Ted Danson's New Comedy Series Shoots Straight To The Top Of Netflix Charts

Ted Danson is back on top, people — literally. The actor, who has surfed from success to success with his offbeat and comedic projects in recent years, is adding to his increasingly impressive mountain of victories with his newest comedy series, Netflix's "A Man on the Inside." Showrunner Michael Schur's latest offering has already resonated with the streaming platform's audience, since it shot right to the top of Netflix's list of Top 10 TV shows. 

Danson stars in the series as Charles Nieuwendyk, a retired, widowed professor whose newly inactive life has left him deeply unsatisfied ... that is, until private investigator Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) hires him as an investigative assistant. His mission? Infiltrate the Pacific View Retirement Community in order to locate a valuable piece of jewelry. The show puts Danson's unique mesh of refined gravitas and an ability to convey childlike whimsy to excellent use, and it's immediately obvious that Netflix subscribers are enjoying the ride. 

A crucial component of the success of "A Man on the Inside" success is no doubt the collaboration between Danson and creator Michael Schur. The last time they joined forces resulted in the classic NBC sitcom "The Good Place," so who wouldn't be keen to see what they've cooked up since that four-season show ended in 2020?  

"The Good Place" season 1's amazing twist ending cemented the ambitious sitcom as one of the best shows of the decade. Danson is a major part of the show's cast playing Michael, the nervous and complex supervisor of the titular afterlife realm. Many of the best episodes of "The Good Place" revolve heavily around him ... including that big season 1 twist, which wouldn't be nearly as impactful without Danson's delicious performance. (Close your eyes and see if you can't hear that laugh.)

Memories of such amazing TV moments have likely played their part in propelling viewers toward "A Man on the Inside." Even without "The Good Place," of course, both Danson and Schur have been on a reliable roll that makes it easy to dive into their work. The former is known to tackle plenty of interesting roles, like playing a fictionalized version of himself on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or the kind yet deeply overwhelmed Sheriff Hank Larsson on "Fargo" season 2. Meanwhile, Schur's producing accolades include little shows like "The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Combine all this with the rest of this new show's cast, which includes all-stars like Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Stephanie Beatriz, Sally Struthers, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, and the allure of "A Man on the Inside" is clear. Let's just hope that Netflix doesn't cancel it after the first season.