While the phenomenon of the hit NBC show The Good Place has largely come and gone, like so many high quality, comforting television comedies it will always have a seemingly eternal “afterlife” on whatever streaming service makes it available. This will allow it to possibly be reintegrated into the public conversation as future generations rediscover its timeless, and still timely, elements. Most importantly, it will allow this post to stay relevant, thus justifying its existence. T
he Good Place begins with our main character, Eleanor Shellstrop, confronted with the knowledge of her recent death and introduced to her eternal fate in “the Good Place.” Without revealing too much (but, I mean, the show’s been out since 2016), she comes to realize some unexpected truths about herself, the people she’s met and her surroundings that leads to, you guessed it, revelations about herself, the people she’s met and her surroundings, accompanied by some silly fish-out-of-water scenarios, thoughtful reflections on humanity, morality and happiness, and satisfying loose ends being tied.
If this hasn’t convinced you to binge watch the series yet, good, as it would deny you the pleasure of reading the rest of this post (and to some, the greatest pleasure to the greatest number is the greatest possible good). Admittedly, when I first saw the advertisement for the show I rolled my eyes and thought, “how’s Hollywood gunna butcher Christian teaching this time?” and largely ignored the show for, probably, the first two seasons.
I came around when there was enough buzz about the comedy and thoughtfulness of the show and was very much drawn in. It is not necessarily a “slow burn” in its quality, but it definitely lends itself to multiple viewings to pick up on the little details, visual jokes and callbacks that would initially go unnoticed. But anyway, if you’re one who requires some thoughtful commentary before you spend your valuable time on a show, perhaps these considerations will help you in making your decision.
Should
- It’s funny and well-written
I mean, it is a Michael Schur production, who wrote and/or co-created/created The Office (US), Parks and Recreation, and Brooklyn 99, all hilarious hit shows that have all enjoyed multiple re-watches by fans old and new because of their layered, unexpected and hilarious jokes (not to deny the incredible improv work by many of the actors involved on these shows). One of the gems of these shows is they are a mix of established and new comedic talent, which is especially apparent on The Good Place.
- It’s criticisms of Christianity can, and should, be recognized and called-out by Christians just as much as non-Christians
It would be easy to dismiss the “errors” about the afterlife that The Good Place presents as simply errors, innocent misunderstandings at best or malicious mischaracterizations at worst, but that actually fails to ask the deeper question of where these errors came from.
Just as any theology major out on a heresy hunt after returning home from his first semester of theology courses must use prudence when encountering an apparently unorthodox teaching (or more likely unorthodox presentation of an orthodox teaching), so too can the thoughtful Christian who recognizes a caricature of Christian eschatology. Instead of using these errors as an excuse to rant against a show or Hollywood in general, affirm the errors and build upon that affirmation with instruction.
- It presents and engages the timeless philosophical questions that have influenced, and been influenced by, Christianity
Michael Schur promotes virtue ethics!!! It is only when you recognize how pervasive the utilitarian and Kantian ethic is in modern culture that you can share my enthusiasm for someone who actually tries to balance these two impractical and erroneous extremes. Most “ethical dilemmas” in modern media (and before you ask, yes, there is a “Trolley Problem” episode) swing to one extreme or the other without even considering Aristotle’s balanced approach.
The Good Place is really about philosophy when it is all said and done, and while philosophy is corrected and perfected in light of grace and God’s Revelation, there is plenty of truth, virtue and wonder to be found among “the nations.”
- It respects the gravity of conversion
With all the complaints about TV giving us a distorted view of time and sequence, channeling Neil Postman right now, The Good Place recognizes the frustration and necessary patience that accompanies true conversion. Starting with Eleanor and Chidi, two of our main characters, the progression and growth is unique, gradual and painful. We see her self-centeredness slowly turn through many mistakes (or, according to Michael, reboots) and, most importantly, sacrifices.
Chidi’s conversion is a little different, but equally important as his is not so much from “wrong actions” to “right actions,” but more from inaction to action. Stepping aside from the debate of which of these is more objectively important, one can recognize the subjective importance of both of these within the individual. The final conversion, and perhaps the most frustrating, belongs to the entitled Brent Norwalk, who comes on the show later as a “project” of sorts for Eleanor, and whose conversion involves more pain on us as the viewer than anyone else in the story.
Shouldn’t
- It can be disingenuous at critical times
First, I want to make clear that this is not a criticism of The Good Place for not being Christian or Catholic Christian enough. If I watched the show expecting a perfectly articulated catechism lesson, then the real complaint is that this is not the 1950s and Ted Dansen is no Fulton Sheen (though there is a bit of a resemblance, he could play him in the biopic that will never happen). To expect The Good Place to express Catholic doctrine on anything in a clear and satisfying way would be disingenuous on my part.
It claims to be non-confessional at the beginning, but then at various points throughout the show, especially one of the most critical points (without giving spoilers) basically becomes a watered down Buddhism/Hinduism. Again, the criticism here isn’t that it incorporates elements that seem more explicitly Buddhist or Hindu, but that it often tries so hard to be, and especially to say that it is, non-confessional.
I remember thinking as I watching the show that it is a great depiction of the afterlife “without grace.” I realize this is a sort of backhanded compliment, but the moral philosophy questions and ideas that it proposes can be a very fertile “seed of the Word” that any Christian can cultivate into a fruitful conversation.
There will always be a conversation for how much error one can mix with truth before the truth itself starts to become error. While I use the word “should” in the title of this post, I don’t consider it to be much of a moral issue (and certainly not a serious moral issue), but like all Christian morality, it is based on metaphysics.
This question about the should of watching The Good Place or any other theologically ambiguous piece of art/literature/pop culture, is about one’s view of realty. If reality is dichotomous, then everything must fit into one side or the other. If something like a TV show doesn’t have enough “points” for my side, it must be dismissed as other, but this dichotomy is false and pervasive to every aspect of a person’s life.
If God permeates all of Creation as the ground of existence in all things, then even that which lacks perfect goodness, truth or beauty still has some degree of participation in it and that degree can be what God uses to bring one closer to Him.
Mike Schramm teaches theology and philosophy at the high school and college level in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He earned his MA in theology from St. Joseph's College in Maine and an MA in philosophy from Holy Apostles College. He co-hosts the Voyage Podcast with Jacob Klatte.