There have been a number of hints that Ted Danson’s brand-new Netflix show, A Man on the Inside, may share a universe with The Good Place. A Man on the Inside’s cast of characters stars 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 Inside is 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 in The Good Place, there are a number of The Good Place Easter eggs in A Man on the Inside, and Danson’s character in A Man on the Inside has already proven to be a perfect pay-off for Michael in The Good Place. Based on these and other aspects of A 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
Both A Man on the Inside and The Good Place were 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 that A Man on the Inside secretly shares a universe with The Good Place.
“Michael Schur would have the authority to make A Man on the Inside a spin-off series of The Good Place”
If The Good Place and A Man on the Inside did share a universe, and their point of connection was Ted Danson, then it would be safe to assume that A Man on the Inside was 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 make A Man on the Inside a spin-off series of The 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 in The Good Place could easily fit with A Man on the Inside. In season 1 of The 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’s incredible plot twist revealed that not only was Michael not an angel, but also, the characters weren’t in the Good Place at all. Rather, the main characters of The Good Place were in the Bad Place, being tortured in Michael’s experiment.
“In the series finale of The 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 of The 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 ways A Man on the Inside could work around this.
Given Michael names his dog Jason and says “Take it sleazy,” a callback to season 1 of the show, it seems Michael retained his memories from his time as a demon when he became a human. In light of that, it would be easy enough for A Man on the Inside to explain that Michael ended up choosing the name Charles instead. Beyond that, there would be little preventing A Man on the Inside from believably being a continuation of Michael’s story in The 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 in A Man on the Inside and Michael in The Good Place are 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 in The Good Place, had her cameo in A Man on the Inside as Professor Della Denunzio. In the final episode of A 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 of The Good Place. Arguably, this could even have been Janet herself if A Man on the Inside does take place in the same universe as The Good Place.
Charles also shares a number of other traits with Michael, including his enthusiasm, sense of humor, and curiosity. Shockingly, there is even a moment in A Man on the Inside when Charles does Michael’s iconic laugh from The Good Place season 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 in A Man on the Inside came right at the end of the show and is perhaps the most convincing evidence that this show and The Good Place are 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 of The 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 whether A Man on the Inside and The Good Place share a universe. In truth, it’s possible that this question may never be answered, even if A Man on the Inside is renewed for another season (which hasn’t yet been confirmed). Regardless, there are a number of hints that A Man on the Inside and The Good Place take place in the same universe, which has major implications for both shows.
