The Good Place, ou ce que les séries se doivent les unes aux autres

Abstract

This article on The Good Place (NBC, 2016-2020) explores the series’ reflexivity and meta-discourse on contemporary seriality, by comparing it to other metatextual TV series with similar themes. The Good Place and Westworld (HBO, 2016-2022) display the same infernal simulacra based on meaningless reboots, as their protagonists constantly forget what happened to them. Person of Interest (CBS, 2011-2016) shares with The Good Place an in-depth discourse on the value of human life against inhuman and dehumanizing algorithms and mass surveillance, the irony being that The Good Place is distributed internationally on SVoD platform Netflix. Last but not least, the link between The Good Place and Lost (ABC, 2004-2010) allows us to read the former as a commentary on “promising closure” and on what may be a “good” ending for TV series.

Keywords

• reflexivity
• ethics
• closure
• reboot
• algorithm