It’s been a while since we talked about head-heart-gut polarization. To review, in some stories every character is three-dimensional, and that can work well, but it’s not the only way to tell a great, sophisticated story. Just as often, if not more often, the three main characters are polarized so that one is all-head, one is all-heart, and one is all-gut. (Sometimes this only applies to the three sidekicks and the main character is three dimensional.) In other stories, with bigger casts, some of these body parts are split up further. Sometimes, if you have three gut characters, they can be dived into spleen, stomach and groin.
The “Good Place” pilot has only three main characters and it’s a great example of classic head-heart-gut polarization. Eleanor is all gut: Hungry, horny, raunchy, selfish, insulting, etc. Chidi is all-head: An ethics professor, he overexplains and overthinks everything. Michael is (or seems to be at this point in the show) all-heart: a glowing, angelic, open-hearted lover of life and the world, bestowing care and affection wherever he goes.
This creates classic comedy and significant meaning as well. We see ourselves in all three, and different parts of our own 3-dimensional personalities identify humorously and painfully with each of the three in turn, thinking “Yes, I can go to that extreme sometimes and it’s so embarrassing when I do!”
Any polarized story is ultimately about how we need to integrate ourselves to evolve, and each of these three end up going on (or seeming to go on) a season-long quest to discover their missing elements. Eleanor tries to learn to be a smarter, more compassionate person. Chidi tries to learn to trust his gut and fall in love. (It’s telling that dealing with Eleanor gives Chidi a stomachache, as she reminds him of his missing organ.) Michael explores what it means to be human, especially in dealing with Eleanor, the first non-angelic human he’s had to deal with.
This show will soon expand to become a six-member ensemble, and it’s interesting to see where the new ones end up:
Janet is clearly a second head: an actual repository of all knowledge, unable to understand human emotion. Why isn’t she too similar to Chidi? Because her serenity is so different from his neurosis.
When Jason is revealed, he will clearly be a second gut. He will become stomach/groin, and Eleanor will become more spleen/groin. He’ll have some heart to him, too, though.
But where does that leave Tahani? Her main character note is “snooty”, which usually lines up with head (Think Fraiser or Winchester), but she’s not a therapist, doctor, or intellectual. She’s sort of a fake-heart, as her background is revealed to be an effective but smugly-self-satisfied philanthropist. Ultimately, she doesn’t fit well into this dynamic. What do you think? Where would you put Tahani?
“The Good Place” is a deep and sophisticated show. Like “Star Trek”, it’s a journey into inner space (and inner conflict) as much as to other worlds. By embodying our three-part personalities in three extremes, each episode re-creates our inner debate as we deal with ethical dilemmas in our own lives.
I’ve said before that straight drama shows us what life is like, but genre shows us what it feels like. Our high school life wasn’t really like “Buffy”, but that’s how it felt, with the world ending every week. “The Good Place” is too weird to have any one genre, but it’s clearly an unrealistic fantasy show, and it very much captures what life feels like.
Specifically, the show captures what it’s like to be on Facebook, where everybody else seems like a perfect person and you feel like a loser-creep compared to them. There’s a hilarious montage in the pilot of everybody talking about how ludicrously angelic they were back on Earth (“Well then he said, ‘you can’t give me both your kidneys, you’ll die’, and I said ‘But you will live. And I know we just met on this bus ten minutes ago, but you seem nice’”). We can’t help but be on Eleanor’s side, because we’ve all felt like her and we have no idea what it’s like to feel like them. I ask again, when was the last time you saved a cat?
I’ve also talked about how every hero should have a public identity that contrasts with their private self, and Eleanor is the ultimate example of that. We begin with Michael summing up her wonderful selfless accomplishments, but only she knows that this was another Eleanor, and she’s actually a terrible person, and there’s been a terrible mix-up. We’ve all felt that way: It’s imposter syndrome, times ten. I’ll go back to that quote from Dylan I’ve used before: “If my thought-dreams could be seen, they’d probably put my head in a guillotine.” That’s literally the dilemma she faces.
“Parks and Recreation” was one of the most realistic sitcoms ever, reveling in the mundanity of empty bureaucratic lives in a nowhere town. Schur was shocking us in a different way: Can you believe that a show can be this mundane and low-stakes? “The Good Place” couldn’t be more different, in setting, genre, and tone, but both shows show us lives we can fully identify with, in very different ways: one because of its everyday realism, one because of its fantastical exploration of how life feels, writ on a wild, supernatural canvas.
