Welcome! Everything Is Fine! What happens when we die? It’s a question everyone has asked, since the beginning of time. But when Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars) dies tragically, she finds out that the afterlife is amazing: full of frozen yogurt, soulmates, and wonderful people who have done incredible things with their lives. It is absolutely perfect. The only problem is Eleanor herself. She isn’t supposed to be in The Good Place. In fact, her life decisions wouldn’t have gotten her even close. But due to a clerical error, she’s been given someone else’s reward and now has to struggle with being good in order to make sure her secret isn’t discovered.

For in-depth thoughts on The Good Place: The Complete Series, please see my colleague Andrea Bell’s piece on the series here.

Video Quality

The Good Place: The Complete Series arrives on Blu-Ray with a fetching AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This release brings all four seasons together for the first time in high definition with 53 episodes on eight discs with an additional disc for supplements. We were doubtful this would be released physically in HD as the series was coming to an end, but Shout! really came through for fans. With two discs dedicated to each season and episode counts topping out at 14 total per season, the discs comfortably house this series with no egregious compression artifacts throughout. This release is notably more stable than any streaming equivalent, and you don’t have to worry about episodes being pulled or commercials.

The single-camera series has a lovely appearance with subtle, inventive details furnishing the background. Every fun joke can be easily deciphered in HD. Skin tones appear very natural and consistent across the entire cast. The world of “The Good Place” has a dazzling palette with bold, bright colors, but the series explores some other less sunny locales that match the accuracy of the aesthetic intention. This presentation finds the nuances within the differences. Black levels maintain a solid depth and give way to a terrific amount of detail in shadows. The highlights of the show do not succumb to any blooming. The Blu-Ray set is the ideal way to watch the series.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that deftly brings these episodes to life throughout all four seasons. The gentle opening theme music and other occasional tunes from the series permeate the room and complement the narrative well. The clever and hilarious exchanges of dialogue always come through clearly without being overpowered by environmental effects. There are some nifty ambient noises carefully deployed in the rear channels to make the world feel more alive. The more bustling moments are given a bit more texture in the mix in terms of the low end. There are no complaints at all about the audio quality. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries

- Everything Is Fine/Flying (Season One): Creator Michael Schur, Executive Producer Drew Goddard, and Co-Stars Jameela Jamil and D’Arcy Carden

- Mindy St. Claire/Michael’s Gambit (Season One): Creator Michael Schur, Executive Producer Drew Goddard, and Co-Stars Jameela Jamil and D’Arcy Carden

- Dance Dance Resolution (Season Two): Creator Michael Schur, Executive Producer Drew Goddard, Producer Megan Amram, and Actor Ted Danson

Gag Reels: Each season is given a collection of hilarious flubs, forgotten lines, malfunctioning props, and more.

- Season One (10:05)

- Season Two (7:14)

- Season Three (8:50)

- Season Four (9:25)

VFX Reels: The first three seasons provide brief reels that show off the before-and-after effects of the visual effects work.

- Season One (1:17)

- Season Two (0:58)

- Season Three (2:27)

Episode 112 Mindy Saint Claire Table Read: A 29-minute look at the table read for the first part of the season one finale. This is a fun look behind the curtain.

2019 San Diego Comic-Con Panel: A 51-minute panel hosted by Marc Evan Jackson featuring cast members Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D’Arcy Carden, Manny Jacinto, and Ted Danson along with Executive Producers Michael Schur and Drew Goddard.

Season Four Finale After Show: A 12-minute after-show hosted by Seth Meyers featuring Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D’Arcy Carden, Manny Jacinto, and Ted Danson. While we wish this was much longer, this is a great bow on the journey.

Final Thoughts

The Good Place feels like a bit of a minor miracle in the landscape of network television. This high-concept series is the type of unforgettable gem that should last a season and be canceled for low ratings while fans shout about the injustice for years on end. That the television gods allowed this series to run its course over four glorious seasons is incredible. The show is very smart yet accessible and ultimately touching in its exploration of its themes. Tying everything together with a cast that cannot be beaten, this is a series not to be missed. Shout! Studios has released a wonderful complete series Blu-Ray set featuring a fetching A/V presentation and a decent selection of special features. Highly Recommended

The Good Place: The Complete Series is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.