If You Only Watch One Network TV Show This Year Make it ‘The Good Place’

We live in a hyperbolic world, but I can say without any hint of exaggeration that if I could only watch one network TV show this season it would be NBC’s The Good Place. And honestly, it’s not even close.

There are two types of people reading this article. The first group consists of Good Place fans who saw the headline, let out an audible “duh,” and clicked for some of that sweet, sweet Season 3 preview action. The second group is like, “Hold the phone. Sam from Cheers and Veronica Mars have a TV show?!” If you have yet to experience the cozy comforts of TV’s funniest comedy, the first two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix. The Good Place is the rare network comedy that’s steeped in mythology, so if you want to avoid spoilers — and trust me, you do — watch the first two seasons before the show returns this Thursday (September 27) for Season 3.

All that said, I’m happy to report that Season 3 of The Good Place is a forkin’ blast. Obviously Season 1 and 2 spoilers ahead.

Back in February, Season 2 concluded with our quartet of burgeoning philosophers back on Earth after receiving a second chance at eternal happiness. Wanting to save his friends from the whole, you know, everlasting torture and general unpleasantness of the Bad Place, Michael convinced The Judge (Maya Rudolph) to let him begin a new timeline by visiting Earth and saving the lives of Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason. The new season begins where Season 2 left off, with Eleanor and Chidi on Earth, specifically Australia.

One of the more pressing questions heading into the new season is when and where it will take place. What sets The Good Place apart from other sitcoms is that literally anything can happen. Season 1 was set in a counterfeit Good Place, while Season 2 took place in a variety of locations (the Bad Place Headquarters, the Neutral Zone, the Medium Place, the fake Good Place, runaway trollies). The first three episodes of the new season toggle between Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason on Earth, while Michael and Janet watch over their progress from the Neutral Zone.

If you enjoyed the first two seasons, you’ll love the first three episodes of Season 3. All the weird, wonderful minutia that elevated the show from good to great in Seasons 1 and 2 is still as funny as ever. In typical Good Place fashion, there’s an A+ food pun in the first five minutes of the season; Eleanor’s long-standing affinity for Stone Cold Steve Austin is once again referenced, the recent real-life success of the Jacksonville Jaguars is explained; and the mystery behind Chidi’s American accent from the Season 2 finale is solved.

Even though the cast is (somewhat) separated for the first three episodes, the show finds new, interesting ways for them to interact, resulting in, well, let’s just say Ted Danson should keep his calendar open around the 2019 Emmys. Good Place creator Michael Schur understands that the show is at its best when the entire ensemble is together.

One of the reasons The Good Place has gained such a passionate fanbase is the sitcom’s endearing mix of smart and silly comedy. Ideally, I’d love to share every bizarre, insanely random yet blisteringly funny joke from the first three episodes, but I should probably keep this bad boy under 20,000 words. A+ Richard Marx burns aside, the Season 3 premiere not only ends with the return of a familiar face, but it also introduces a new character: Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Simone.

A recurring guest star for Season 3, Simone is a cheerful neuroscientist who takes the lead on a new project involving the fab four. This is just the latest in a string of high-profile roles for the UCB vet. In 2018, Howell-Baptiste has also starred on HBO’s Barry and Killing Eve. Comedic chemistry is fickle, but the actress is a perfect fit for The Good Place’s distinct brand of brainy, absurd humor.

The Good Place continues to be the most enjoyable, unpredictable show on television. It’s the one series that’s guaranteed to make you smile. If you’re a fan of the first two seasons, buckle up, because Season 3 is just about as must-see as it gets.

Where to stream The Good Place