When you’re just starting out, it’s hard to get noticed, but one way to do it is with a very-high-concept pilot. I’ve said before that it’s good if there’s something bold, weird, and/or never-before-seen about the concept of your spec pilot. “The Good Place” qualifies in spades.
(Of course, the rules are different when you’re trying to get noticed vs. when you’re actually trying to get something on the air. A script like “The Good Place” is actually a very hard sell to a network, and NBC seems to have only reluctantly aired it, because Schur had made them a lot of money and because the script attracted Bell and Danson.)
But this script also shows how hard it is to write a very-high-concept pilot that satisfies traditional audience expectations. Let’s look at some of the checklist items it didn’t check:
Does the concept satisfy the urges that get
people to love and recommend this type of series?
Well, the execution does, because it’s
very funny and the leads are very appealing, so everybody who sees it loves
it and recommends it to others.But the concept is a hard sell.What was it the Talking Heads said: Heaven is a place where nothing
ever happens?It’s hard to
see how the show would work until you see it.
Does the pilot contain all of the
entertainment value inherent in the premise (rather than just setting
everything up and promising that the fun will start next week)?
Not really.There’s an awful lot of set-up here
and Eleanor won’t really start trying to be a better person until next week.
If this is a premise pilot, is the basic
premise established by the midpoint, leaving time for a foreshortened typical
episode story in the second half?
No.There’s a lot of set-up and Eleanor
won’t really try to start becoming a better person until next week.
Does the pilot provide at least one
satisfactory stand-alone story (even if that story is just the accomplishment
of a mini-goal)?
Not really.She doesn’t achieve any goals.Her accomplishment is to find a
co-conspirator
By halfway through, are character decisions
driving the plot, rather than external plot complications?
Not really.Lots of plot in this episode.
Does the series fit within one genre (or
compatible sub-genres)?
No, it’s like
nothing we’ve ever seen before, so it’s not comfortable to watch. We don't say, “Ah yes, the familiar comforts of this genre!”
Does the series have authentic things to say
about this type of setting?
It’s too weird to
say.
It simply takes a long time to establish this never-seen-before setting. We spend the entire teaser and first act just learning the rules before we find out anything about our hero. There’s even an orientation video that we and Eleanor have to stop and watch to help us understand. Normally, power points are a bad sign, especially if we don’t care about the hero yet, but in this case, the show gets away with it, because the world is so interesting (and Danson is so appealing).
The downside of this long set-up is that it takes a long time to meet our hero and the real plot driver for the series is not established until the final minutes, leaving no time for a foreshortened example of a typical plot, which viewers crave before they commit to the show. We don’t get to see Chidi helping her yet.
But this show was not a big hit on first airing. It was only when it appeared on Netflix and people could binge the first season that it caught on, to the extent that it has. This wasn’t made by Netflix, it’s still sort of a “Netflix show”, paced more for a binge than for watching week to week, and I think that’s becoming more of the norm, so maybe you can get away with it more now. Or at least Schur can. For a spec premise pilot by an unknown writer, you’d probably still want to have a foreshortened plot taking up the second half, to show that the show will work, which means that your pilot maybe can’t be this super-high-concept.
Don’t get me wrong: In this case, the big risk pays off beautifully. Your jaw is on the floor the whole time in a delighted way. As the above still shows, the rules are actually fun to figure out, and the break from sitcom routine is very refreshing. Schur’s other sitcom on the air now, “Brooklyn 9-9” has what could be called an overly-familiar TV setting, which is a limitation that show must overcome. This show, to put it mildly, doesn’t have that issue. Yes, it doesn’t meet all of our expectations, but it teaches us to rewrite our expectations, and once we realize how appealing it is, we’re more than willing to do that.
Eleanor Shelstrop wakes up in the afterlife and is told by a man named Michael that she has died in a shopping cart accident, but the good news is that she’s gone to “The Good Place”, a heavenly realm reserved for only the best people. Michael shows her to her dream house and her soulmate, Chidi, then leaves them together. Eleanor quickly admits to Chidi that there’s been a mix-up and she’s actually a terrible person. That night they go to a party hosted by their neighbors Tahani and Jianyu, but Eleanor steals shrimp and calls Tahani a giraffe. They awake the next morning to find the realm being attacked by giant shrimp and giraffes. Chidi says that Eleanor’s badness is disrupting this world and she must come clean. Eleanor has another idea: Chidi can teach her how to be a good person so she’ll fit in. He reluctantly agrees.
