WTF: The Good Place: Human-ness reimagined

To get into what my ideas about the afterlife were like in what feels like a past life, without getting much into why, (I will really really try!) I used to think that whatever was ~beyond~ would be a timeless space, unbound by whatever simple three-dimensional idea we have of "places". That made thinking about what "Heaven" or "Hell" (or even "Purgatory".. I know, I said I won't get into it!) would, or even could be like was very tiring and confounding. I can't be the only kid who thought that was way too simple!

So of course I ended up just half-accepting what "people-who-somehow-knew-even-if-they're-still-alive" would claim, and what the general consensus around me seems to think at any point in time, (which was never consistent of course!!!) to save some energy for the life I'm supposed to be living in accordance to ..whatever dictates what it takes to get into whatever The Good Place is after this life, which now I can't focus on, because afterlife. Argh! I'm such a Chidi!

Anyway, that's all behind me now, and I said I won't get into it, so I won't, but all of that stress I had provided the perfect contrast for me to really, really, really appreciate this show.

The Good Place is an NBC/Netflix show about the afterlife. Specifically, Eleanor Shellstrop, who gets toured around by Michael, the Arch...itect of the Good Place. I will not get much into the story, because it's so twisty in such a GREAT way. I do not have the heart to spoil ANYTHING for anyone. So here's just a simple list of what I appreciate about the show:

1. The lightness of it. Of course if you're the type of person who might find this heretical or sacrilegious to talk about afterlife things with any degree of lightness, then I might not be selling this to you well right now, but I have faith in humankind, and I want to believe you will still find something to lightheartedly chuckle about. But I love how it approaches this topic, that used to give younger me so much doom and gloom, with so much lightness, and yet:
2. Insight. Make no mistake - just because it is lighthearted, does not mean it is empty and vapid, or even pokes fun at the striving of humans to be better people! On the contrary, I think, to it's core, the show is about dissecting and really taking an honest look at goodness, that doesn't favor any group of people. What is goodness, how does intention factor into it, and what is a well-lived life?
3. The depth of each character: They take on tropes for the sake of caricaturish hilarity in line with the perky mood of the show, but as you watch more episodes, your understanding of each character deepens, and they turn from being two-dimensional character tropes, to actually very satisfying archetypes that illustrate a lot of what being human is like!

They are starting their final season this month, and I do admit that it went more and more loopy and random after the main crux was fully developed and resolved in the 2nd season, but if you haven't yet, and have the time and the Netflix subscription to do so, definitely give it a watch! It's a Good Show.