First Impressions: The Good Place

NBC THURSDAYS 8:30PM

Verdict: Yeah, OK. I could get on board.

Who’s on it? Ted Danson and Kristen Bell

I love the idea of taking a magical/mystical setting and filling it with bureaucracy for comic effect. And that’s precisely what The Good Place has done.

A very bad woman (Kristen Bell) dies and is sent to “the good place” due to a clerical error and she must learn to be a good person - with the help of her supposed soul mate - to avoid eternal damnation.

The pilot episode started very strong, with a solid exchange between Bell and Ted Danson - who plays the “architect” of “the good place”. It is refreshing to see a comedy with a premise that doesn’t revolve around families or couples. However as the episode went by it got progressively crazier [people flying in rainbow-coloured suits, dogs being kicked to the sun, 100-flavor frozen yogurt, etc.]

I’m not sure if it is just the right amount of crazy or a little too much. The show it reminded me the most was Sabrina, the teenage witch. I’ll let you decide if that’s a good or a bad thing.

Should you watch it? Yes if you are a Kristen Bell fan and if you don’t have a problem with comedies that are on the quirky side.