PART 1: IS
THIS A STRONG CONCEPT FOR AN ONGOING SERIES? (17/20)
The Pitch: Does this concept excite everyone who hears
about it?
Does the concept satisfy the
urges that get people to love and recommend this type of series?
Well, the execution does, because it’s very funny and the leads are very
appealing, so everybody who sees it loves it and recommends it to
others.But the concept is a
hard sell.What was it the
Talking Heads said: Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens?It’s hard to see how the show
would work until you see it.
Does
the series establish its own unique point of view on its setting?
Very much so: A jaundiced view of heaven though the
eyes of a terrible person.
Is
there a central relationship we haven’t seen in a series before?
Very much so: A dead woman and her afterlife-manager
and her ethics coach.
Does
the ongoing concept of the series contain a fundamental (and possibly fun)
ironic contradiction?
Heaven is annoying.
Does
the concept meet the content expectations of one particular intended network,
venue, or audience?
Sort of?NBC
has never put its full weight behind the show, and seems to have made it as a
favor to Schur for his other shows.I think you could safely say this is a show that meets nobody’s
“content expectations.”
Even
if the setting is unpleasant, is there something about this premise that is
inherently appealing? (Something that will make the audience say, “Yes, I
will be able to root for some
aspect of this situation to recur episode after episode.”)
More so in the second episode, where they learn they
can fly, and we get into the “wish fulfillment” aspect of the show.
Series Fundamentals: Will this concept generate a
strong ongoing series?
Is
there one character (or sometimes two, in separate storylines) that the
audience will choose to be their primary hero (although these heroes should
probably be surrounded by an ensemble that can more than hold their own)?
Eleanor
If
this is a TV series, is the hero role strong enough to get an actor to
abandon a movie career, come to work in TV for the first time, and sign a
five-year contract before shooting the pilot? (And even if not for TV, is the
hero role still that strong, simply for narrative purposes?)
Yes.Bell had a minor movie career.
Is the
show set in an unsafe space?
Once the shrimp and giraffes attack, we realize that
it is.
Is
this a setting that will bring (or has brought) different economic classes
together?
Yes, Eleanor has class resentment of Tahani
Will
trouble walk in the door on a regular basis?
Not really.It’s not really a strong plot engine, and it would run out by the end
of the first season.
Will
the heroes be forced to engage in both physical and cerebral activity on a
regular basis?
More cerebral, certainly, but we sense from the
pilot that they’ll be kept on their toes physically as well.
Are
there big stakes that will persist episode after episode?
Yes, she’s trying to save herself from eternal
torment.
Will
the ongoing situation produce goals or mini-goals that can be satisfactorily
resolved on a regular basis?
Only slightly: She’ll have a different moral knot to
untangle in each episode, and she must solve the mystery of how she ended up
there.(Other mysteries will
soon present themselves as well.)
The Pilot: Will this pilot episode be marketable and
generate word of mouth?
Does
the pilot contain all of the entertainment value inherent in the premise
(rather than just setting everything up and promising that the fun will start
next week)?
Not really.There’s an awful lot of set-up here and Eleanor won’t really start trying
to be a better person until next week.
Does the pilot feature an image we haven’t seen before (that can be used
to promote the show)?
Many!Giant shrimp and giraffes attack!Even the color scheme and font feel unique.
Is
there something bold, weird, and never-before-seen about this concept and/or
pilot?
Oh my yes.
Is there a “Holy crap!” scene somewhere along the way in the pilot (to
create word of mouth)?
Sort of: When we find out she’s a terrible person.
Does
the pilot build up potential energy that will power future episodes (secrets
that will come out, potential romances, etc.)?
How did she end up there?Is there something sinister going on? A potential romance
with Chidi.
Even
if this is episodic, is there a major twist or escalation at the end (though
sometimes this twist will only be new to, or only revealed to, the audience)
that will kick future episodes up a notch?
Eleanor and Chidi enter into their conspiracy.
PART 2: IS THIS A COMPELLING
HERO (OR CO-HEROES IN DIFFERENT STORYLINES)? (13/16)
Believe: Do we recognize the hero (or co-heroes) as
human?
