The Good Place is a near-perfect comedy with one of the best TV plot twists of all time, and its bizarre humor scathingly comments on the story’s overall themes. The Good Place follows Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), who, after her death, arrives in “the Good Place” — but is led to believe this is a mistake. Eleanor sets out to become a better person and earn her spot in the Good Place for real, with several other would-be Bad Place residents and demon/Bad Place architect Michael (Ted Danson) joining her.
The show’s vision of the afterlife is extremely goofy, as are the rules for who goes where. This satirical backdrop is meant to set aside the more theological questions about what comes after death for a moment to explore what it means and why people should want to be good. Eleanor and co., of course, initially decide to improve themselves for the self-serving reason of avoiding the Bad Place. However, with at least a few of the things that can damn a person, their circumventing the unfair system seems justified.
Michael Indirectly Tells Eleanor People Go To The Bad Place For Seeing The Red Hot Chili Peppers In Concert
Pop Culture Comes Up During Eleanor & Jason’s Litmus Tests
After Eleanor confesses that she was sent to the Good Place by accident (not knowing that Michael is behind this “mix-up”), Michael conducts a litmus test to get a sense of what kind of person she is. Based on the questionnaire, one can go to the Bad Place for a serious crime, being an overt fan of The Bachelor, or paying to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert, among other things. Eleanor has done none of these things. Later, when Michael asks Jason (Manny Jacinto) the same questions, he has done all of them, including having seen the Chilis “like 50 times.“
One Of The Bad Place’s Higher-Ups Probably Just Doesn’t Like The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Music
Being Sent To The Bad Place For Favorite Media Is Subjective
When Michael occasionally drops reasons people can be sent to the Bad Place, the audience can usually sort of understand why the show is making that joke, even if the punishment is extreme. However, liking a particular piece of pop culture comes across as more random (I, at least, am less inclined to read into The Bachelor‘s inclusion since I believe that it’s bad television). Some people will certainly argue that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are overrated and liking them shows poor taste or is supporting a group that doesn’t deserve it.
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More than likely, in the world of The Good Place, this is a reason someone can actually be sent to the Bad Place for eternity because of the musical preferences of someone with power in this system. Some higher-up demon in charge of creating the litmus test and sorting out deceased humans hates the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and out of spite, sends everyone who ever gave them money to the Bad Place. It makes for a funny beat with the litmus tests, while the actual construct is representative of the whole point the show is making.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers Is The Strongest Example Of The Good Place’s Arbitrary Approach To Morality
When People Can Be Sent To The Bad Place For Dumbest Things, What Is Good?
The Good Place makes it clear early on that this is a hyperbolic, overreactive system that isn’t really fair in terms of judging people’s goodness. Only people who were absolutely, impossibly good in life and never did an unselfish thing ever get to go to the Good Place; everyone else is damned. Most of the main cast members aren’t saints, but they hardly did enough harm in life to deserve to be tormented forever in the Bad Place. In other words, what the powers that be deem to be good and bad in the show is somewhat irrelevant because it is arbitrary.
This sets the stage for Eleanor and her friends to ask what it actually means to be good. They go on a much more nuanced journey; they know they are flawed and that they have hurt each other and have the potential to do so again, but want to do better. Being sent to the Bad Place is still a slap in the face, and they ultimately seek out self-improvement for reasons beyond the metaphysical rewards. The Good Place is about how being good changes one’s perspective and leads to happiness for oneself and those around them.
