had to choose between marbleising Janet or let her glitches destroy the neighbourhood.
The hardest thing about this show is, yes it is amazing from the way beginning, but the season 1 finale makes it exponentially better. The problem is, when I get people to watch it, they think its just okay because they haven't seen the twist and so it feels like its the same problem will never be solved. But I also don't want to tell them there is a twist because they need to find out themselves so no one actually understands how freaking amazing this show is
Say it like this: The show is good, funny, maybe not overly exciting but the concept is solid. The finale of season 1 brings greater context the rest of the season and makes every episode leading up to it retroactively better.
The Good Place is my favorite show of all time. As funny as The Office, as heartfelt as Parks and Rec, plus it does long form philosophical storytelling better than Lost ever did 🤣
D'Arcy Carden is the stand-out of The Good Place for me. Every time she's in a scene she has a hilarious line, and her delivery is impeccable.
I have rewatched this show so many times! It’s one show I’ll never get tired of, although I wish I could experience it for the first time again. I love that this show fosters critical thinking and delivers philosophy in an immersive experience. Your commentary was great! Keep it up 😊
Look, Michael was my fave character from season one. When he was revealed to be a villain, my heart broke a little. To see his redemption starting in season 2, to see how he grows to care about Team Cockroach... It was everything I could have hoped.
For a second I thought the title was "The Moment The Good Place Redeemed Itself", and I was like "when did it need to??" 😂
This was such a great show. The characters were so well written and the philosophies explored had such great examples!
Omg, the good place is one of the most underrated shows ever.
I LOVED this series! I agree that it was amazing that it ever made it on air in the first place. It was moral, meaningful, a masterpiece of writing and production, and funnier than hell, too.
Despite Micheal being "the villain" I never seen him as one, the guy is just too charming and likable
Sometimes, the villain can be one of the most likeable characters before you get past the charismatic trait.
"Despite Micheal being 'the villain' I never seen him as one, the guy is just too charming and likable"
You're one relationship with a narcissistic sociopath away from a really, really, really bad wakeup call.
7:04 is that PHOEBE CUSSING BUFFEY in the blue #5 jersey front left 2nd row!?!?!
Yes it is 😁 she has a role in the last season 😊
When I watched the first episode, I was fed up with tv shows that try too hard with story telling using magic and such, stuff outside of reality, and I brushed it off. Then a friend mentioned the show and how they were teaching Philosphy to the audience and I gave it a second chance, catching up to the 3rd season, and after it was done, watching the final season. I am so glad I did! This is one of my favorite shows of all time, and just seeing this video, I want to rewatch it again.
I know with the twist, it's revealed that he's Evil, but he spent so much time in season 1 pretending to be good that the "evil" he was, didn't really register for me, and then he worked with the humans someone what, so a lot of the evil he did was played for laughs. But I would say ultimately, it was a good change for his character.
Michael pivots from being a villain to the path of being a human in the Trolley Problem episode itself. It's the moment when he apologizes sarcastically and then says the same words with genuine remorse and heart. Up until that second, he'd still been torturing them. After that, he slowly grew into the good person/demon who would sacrifice himself for the others.
Ive been rewatching the series *again* and i lo ve that there's still so much to think about when it comes to this show! I love the way you framed it, cause i never wouldve made this connection but now it seems so obvious
Honestly cannot think of a show that can compare! Only drawback is that I know I can never re-watch it because I couldn't stomach the beautifully painful finale again...
This... absolutely this.
The point that i see Michael changing is when he goes from mocking Chidi after the trolly problem to truly apologizing to Chidi using the exact same words, but talking from his heart rather than from sarcasm.
There's a long stretch of the latter part of the show where the big conflict is the heroes trying to convince the celestial powers-that-be that humans are worthy of more mercy than it would seem, and my guess was that the protagonists' ability to redeem Michael (a literal demon!) would somehow play into that. Still feels weird that it didn't.
I usually hate characters that were written to be "stupid" but I really liked Jason. Dunno he seemed like a really chill kinda dumb guy. I know it's unrelated but seeing him just reminded me😅
But Jason had a wonderful arc too.
@gaileverett I really only watched season 1
Seriously underrated show and one of the few with a satisfying conclusion
One of, if not THE greatest, shows ever made and Michael's arc is one of its best facets.
Why is it that every time I see something related to the good place i cry?
Redemption is a beautiful thing
This is my favorite series of all time. Every character is likable. Even the villains.
Vicky was awesome
lol I still tear up just hearing “I figure out the trolley problem”
There is such a good 3 episode arc here where Michael (masterfully played by Ted Danson) grows so much as a character and really evolves his way of thinking. It starts in episode 4 with an existential crisis about his own mortality, then pivots to the wisdom of realizing his own limitation in episode 5 and of being vulnerable around others and asking for help. And finally in this episode he admits to himself and to Janet that he has both the capability of deep friendship and a fundamental need for it.
In each episode he reverts to some kind of denial and/or repression of his emotions, either with a mid life crisis, torturing chidi and acting out, or telling Janet that killing her would be bad for the plan. Michael is a being who loves and needs his friends. It is this growth and realization that I feel really bonds us again to Michael even after the reveal at the end of the 1st season.
And also Ted Danson just forking nails it!