Does
the hero have a moment of humanity early on? (A
funny, or kind, or oddball, or out-of-character, or comically vain, or
unique-but-universal “I thought I was the only one who did that!” moment?)
Sort of: ”Did I have a purse?No, I’m dead.Right.Okay.”It’s
tricky, because they haven’t revealed her true personality yet at this point,
but they still have to give us just enough to get us to like her in a kind of
generic way before they can get us to like her specifically.
Does
the hero have a well-defined public identity?
A perfect person
Does
that ironically contrast with a hidden interior self?
A terrible person
Does
the hero have three rules he or she lives by (either stated or implied)?
I don’t need anybody, the world is a terrible place,
live for today
Does
the hero have a consistent metaphor family (drawn
from his or her job, background, or developmental state)?
Cursing, but she can’t curse here, which means the
show actually gets away with a lot of cursing: “Fork me”
Does
the hero have a default personality trait?
Selfish
Does
the hero have a default argument tactic?
Guilt you into doing it.“My soul is in your hands, soulmate, what’s it going to
be?”
Care: Do we feel for the hero (or co-heroes)?
Does the hero have a great flaw
that is the flip side of his or her great strength?
She’s
mean-spirited.
Does
the hero feel that this flaw cannot be resolved until it’s time to abandon
the world of the show?
Just the opposite, which is why this concept proved to be
untenable past 13 episodes.
Does
the flaw resonate with the theme and/or setting of the show?
What happens when a rotten person who lives for
today faces eternal judgment?
Invest: Can we trust the hero (or co-heroes) to
tackle this challenge?
Does the hero have a great
strength that is the flip side of his or her great flaw?
She cuts through the bullshit, both on
Earth and in heaven.
Is the hero good at his or her
job (or family role, if that’s his or her primary role)?
Well,
she was good at her job defrauding old people.She’ll be pretty good at her job of conning her way into
heaven, but we don’t have much sense of that yet in the pilot.
Is the
hero surrounded by people who sorely lack his or her most valuable quality?
Yes, everybody seems dippy compared to her.
Is the
hero curious?
Very much so.She’s got a big mystery to solve.
Is the
hero generally resourceful?
Not really.
Does the hero use unique skills to solve problems (rather than doing what
anybody else on the show would do)?
Well, she’s in a unique position, but no, she doesn’t really
have any special skills.
PART 3: IS THIS A STRONG
ENSEMBLE (BEYOND THE HERO OR CO-HEROES)?(11/13)
Powerful: Is each member
of the ensemble able to hold his or her own?
If
this is a network TV series, are there at least two more roles that are
strong enough to get TV veterans to sign their own five-year contracts? (And
even if not for TV, are the characters still that strong, simply for
narrative purposes?)
Just one: Michael.The other roles went to totally unknown actors.
Are
all of the other regular roles strong enough on the page in this first
episode to attract great actors? (ditto)
Yes, they’re all great.
Does each member of the ensemble
have a distinct and defensible point of view?
Very
much so, though we only really get to know the three in the pilot.
Is
each character defined primarily by actions and attitudes, not by his or her
backstory?
Well, the whole point of heaven is that you get
defined by your backstory, but we don’t get much of that in this episode.We judge people based on how they act
here.
Do all of the
characters consciously and unconsciously prioritize their own wants, rather
than the wants of others? (Good characters don’t
serve good, evil characters don’t serve evil.)
Well
that’s what it’s all about, right?Eleanor certainly does, and later we’ll learn that the others are doing
the same.
Do
most of the main characters have some form of decision-making power? (And is
the characters’ boss or bosses also part of the cast, so that major decisions
will not be made by non-regulars?)
The boss is part of the cast, and Eleanor and Chidi
put themselves in charge of their own conspiracy.
Balanced: Do the members
of the ensemble balance each other out?
Whether this is a premise or
episodic pilot, is there one point-of-view who needs this world explained
(who may or may not be the hero)?
Yes,
Eleanor
Does
it take some effort for the POV character to extract other characters’
backstories?
Not really.Everybody tells her.There’s even a power point.
Are the non-3-dimensional
characters impartially polarized into head, heart and gut (or various forms
of 2-way or 4-way polarization)?
Chidi
is head, Michael is heart, Eleanor is gut.(These will change over time)
Does each member of the ensemble
have a distinct metaphor family (different from the hero’s, even if they’re
in the same profession)?
Does
each member of the ensemble have a different default personality trait?
