The Good Place was designed to break its rules

The A.V. Club

“The Good Place is an ‘anything can happen’ type of show, but ‘anything’ must adhere to a set of ‘if X is true, then Y’ statements,” says Erik Adams. “The very core of The Good Place’s premise is rule-bound—how its characters will spend eternity rests on what they should’ve or shouldn’t’ve done when they were alive—and this goes a long way toward making the universe of the show feel real, well-rounded, and familiar whenever a reset takes place. The neighborhood is the neighborhood whether its streets are dotted with frozen yogurt shops, pudding stands, or chowder fountains. But none of that is the foundation that’s held firm through all the renovations. Rules give shape to The Good Place, but character gives it life, and consistency and rigor in that department is what has truly kept the show from rocketing off of its axis in season two.”

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