I'm Convinced This 2010s Show With 97% On Rotten Tomatoes Has The Greatest Twist In TV Comedy History

I'm a sucker for a great twist, and when it comes to comedy shows, there are incredibly few that employ this story device, but The Good Place nailed it. Many genres in both film and TV use plot twists in order to hook audiences, create drama, and keep viewers engaged. However, it has to be done correctly. If a twist comes completely out of nowhere, it feels unearned and can be deeply frustrating, potentially even failing to make sense in the context of the show.

However, when done correctly, a twist knocks you off-balance, but it makes perfect sense. Building on this, it should also be done in such a way that you can rewatch everything that came before, and begin to see clues that were hidden, obscured, or simply missed on the first viewing. It's no easy feat, but it is incredibly worthwhile, and has resulted in several of my favorite shows and movie moments of all time.

I Can't Think Of Any Comedy Show With A Twist Better Than The Good Place's Season 1 Ending

Michael And The Good Place Were Never What They Seemed

And as mentioned above, comedy shows don't usually include big twist moments. That isn't to say they can't be clever, or they don't have hooks, but the intention and implementation for both is usually a lot more straightforward. The end of a season of any given comedy TV show will often see a relationship form, or break down. It may have a character facing a big dramatic change, like a new job, moving, or making a huge mistake, but it's incredibly rare for comedy shows to use a twist.

But The Good Place delivered a true twist ending with the conclusion of season 1, revealing that everything that had played out so far, with Eleanor and her friends trying to get familiar with life in the Good Place, was actually a form of twisted torture by the demons of the Bad Place, teasing these sinners with false hope of getting an accidental spot in heaven. Though it made sense that Eleanor and the others did not belong in the Good Place, as made clear throughout the season, Michael changing to reveal his true plan was a masterful moment in this incredible series.

The Most Impressive Thing About The Good Place's Twist Is That The Show Got Even Better After The Reveal

The Twist Kicked Off An Incredible Run For The Good Place In Later Seasons

And while The Good Place was clearly building towards this epic reveal, the momentum did not slow down or plateau in later seasons. Knowing the reality of Eleanor's situation, and the duplicitous nature of Michael, it could have been easy for the show to drop off in quality, and the story to fizzle out, but thanks to Michael rebooting Eleanor and the gang, and making adjustments to his plan, season 2 built on the success of the show to my delight and amusement.

Season	Critic Score	Audience Score
The Good Place Season 1	92%	92%
The Good Place Season 2	100%	90%
The Good Place Season 3	98%	87%
The Good Place Season 4	100%	88%

And evidently, I wasn't alone in loving the show as it progressed, as seen in the Rotten Tomatoes score for subsequent seasons actually improved on the first season. As the series progressed, the plots did not get overly complicated, and they continued to keep things fresh with minor adjustments and changes over the show's four-season run. This, combined with inspired performances from the entire core cast, resulted in one of the very best comedy shows to come out of the 2010s.

Comedy Shows Rarely Dare Attempt Twists As Big As The Good Place's

The Dramatic Twist Was Refreshing For A Comedy Series Like The Good Place

Comedy shows usually have some distinct details that set them apart from more involved TV shows. For instance, a comedy show will usually provide an easy-watching experience that lets audiences relax and absorb the events on screen. And to achieve this, they rely on rapid-fire jokes and quips, along with plots that expand across multiple seasons of the show, and slow progression and change for the characters involved. This means that the shows can often run for a lot of seasons, but the "twists," if you can call them that, are predictable, and stem from relationship drama.

Two characters who have been friends for a long time may end up in a romantic situation, or a new and important character can enter the frame and shake things up. Taking a concept and turning it on its head, and revealing that trusted and beloved characters are not what they seem is a much more involved twist, and that is what makes The Good Place such a strong showing that balanced this easy-watching comedy style with a rewarding twist ending.