Michael: Warm-hearted
Chidi:
Supportive but exasperated
Does
each member of the ensemble have a different default argument tactic?
Michael: Seemingly plain-stated
solicitous to all questions. Doesn’t have to talk anybody into anything yet.
Chidi:
Appeals to morals
Is
there at least one prickly character who creates sparks whenever he or she
appears?
In this case, it’s the hero, Eleanor
PART 4: IS THE PILOT
EPISODE A STRONG STAND-ALONE STORY AND GOOD TEMPLATE FOR THE ONGOING SERIES?
(17/22)
Template: Does this match
and/or establish the standard format of this type of series
Does
the pilot have (or establish) the average length for its format?
22 minutes.
If
this is intended for a form of commercial media, does the pilot have the
right number of commercial breaks for its intended venue?
Yes, three breaks
If
this is intended for commercial TV, does every act end on a cliffhanger or
escalation, especially the middle one (and, if not intended for commercial
TV, does it still have escalations happening in roughly the same places,
simply for narrative purposes)?
1st act out: She’s invited out to see
heaven. 2nd act out: “There’s been a big mistake, I’m not supposed
to be here.” “Wait, what?”. 3rd act out: “I just have to go
upstairs and steal a bunch of gold stuff.”4th act out: “Eleanor, this is all happening
because of you. “Ah, fork me.” 5th act out: “My soul is in your
hands, soulmate.What’s it gonna
be?”“Oh, stomachache.”
Does
the pilot establish the general time frame for most upcoming episodes of this
series?
Yes, 24 hours will be common.
Do all
of the pilot’s storylines intercut believably within that time frame?
There’s just one storyline.
If
this is a premise pilot, is the basic premise established by the midpoint,
leaving time for a foreshortened typical episode story in the second half?
No.There’s a
lot of set-up and they only establish the premise at the end.
Pilot Story Fundamentals: Does the pilot
episode have a strong story?
Does
the pilot provide at least one satisfactory stand-alone story (even if that
story is just the accomplishment of a mini-goal)?
Not really.She
doesn’t achieve any goals.Her accomplishment is to find a co-conspirator
Is
this episode’s plot simple enough to spend more time on character than plot?
No.The
characters will grow very deep and rich over time, but the pilot is more
about plot.This is a downside
of high-concept ideas.
Is the
pilot’s challenge something that is not just hard for the hero to do (an
obstacle) but hard for the hero to want to do (a conflict)?
Well, the reward is high, but she really doesn’t
want to go straight.She will
reluctantly try to be a better person, but she really just wishes she could
go to a “medium place.”
First Half: Is the problem established in a
way that reflects human nature?
Does
the hero start out with a short-term goal for this episode?
Fake it, mostly by staying quiet.
Does a
troubling situation (episodic pilot) or major change in the status quo
(premise pilot) develop near the beginning of the episode?
Well, the major change in the status quo happens
before the episode begins.The
troubling situation comes when she sees video of Eleanor’s life shot from her
POV, which confirms that she’s been falsely identified.
Does
the hero eventually commit to dealing with this situation personally?
Yes, she confesses to Chidi and asks for his help.
Do the
hero’s efforts quickly lead to an unforeseen conflict with another person?
He resists.
Does
the hero try the easy way throughout the second quarter?
She thinks it won’t be that hard.
Does
this culminate in a major midpoint setback or escalation of the problem
(whether or not there’s a commercial break)?
She just realizes as a result of the party that it’ll be
harder than she thought.
Second Half: Is the mini-goal resolved as
the ongoing trouble escalates?
Does
the hero try the hard way from this point on?
She talks with Chidi about how hard it’ll be.
By
halfway through, are character decisions driving the plot, rather than
external plot complications?
Not really.Lots of plot in this episode.
Are
the stakes increased as the pace increases and the motivation escalates?
Yes, when the world starts falling apart.
Does a
further setback force the hero to adopt a wider view of the problem?
Again, the shrimp and giraffes.
After
that setback, does the hero finally commit to pursuing a corrected goal?
Just at the end: Get coached by Chidi
Before
the final quarter of the story begins, (if not long before) has the hero
switched to being proactive, instead of reactive?
Yes.
After
the climax, does either the hero, the point of view character or a guest star
have a personal revelation and/or life change, possibly revealed through
reversible behavior?
She decides to become a good person.
