The Good Place drew audiences in with its nail-biting cliffhangers, lovable characters, and brainy writing following its release. To many fans, the show is funny and entertaining, while remaining sweet. The series is well-loved by many audiences across the world.
However, viewers perhaps wonder what elements came together to produce the popular comedy series. Audiences might say the show required meticulous writing and that curated performances were necessary for the show's production. Some behind-the-scenes details in the making of The Good Place may surprise its diehard fans.
The Actress Who Plays Janet Changed Her Name
Audiences might say that Janet is one of the most likable characters in The Good Place. She is played by D'Arcy Carden. New fans of The Good Place might notice the actress' unique name spelling.
Carden told Vulture that she added the apostrophe to her first name in junior high school. She says she was "obsessed" with rock legends The Smashing Pumpkins, and she emulated the spelling of original bassist D'arcy Wretzky.
Lost Inspired The Show
Fans of The Good Place know that the show can feel like a rollercoaster at times. The paths of the main characters take sharp turns and the show presents several moments in which their futures seem unknown.
Variety revealed that these elements of the show come from show creator Michael Schur's inspiration from Lost. He reportedly called up Lost co-creator co-creator Damon Lindelof when first putting the series together.
The Bad Place Premise Comes From Sartre
It is hard to argue that philosophy doesn't play a big role in The Good Place. Chidi Anagonye has several nerdy moments that steal The Good Place episodes, and they often come from his position as a professor of ethics and moral philosophy.
TV Media pointed out the similarity of the show's premise to Jean-Paul Sartre's play No Exit. In the play, several characters have a hellish experience after being forced to live among each other, much like the main characters in the first season of The Good Place. Sartre is mentioned several times in the series.
Fake Shrimp Were Used
Eleanor Shellstrop is the main protagonist in the series. Eleanor gives The Good Place several funny quotes and multiple quirky gags. One of her running jokes involves her love for shrimp.
Tell-Tale TV revealed that the shrimp Eleanor chomps down in The Good Place are fake. Kristen Bell, who plays Eleanor, is a vegetarian and the prop department for the show developed some realistic-looking soy replacements.
The Frozen Yogurt Is Mashed Potatoes
One of the tropes on The Good Place involves frozen yogurt. At first, it is presented as a delightful benefit to landing a spot in The Good Place. Later, it is revealed as a subpar treat meant to annoy folks in Michael's experiment.
However, fans might be surprised to know that the frozen yogurt audiences see on screen is in fact, mashed potatoes. Hidden Remote reported that The Good Place: The Podcast revealed that the substitute endured long film days, while frozen yogurt would have melted easily.
It Gives Jameela Jamil Her First Role
Jameela Jamil plays Tahani Al-Jamil in The Good Place. Fans might say she is a memorable character and that Al-Jamil appears to be a seasoned actress from her first appearance.
However, viewers might be shocked to know that Tahani is Jamil's first role. She had been on television as a host before the show, but The Good Place gives the performer her first acting credit.
Kristen Bell Represents Her Homestate
There are plenty of easter eggs in The Good Place, from the names of various shops to the show's many callbacks and running gags. Many of these jokes occur within the universe of the show.
However, in an episode of the series, Eleanor makes a reference to Kristen Bell's real life. She sports a Michigan Law shirt, a school in the state where Bell was born and grew up.
The Good Place Has Its Own Coffee Brand
Fans of The Good Place might take pleasure in keeping their eyes on the quirky props presented in the series. Characters in the show can often be seen chowing down on Peeps chili, martini glasses full of olives, and of course, frozen yogurt throughout.
However, eagle-eyed fans might have noticed that there is consistency with coffee on the show. Every cup of coffee in the series is green and bears "The Good Place" on them as if from their very own coffee shop.