Sometimes, you need to move on. For the last eight years, Michael Schur’s “The Good Place” has been one of, if not my favorite television series. Since the pandemic began, I’ve rewatched that series multiple times, adopting it as my “comfort show,” the one I turn to when I want something familiar and memorable. I would be content watching the show over and over. And then, Netflix released Schur’s latest work, “A Man on the Inside.”
“Inside” stars Ted Danson, known for his roles in “Cheers,” Schur’s “Good Place” and recently NBC’s “Mr. Mayor,” as Charles Nieuwendyk, a retired professor entering the next stage of his life: serving as an investigative assistant for a private eye. His employer, Julie Kovalenko (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), asks him to infiltrate a San Francisco retired living community, where Charles meets a colorful cast of characters ranging from other residents to the facility’s staff. Cast standouts include “It’s Always Sunny’s” Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Charles’s daughter, Emily, Stephanie Beatriz (reuniting with Schur after their work together on Brooklyn 99) as the managing director of the retirement home and “Gilmore Girls” recurring star Sally Struthers as the friendly Virginia.
The show spans a breezy eight episodes, all running between 25 and 35 minutes. In its roughly four-hour runtime, most characters have a prominent presence in the show. While some characters exist to be more comedic relief than anything, the characters that do receive development are done so expertly, demonstrating Schur’s expert touch with writing character-driven television. Through his spywork, Charles becomes close with Calbert Graham, a fellow resident played by Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Lady Bird,” “Lincoln,” “Dune”). This friendship, not introduced until three episodes in, becomes one of the show’s beating hearts. But that didn’t distract from any of Charles’ other bonds and dynamics. The show excels at performing a balancing act of the large ensemble cast, giving everyone a chance to shine.
Despite being the central premise, the “spy” plotline is a small factor in the show’s overall plot, and an even smaller part of the overall impact. While thinking about the show, I think less of the spy antics and more about the heartfelt moment the premise opens the cast up to. Through the setting of a retirement home, combined with Charles’ losing his wife after a battle with Alzheimer’s, the show tells a myriad of storiesabout living after loss, coming to terms with an illness, and the bonds we forge late in life.
I love “The Good Place,” and when I saw that Danson and Schur had reunited to work on a new show, I knew I’d love it. And I did. The best part of it all, is that it scratches the same itch that “The Good Place” did. Whether it’s heartfelt plot lines, stellar performances (I’ll take the time now to mention more of Schur’s regulars in the series, with supporting roles by Eugene Cordero and Jama Williamson, and a cameo playing on Danson’s time on “The Good Place”) and well-crafted writing, Schur’s “A Man on the Inside” is another hit for his backlog, and another feather in Netflix’s cap.
There are no announcements regarding the show’s renewal, and based upon Netflix’s history of high standards for shows to beat cancellation, the future of “Inside” is not certain. Whether it’s a season two, or an entirely new project (perhaps his proposed remake of “Field of Dreams”), I eagerly await whatever Schur does next.