PART 5: IS
EACH SCENE THE BEST IT CAN BE? (18/22)Eleanor and Chidi react to the crisis
The Set-Up: Does this scene begin with the essential
elements it needs?
Were tense and/or
hopeful (and usually false) expectations for this interaction established
beforehand?
We
just saw them freaking out.
Does the scene eliminate small
talk and repeated beats by cutting out the beginning (or possibly even the
middle)?
No.
Is this an intimidating setting
that keeps characters active?
Well,
there’s an apocalypse going on outside, and there’s someone knocking on the
door, so sort of.
Is one of the scene partners not
planning to have this conversation (and quite possibly has something better
to do)?
Chidi
is reluctant to have this conversation.
Is there at least one non-plot
element complicating the scene?
Not
really.
Does the scene establish its own
mini-ticking-clock (if only through subconscious anticipation)?
Someone
is knocking on the door.
The Conflict: Do the conflicts play out in a lively
manner?
Does this scene both advance the
plot and reveal character?
Very
much so.
Are one or more characters in
the scene emotionally affected by this interaction or action as the scene
progresses?
He
is tortured by it.
Does the audience have (or
develop) a rooting interest in this scene (which may sometimes shift)?
We’re
sympathetic to both, but ultimately on her side.
Are two agendas genuinely
clashing (rather than merely two personalities)?
Very
much so.
Does the scene have both a
surface conflict and a suppressed conflict (one of which is the primary
conflict in this scene)?
Surface:
Help me.Suppressed: Admit that
life isn’t black and white.
Is the suppressed conflict
(which may or may not come to the surface) implied through subtext (and/or
called out by the other character)?
She
calls it out.
Are the characters cagy (or in
denial) about their own feelings?
Yes.
Do characters use verbal tricks
and traps to get what they want, not just direct confrontation?
”My
soul’s in your hands, soulmate.”
Is there re-blocking, including
literal push and pull between the scene partners (often resulting in just one
touch)?
She
keeps walking closer to him and pointing a finger in his face, but she never
quite touches him.
Are objects given or taken,
representing larger values?
No.
The Outcome: Does this scene change the story going
forward?
As a result of this scene, does
at least one of the scene partners end up doing something that he or she
didn’t intend to do when the scene began?
Well,
it stops just before he commits to her plan, but we can tell he will.
Does the outcome of the scene
ironically reverse (and/or ironically fulfill) the original intention?
Not
really.
Are previously-asked
questions answered?
What’s
going on?
Are new questions posed that
will be left unanswered for now?
Will
their plan work?
Is the audience left with a
growing hope and/or fear for what might happen next? (Not just in the next
scene, but generally)
We’re
very afraid.She’s afraid that
the person at the door will see she’s wearing the wrong clothes.
Does the scene cut out early, on
a question (possibly to be answered instantly by the circumstances of the
next scene)?
”What’s
it gonna be?”
PART 6: IS THIS
POWERFUL DIALOGUE? (11/13)
Empathetic: Is the dialogue true to human nature?
Does the writing demonstrate
empathy for all of the characters?
Not
yet.Tahani and Jianyu/Jason are
looked down on, so far.It also
doesn’t seem that Janet will have any depth yet.
Does each of the characters,
including the hero, have a limited perspective?
Very
much so.Nobody can see what the
others are going through.
Are the characters resistant to
openly admitting their feelings (to others and even to themselves)?
Yes,
Janet corrects Eleanor. “I
wasn’t that into him anyway.” “Yes, you were.”
Do the characters avoid saying
things they wouldn’t say?
Yes.
Do the characters interrupt each
other often?
Yes.
Specific: Is the dialogue specific to this world and
each personality?
Does the dialogue capture the
culturally-specific syntax of the characters (without necessarily attempting
to replicate non-standard pronunciation)?
Not
really with the main characters.Michael is not associated with any one culture, Eleanor is sort of
generically “white trash”, but not in a culturally specific way.Chidi is African and speaking French
which has been translated into English, so his language has been
de-culturized.In the pilot,
only Tahani is culturally specific.Later, Jason will be, brilliantly.
Does the dialogue capture the
jargon of the profession and/or setting?
Well,
Chidi very believably speaks like an ethics professor, and his profession
will come to dominate the show.
Does the dialogue capture the
tradecraft of the profession being portrayed?
Do
ethics professors have tradecraft?
Heightened: Is the dialogue more pointed and dynamic
than real talk?
