There have been a number of hints that Ted Danson’s brand-new Netflix show,A Man on the Inside, may share a universe withThe Good Place.A Man on the Inside’scast of charactersstars Danson as Charles, a 75-year-old retired engineering professor who accepts a job as a spy, investigating possible thefts at a local retirement home. To carry out his investigation, Charles must go undercover as a resident of the retirement community, building relationships with the staff and other residents to try and crack the case.
Incredibly,A Man on the Insideis based on a true story, although the show did take some liberties with the original story. While this might seem quite distinct from Michael’s arc inThe Good Place, there are a number ofThe Good PlaceEaster eggsinA Man on the Inside, and Danson’s character inA Man on the Insidehas already proven to be aperfect pay-off for Michael inThe Good Place. Based on these and other aspects ofA Man on the Inside,it’s possible that these two Ted Danson shows share a universe.
A Man On The Inside & The Good Place Are Created By Michael Schur
If Anyone Would Have The Authority To Make A Spin-Off, It Would Be Michael Schur
BothA Man on the InsideandThe Good Placewere created by Michael Schur. In part, this could account for some of the similarities between the two shows and even some of the Easter eggs. Although the shows have distinct focuses, they do share many thematic elements, including the importance of friendship, compassion, and making the most of one’s life. However,Michael Schur being the creator could also increase the odds thatA Man on the Insidesecretly shares a universe withThe Good Place.
Michael Schur would have the authority to makeA Man on the Insidea spin-off series ofThe Good Place.
IfThe Good PlaceandA Man on the Insidedid share a universe, and their point of connection was Ted Danson, then it would be safe to assume thatA Man on the Insidewas actually a spin-off series, specifically one that was continuing Michael’s story. While that possibility might seem slim at best, as the creator of both shows, Michael Schur would have the authority to makeA Man on the Insidea spin-off series ofThe Good Place. In fact, perhaps only Michael Schur could make that call.
Michael Became A Human At The End Of The Good Place
Michael’s Story In The Good Place Certainly Leaves The Door Open For This Possibility
Perhaps much more convincing,the end of Michael’s story inThe Good Placecould easily fit withA Man on the Inside. In season 1 ofThe Good Place, Michael presented himself as an angel, helping the new residents of ‘the Good Place’ settle into the afterlife. Of course,The Good Place’sincredible plot twistrevealed that not only was Michael not an angel, but also, the characters weren’t in the Good Place at all. Rather, the main characters ofThe Good Placewere in the Bad Place, being tortured in Michael’s experiment.
In the series finale ofThe Good Place, Michael became a human.
Despite that rough start, Michael ultimately grew into a character who genuinely cared about Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason, and in the series finale ofThe Good Place, Michael became a human. Notably, there are still some discrepancies. For example, Michael’s name doesn’t change when he becomes human. He simply adopts the last name Realman. However, there are a number of waysA Man on the Insidecould work around this.
Given Michael names his dog Jason and says"Take it sleazy,“a callback to season 1 of the show, it seemsMichael retained his memories from his time as a demon when he became a human. In light of that, it would be easy enough forA Man on the Insideto explain that Michael ended up choosing the name Charles instead. Beyond that, there would be little preventingA Man on the Insidefrom believably being a continuation of Michael’s story inThe Good Place.
Charles And Michael Share A Personality (Down To His Aesthetic And His Laugh)
The Connections Between The Characters Go Far Beyond Sharing An Actor
The fact that Charles inA Man on the Insideand Michael inThe Good Placeare remarkably similar contributes to the theory that this may in fact be a spin-off series about Michael. Yes, part of this comes down to Ted Danson as an actor, but the connections between the two characters go beyond just Danson. For one, the two have a nearly identical sense of style.
This was clear throughout the show, although it arguably became most obvious when D’Arcy Carden, who played Janet inThe Good Place, had her cameo inA Man on the Insideas Professor Della Denunzio. In the final episode ofA Man on the Inside, Charles guest lectured in Professor Denunzio’s class, and when Danson and Carden stood side by side, it looked like a scene directly out ofThe Good Place. Arguably, this could even have been Janet herself ifA Man on the Insidedoes take place in the same universe asThe Good Place.
A Man On The Inside Season 1 Ending Explained: Who Stole The Missing Heirloom
Ten Danson’s Charles solved the mystery of the missing heirloom in A Man on the Inside, but more importantly, he learned a meaningful lesson.
Charles also shares a number of other traits with Michael, including his enthusiasm, sense of humor, and curiosity. Shockingly, there is even a moment inA Man on the Insidewhen Charles does Michael’s iconic laugh fromThe Good Placeseason 1, after Eleanor uncovered Michael’s trick. Again, because Danson is the actor for both characters, there are going to be myriad similarities, but this seemed to be a specific callback that directly connected the two characters.
Eleanor Shellstrop May Have A Secret Cameo In A Man On The Inside’s Final Episode
The Good Place Star May Have Appeared In A Man On The Inside’s Finale
The most surprising moment inA Man on the Insidecame right at the end of the show and is perhaps the most convincing evidence that this show andThe Good Placeare directly connected. After Charles finished his guest lecture, a blonde woman was shown standing up at the back of the room. Although she was only shown from the back,she was clearly wearing the very sweater Eleanor Shellstrop wore in the finale ofThe Good Place.
It remains to be seen whether this was simply a fun Eleanor Shellstrop Easter egg or if this was a true cameo from the character, which would clarify whetherA Man on the InsideandThe Good Placeshare a universe. In truth, it’s possible that this question may never be answered, even ifA Man on the Insideis renewed for another season (which hasn’t yet been confirmed). Regardless, there are a number of hints thatA Man on the InsideandThe Good Placetake place in the same universe, which has major implications for both shows.
A Man on the Inside
Cast
A retired professor finds renewed purpose when enlisted by a private investigator to go undercover in a San Francisco retirement home. The series unravels the mysteries and intrigues within the community, blending suspenseful investigation with the complex dynamics of aging and secrecy.
The Good Place
Eleanor Shellstrop finds in The Good Place, both the name of the fantasy comedy series from creator Michael Schur and a fictionalized heaven where those who have done good in life will end up. However, Eleanor discovers that the life she was believed to have led was a lie, as it seems The Good Place got the wrong “Eleanor Shellstrop.” When it’s revealed that three others are there under the same false pretenses, they concoct a plan to truly become “Good” to earn their place there - while hiding the truth.
