Ted Danson’s character in the upcoming Netflix comedyA Man on the Insidefeels like the perfect continuation of his belovedThe Good Placerole. The new comedy series comes from the same creator asThe Good Place, Michael Schur, and therefore carries a similar brand of quirky comedy. With Danson in the lead role ofA Man on the Inside, the commonalities between these two series are all the stronger despite the drastically different premises. With just the smallest, delightful stretch of the imagination, Danson’s new comedy series even feels a bit like a spinoff.
Danson was easy tolove inThe Good Place, where he played a demon-turned-human with a reformed heart of gold. Now, the actor is taking on the role ofCharlie in Schur’sA Man on the Inside,a retired widower who goes undercover in a senior care facilityto find a lost, priceless heirloom.The series, which begins streaming on Netflix on August 20, 2025, is based on the 2020 documentaryThe Mole Agentand is therefore not connected to the story ofThe Good Placein any way.Still, Danson and Schur’s reuniting is a cause to celebrate—especially when considering Charlie’s and Michael’s stories.
Ted Danson’s A Man On The Inside Feels Like An Unofficial The Good Place Sequel
Charlie Is Like The Human Version Of Michael
At theend ofThe Good Place, Michael is given the chance to go to Earth and live as a human—something he had always wanted.Danson’s character was thrilled about even the simplest of life’s experiences, from receiving store credit card offers in the mail to telling people to “take it sleazy.” Of course, given the series' ending, audiences never got to learn much about what Michael’s life actually looked like. There have long been requests for aThe Good Placespinoff following Michael’s “human” life, butA Man on the Insideis an adorable alternative.
The trailer forA Man on the Insideintroduces Danson’s character as a recently widowed older gentleman who has lost his lust for life. His daughter encourages him to find something that would “excite” him, and Charlie’s answer is to become an undercover private investigator. The character’scharming excitement over his new job quickly bringsThe Good Place’s Michael to mind. It’s fun to imagine thatA Man on the Insideis all part of Michael’s continued story. After all, going undercover in an old folks home is precisely the sort of thing this character would have taken joy in.
Could The Good Place Still Get A Real Michael Spinoff?
This Isn’t The Danson & Schur Reunion The Good Place Fans Were Waiting For
Of course,The Good PlaceandA Man on the Insidearen’t a seamless fit. It’s fun to imagine an in-story connection, but these are, in the end, two different series of two entirely different flavors. Still, seeing Danson return to a Schur comedy is sure to reignite the requests for a Michael spinoff. Danson’scharacter was a fan favorite inThe Good Place, and there has been a lingering sense that there could be more to his story. Unfortunately, Danson and Schur returning for an unrelated series seems to imply that the 2016 sitcom truly is done for good.
While the Netflix series isn’t the spinoff audiences hoped to see Danson in, it satisfies the themes that made The Good Place’s Michael so charming to begin with.
The Good Placebeing over is rather fitting with the show’s general theme sincean idea frequently pushed by the series is that life is beautiful because it will end one day. Michael is an immortal being who chooses to experience human life with all its joys and bitterness. While not strictly connected,A Man on the Insideseems to continue these same themes. Danson’s character is a man who lost love but finds a unique way to experience life’s small pleasures. So, while the Netflix series isn’t the spinoff audiences hoped to see Danson in, it satisfies the themes that madeThe Good Place’s Michael so charming to begin with.
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.
