Ted Danson takes his brilliance as a actor to new heights on The Good Place

Vulture

On the NBC comedy, says Angelica Jade Bastién, “Danson feels especially wondrous. He’s zany yet heartfelt, cunning yet arch, while never forgetting the existential quandaries rooted in the arc of his character.” She adds:

“Michael, the demon who’s gone from an architect of torture to a genuine ally to the four humans in The Good Place, marks a particularly noteworthy entry in Danson’s post-Cheers career. His performances — even his most loathsome characters — feel all too human, showcasing what (Ian) Crouch refers to in his New Yorker profile as the ‘effortless-looking panache’ that has come to define the actor. Michael allows for a far different approach. Danson lends the character a surreal, even ‘alien quality’ that feels distinct from his previous high-profile roles, and embodies the moral complexity of the character’s arc toward discovering his own humanity.”

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