Everything Is Fine (The Good Place)

NBC issued a press release on August 13, 2015, announcing it had given the then untitled show a 13-episode order based purely on a pitch by Michael Schur.[1] On January 2016, it was announced Drew Goddard was going to direct the first episode.[2]

According to Schur, the premise and idea was to include religious elements into the series after doing research on various faiths and groups, but he decided to scrap the plans, instead going for a concept that included all faiths that was diverse and free of religious views. "I stopped doing research because I realized it's about versions of ethical behavior, not religious salvation," he says. "The show isn't taking a side, the people who are there are from every country and religion." Schur also points out that the setting (shot in San Marino, California's Huntington Gardens) already had the feeling of a pastiche of different cultures, stating that the neighborhoods will feature people who are part of nondenominational and interdenominational backgrounds that interact with each other regardless of religion.[3]

The series' setting and premises, as well as the serialized cliffhangers, were modeled on Lost, a favorite of Schur. One of the first people he called when he developed the series was Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof. In an interview, he remarked, "I took him to lunch and said, 'We're going to play a game [of] 'Is this anything?'" He then added, "I imagine this going in the Lost way, with cliffhangers and future storylines."[4] His discussions with Lindelof were a key factor in why he "didn't pitch [the show] to NBC until [he] had the whole idea, because of hearing [Lindelof] talk about the process of writing a show that has these qualities and how hard it can be." Instead, he planned out the season and where "the big tentpole episodes" would go; this plan would deviate little during production of the first season.[5]

On January 12, 2016, it was announced that Kristen Bell and Ted Danson had been cast in the lead roles for the series. The first synopsis of the show was also released, stating that the show was set to revolve around Eleanor designing her own self-improvement course with Michael acting as her guide[6] – although the afterlife element had always been a part of the series, as Kristen Bell has stated she was aware of the first-season finale twist when she signed onto the show.[7]

William Jackson Harper was cast as Chris on February 11, 2016,[8] though the character was renamed Chidi. Jameela Jamil was cast as Tessa on February 25, 2016,[9] and her character was renamed Tahani. On March 3, 2016, Manny Jacinto was revealed to have been cast as a "sweet and good-natured Jason" whose "dream is to make a living as a DJ in Southern Florida".[10] On March 14, 2016, D'Arcy Carden was cast in the final series regular role as Janet Della-Denunzio, a violin salesperson with a checkered past[11] – though the character was completely reworked, she retained her original first name in the series.

In its original American broadcast, "Everything Is Fine" was seen by an estimated 8.04 million household viewers and gained a 2.3/8 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. This means that 2.3 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 8 percent of all households watching television at that time watched it. With these ratings, The Good Place was the second most watched show on NBC for the night, behind The Voice, first on its timeslot and fourth for the night in the 18-49 demographics, behind Kevin Can Wait, The Voice, and The Big Bang Theory.[12]

Overall, the episode received generally positive reviews from critics. In a review from an advance screening at San Diego Comic-Con, Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a 7.2 out of 10. He described the show as "a whimsically bureaucratic look at the afterlife" that could "stand on its own as a slice of unique, fun TV." He noted that Bell and Danson "delight" but "the rest of the ensemble needs work."[13] Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the pilot and the following episode, "Flying", an A-. He praised Schur's version of the afterlife, remarking that "the good place's rules and eccentricities [are] fairly bursting with comic ingenuity and fiddly little bits of weirdness that promise a renewable supply of laughs and interest." He also called Bell "the perfect choice for Eleanor, as her innate brightness keeps us rooting for Eleanor to brazen her way through her mistaken admittance to paradise."[14] In another review of the first two episodes, Noel Murray of Vulture gave 4 out of 5 stars, calling the show "clever, funny, and pleasantly familiar." He remarked, "Teasing a few mysteries is always a strong way to launch a series, though The Good Place doesn’t dwell on them at the expense of telling good jokes."[15]