That show was amazing and it made me feel and grow as a person. It made me be more mindful of others and myself
Small detail in 4:00 the lip syncing is on point so satisfying. Nice🔥😌
Time for another rewatch. There is so much to love about this show.
0:05 Sorry Jean Valjean
His fault for being French smh
IM LITERALLY REWATCHING THE GOOD PLACE RN AND GOD THIS SHOW IS SO GOOOOOOOOD
Amazing show. Take it sleazy, everyone ❤
The Trolley Problem episode was one of the best. I was howling
"The Good Place" is the one show that left me satisfied and at peace with its ending.
yet somehow i still wish it didn't end
the ending was one of the best moment and closure for sure in a tv show. Chef's kiss ending
The good place is the most wholesome, entertaining, and endearing show I’ve ever watched! I honestly can’t think of one thing that was bad or pointless, and it ended exactly how it should’ve, when it should’ve.
Eleanor’s character was rather annoying. And Chidi had this habit of bringing the plot to a grinding halt with the way he was written.
@@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 But thats the point!!!! Eleanor is supposed to be annoying, aggravating, a person that’s hard to get along with and Chidi is supposed to slow things down because he’s indecisive! These are their problems that they spend the show working on, and why they by default go to the bad place. If anything this just proves how well the actors portrayed their characters because how you feel about them is exactly how they’re supposed to come across!
@@angel_in-black They purposefully made a bad show with purposely poorly written characters? Riiiiiight. They are so 1 dimensional. Flanderised i dare say
@@mattybrunolucaszeneresalas9072 if you don’t like the show, what are you doing criticizing it in the comments of a video of it?! I never said everyone should like this show and anyone who doesn’t is stupid, if you don’t like it, that’s fine, I respect your opinion. There’s shows I’m not a fan of that people like, but I don’t go to videos about them and tell people they suck.
@@angel_in-black I didn’t say that though 💀 did my autocorrect say something weird?
The finale to this show, i've watched about 8 times now... cried every single time
I love how he still held his demon habits while trying to improve since hes had 1000s of years of experience, makes for a more satisfying character progression and some funny circumstances such as his strategy in the trolley problem
"Jason figured it out?!!? This is a real low point...." 😂😂😂😂
The Good Place and Being Erica are 2 of the best and most character rich series I've ever seen
I teared up a little bit remembering the good place and now I need to go watch it
THIS IS A DIVINE SITCOM. MY FAV TV SHOW EVER, omg I hole there are more shows like this 😢❤❤❤❤
one of the best tv shows all time ever to be created! The journey you will have and experiencing this show for the first time and the glorious ending that will hit you deep. 100% recommended for those who haven't seen it yet and not being spoiled.
I love that you get extra minus points just for being "more French" not even just for being French, for doing anything even associated with France. That's hilarious.
The Good Place is one of my favorite shows, for reasons exactly like this. The creators make you think and set up the story incredibly well. I think I have to watch it again soon...
I never noticed that Michael captioned his trolly drawing with "You got us all! Great Work!"
The Good Place is one of those that I was skeptical about but very pleasantly surprised and in very heavy tears by the finale.
I teared up 😢 at the end of the show
The ending is perfect . Absolutely perfect . I cry every single time I rewatch that seen .
Glad the show had an ending. Had an entire arc. Great show.
I really enjoyed watching the first three and a half seasons of this show. And then for some ridiculous reason, I decided to binge the last 7 episodes of the final season while screaming high on mushrooms. Literally a life-changing experience. 11/10 would recommend. Great show.
I watched a few episodes when it premiered and thought it was too corny. Then sometime, after season 4, I stumbled on Marc Evan Jackson "I play Shawn'' "The Good Place: The Podcast". The first few episodes intrigued me so I went back and got caught up. The Good Place became one of my top 5 TV shows of all time. Full disclosure, I probably have a dozen shows in my top five over my 6 decades. :)
The podcast is an excellent reflection on the show and explains how deep the philosophy roots go.
Regarding the Trolley Problem: it's interesting humans use thought experiments that are devoid of realistic context,has unrealistic constraints, and usually leads experimentees to think about humans as just numbers (again, devoid of context) to illustrate human morality. It's a good example of how reductionist and anti-ecological our thinking can and has been.
That's kind of the point of thought experiments, though. They're scenarios that can't be practically tested, existing solely in the realm of "What if?", with the intent of having people consider scenarios outside of the realms of rationality and even practicality. Thought experiment as a means of exploring unknown possibilities predates things like geometry and algebra.
Notice that when he decides to sacrifice himself Eleanor protests.
This was an excellent show and ran for the perfect (but too short) set of seasons
My only gripe was Chidi left Elenore before she was ready.
Never saw the good place, but some reason, today I'm getting all this stuff about what appears to be a fantastic show :) Can't wait to go back and watch it :)
God the good place ending is so fantastic
One of the best TV shows ever. I wanted more but it ended perfectly rather than dragging it on longer.
This might be my favorite show in the history of shows. I need to rewatch it.
The Good show was deffo one of the shows I didn't expect would have an unexpectedly heartfelt ending
It started awesome and ended even better.
Michael's existential freak out makes me laugh each time. So does Chidi's death.
The redemption of Michael kept me engaged in the show and left me feeling hopeful instead of sad And demoralized.