For a seemingly lighthearted show, NBC’s The Good Place is grounded in some pretty weighty stuff. Ethics and philosophy are in the fabric of the show, packing jokes on Plato, Aristotle and Philippa Foot’s infamous trolley problem one after the other.

For the (shamefully) uninitiated, the fantasy-comedy follows the afterlife of loveable trashbag Eleanor (Kristen Bell), who finds herself misplaced by clerical error in the Good Place (as opposed to the Bad Place). Realising she wants to earn her spot in this heaven-like utopia for real, Eleanor decides to ditch her old ways and learn how to be a better person from her assigned ‘soulmate’, ethics professor Chidi (William Jackson Harper).

Whether you believe in heaven and hell, or any kind of afterlife, TGP makes for an addictive watch. Although it may initially appear as the perfect jolly antidote to our current dystopian climate, with its charming band of misfits (including Jameela Jamil as a namedropping socialite) running amok beyond the grave, more comparisons can be drawn between the show and real life than you’d think.

“Why The Good Place is proof we don’t need to live flawless lives”