‘The Good Place’ Actor Ted Danson Reveals What Made Him Sign Up To Star On Michael Schur’s NBC Sitcom

“The Good Place” creator Michael Schur didn’t need a script to convince Ted Danson to star on his new comedy series.

After starring on sitcoms like “Cheers,” “Becker,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Bored to Death,” Danson said in a recent interview with the Associated Press that he always “wanted to do another comedy.” So when Schur reached out to him for his new comedy series on NBC, the 68-year-old actor made sure that he won’t be missing out on the opportunity to be part of another great show.

Apparently, it’s the unique concept of “The Good Place” that made Danson sign up as a cast member of the series. “I listened to Michael [Schur] pitch his idea for an hour,” the three-time Golden Globe-winning actor said. “He had the entire first season nailed down, and it was so strange! I signed on without seeing a script, which is kind of unheard of.”

Danson plays Michael on the fantasy sitcom. His character is an overeager celestial supervisor of one the many neighborhoods in the Good Place. Despite his eagerness to prove himself to a particular Higher-up, things don’t always go smoothly in the sector of the afterlife he oversees.

Like Danson, his co-star Kristen Bell also didn’t take that long to say yes to Schur’s offer.

“There’s definitely no way to say no to Michael Schur,” Bell told Collider. “When he calls and says, ‘I’d like to talk to you about a project,’ on your answering machine, you just text him back, ‘Yes!’ Those are the rules, if you’re smart.”

“There’s no way to say no to Mike, particularly when he has his weirdest idea, ever,” added Bell, who plays Eleanor Shellstrop on the series. “And [the concept of the show is] also about something I obsess over, which is the ripple effect you have on the world around you, and how you can make your actions better and have a greater, more positive effect on everyone.”

This week’s episode of “The Good Place,” titled “What We Owe To Each Other,” airs on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Check out the synopsis and promo clip for Season 1, episode 6 below:

“Eleanor is enlisted to help Michael with an important task that could determine her fate in the Good Place. Meanwhile, Chidi (William Jackson Harper) agrees to be the third wheel in an effort to help out his friend.