Is the dialogue more concise
than real talk?
Sure.
Does the dialogue have more
personality than real talk?
Sure.
Is there a minimum of commas in
the dialogue (the lines are not prefaced with Yes, No, Well, Look, or the
other character’s name)?
Sure.
Do non-professor characters
speak without dependent clauses, conditionals, or parallel construction?
Well,
one of the characters is a professor, but Eleanor speaks very plainly.
Is there one gutpunch scene,
where the subtext falls away and the characters really lay into each other?
Sort
of, Eleanor thinks about her parents in hell.
PART 7: DOES THE PILOT MANAGE ITS TONE
TO CREATE AND FULFILL AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS? (6/8)
Genre and Mood: Does the series tap into
pre-established expectations?
Does the series fit within one
genre (or compatible sub-genres)?
Nothing
we’ve ever seen before.
Are unrealistic genre-specific
elements a big metaphor for a more common experience (not how life really is,
but how life really feels)?
Yes,
this is basically a show about what it feels like to be on Facebook, where
everybody else seems like a perfect person and you feel like a loser-creep
compared to them.
Separate from the genre, does
the pilot establish an overall mood for the series?
Quirky,
light, bright, surreal
If there are multiple
storylines, do they establish the spectrum of moods available within that
overall mood?
Just
one storyline.
Framing: Does the pilot set, reset, upset and
ultimately exceed its own expectations?
Are there framing devices
(flashforwards, framing sequences and/or first person narration) to set the
mood, pose a dramatic question, and/or pose ongoing questions?
No, we
jump right in.
Is there a dramatic question
posed early on, which will establish in the audience’s mind which moment will
mark the end of the pilot?
“Will
she be found out?”
Does foreshadowing create
anticipation and suspense (and refocus the audience’s attention on what’s
important)?
We
get little hints that Eleanor isn’t who she appears to be (“You were buying a
bottle of Lonely Gal Margarita Mix for One”) and little threats that this
place can turn threatening.
Is the dramatic question of the
pilot episode’s plot answered near the end of the story?
Not
definitively, but now she has a plan for never being found out.
PART 8: DOES
THE PILOT CREATE A MEANINGFUL ONGOING THEME? (12/14)
Pervasive: Is the
theme interwoven into many aspects of the show?
Does
the ensemble as a whole have a unique philosophy about how to fill their role
(and competition from an allied force with a different philosophy)?
They have their own neighborhood in heaven, where
Michael is trying something different than the other neighborhoods.
Does
the pilot have a statement of philosophy and/or theme, usually either at the
beginning or ¾ of the way in. (Sometimes this will be the ensemble’s
statement of philosophy, sometimes this merely be the implied theme of the
series itself.)
Sort of: “There should be a medium place.”Eventually, she will win over many
people on the show to this point of view.
Can the show’s overall ongoing
theme be stated in the form of a classic good vs. good (or evil vs. evil)
dilemma?
Be
yourself or be a better person?
Throughout the pilot, do the
characters have to choose between goods, or between evils, instead of
choosing between good and evil?
Do
you help your soulmate even though you know it’s ethically wrong?
Are
the storylines in the pilot thematically linked (preferably in an indirect,
subtle way)?
There’s just one storyline
Are small details throughout the
pilot tied into the theme?
The
sizes of the houses, etc.
Will
the heroes grapple with new moral gray areas in each episode?
Very much so.
Grounded: Do the
stakes ring true to the world of the audience?
Does the series’ set-up reflect
the way the world works?
Life
is unfair.
Does the series have authentic
things to say about this type of setting?
It’s too
weird to say.
Does the ongoing concept include
twinges of real life national pain?
Sort
of.Our hero is not a member of
the moral 1%, but feels like she is entitled to their reward, not eternal
torment.
Are these issues presented in a
way that avoids moral hypocrisy?
Yes.
Do all of the actions in the
pilot have real consequences?
Strange
consequences, but real.
Untidy: Is the
dilemma ultimately irresolvable?
Do the characters refuse (or
fail) to synthesize the meaning of the pilot episode’s story, forcing the
audience to do that?
Yes,
it ends hastily.
Does the end of the pilot leave
the thematic dilemma wide open and irresolvable?
No, it
does seem resolvable: It’s better (but harder) to become better than to be
yourself.The original premise
only lasted 13 episodes because it was not irresolvable.