The one network TV comedy on Netflix you need to watch immediately

With streaming, there are so many options available to us at one time that it can be overwhelming and more and more content is added each month. Netflix is basically a smorgasbord of all you can binge stories with an international platter that'll have your watch list out of control. But it's always good when someone can recommend something to you and narrow down your choice to a show that's amazing, low-commitment, and will leave you smiling.

So, if I had to choose a series for you, reader, I'd turn to a network TV option. One that got a heap of praise when it was airing and is that rare gem of a show that balances humor with the message in its storytelling. It honestly some of the smartest writing that's ever graced the small screen. And, as much as I'm an angst queen, if I had to pick a show for you to watch it'd actually be a comedy. I'd choose The Good Place.

The Good Place should be your next Netflix binge

The comedy, which ran from 2016-2020 on NBC, wrapped in four seasons (with 53 episodes!). It's from the mind of Michael Schur and it starts with a simple premise: What happens when we die? Our lead is Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell), a woman who learns that all humans are separated into two afterlifes--The Good Place and the Bad Place. She finds herself in the former, a seemingly Utopian location that operates like a quaint town with anything and everything available to its inhabitants.

From there the plot transforms into a hilarious, shenanigan filled story about Eleanor, who was definitely sorted into the wrong place, and her attempt to earn the "reward" she's been given. She does this through taking morality lessons from Chidi (William Jackson Harper), an indecisive ethics and moral philosophy professor who is her soulmate.

Eleanor thinks that if she can game the system then no one will be the wiser that she's not actually supposed to be in The Good Place. The pairs circle of friends include Tahani (Jameela Jamil), a wealthy philanthropist with a cheery disposition and a tendency to name drop, Jason (Manny Jacinto), who's first introduced as a silent monk, and Janet (D'Arcy Carden), The Good Place's AI assistant. There's also Michael (Ted Danson), the architect of the afterlife they all live in.

The comedy is as funny as it is poignant in the way that it examines what "goodness" is and what it means to do the moral and ethical thing from situation to situation. The Good Place is never heavy handed in this exploration and the intent of its overall arc is to grow these characters into the better people that they're striving to become. Expect mishaps and twists along the way!