Adam Scott just earned a long-overdue Emmy nomination forSeverance, his chilling Apple TV+ series about workplace identity and personal memory. It’s a standout performance that’s quiet, fractured, and full of tension. But for longtime fans, it’s also a reminder that Scott’s been doing genre-defining work for years, including his scene-stealing turn in NBC’sThe Good Place.
In fact,one of Scott’s best rolesmight still be inThe Good Place, a philosophical comedy that holds a near-perfect 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Scott isn’t in the show much, but when he shows up, you remember it.
Scott’s Comedy Role Is Short But Unforgettable
Scott plays a demon named Trevor inThe Good Place, a role that’s loud, smug, and a sharp departure from his usual low-key, nice guy characters. Trevor only shows up in a few episodes, butScott brings just the right amount of menace and comedy.
Before joiningThe Good Place, Adam Scott had already worked with creator Michael Schur onParks and Recreation, making Trevor’s arrival a fun twist for longtime fans.
Trevor’s fake politeness makes the tension worse. He talks like a guy who read one self-help book and decided to ruin your life with it. And that tone fits the show’s larger message:good behavior doesn’t always mean good intentions.
What makes Scott’s Trevor so memorable — even in thatearlyGood Placeseason 1 twist— is how easily he blends in with the other characters while still feeling like an invader. The show is built on a very specific tone, one that’s clever, earnest, and upbeat even when things get dark.
95%
97%
Parks and Rec
93%
Fan Favorite; 6 seasons
89%
94%
Cult Comedy Favorite
Trevor upends that tone. His energy is different, and it throws the entire group dynamic off balance. That disruption is part of the show’s charm. It gives viewers a brief look at what chaos looks like when someone knows the system and chooses to exploit it.
This is also one of Scott’s rare chances to play a character who enjoys being the problem. Trevor doesn’t want redemption. He doesn’t need an arc. He’s just there to stir the pot.
And it works precisely because Scott doesn’t push too hard. He lets the writing do the heavy lifting, then punctuates it with justthe right level ofsmug satisfaction.
The Good Place Has Similarities To Adam Scott’s Emmy-Nominated Sci-Fi Show
These Shows Share a Philosophical Core
At first glance,SeveranceandThe Good Placeare nothing alike. One is bleak, the other optimistic. But they’re both shows aboutsystems that trick people into thinking they’re making the right choices. And Scott’s characters are stuck inside those systems.
InSeverance, Mark is split in two — one “Innie” for work, one “Outie” for home. InThe Good Place, Trevor is part of a fake moral system designed to punish people under the guise of teaching them.Both shows ask hard questions about ethics, free will, and identity, but in completely different tones.
More importantly, they both use structure as character.Severance’s Lumon Industries is its own kind of antagonist — sterile, repetitive, and inescapable.
Severanceearned 27 Emmy nominations in 2025, tying with Succession for the year’s most-nominated drama.
The Good Placeturns its own rules against the characters in clever ways. It teaches thatgood deeds alone aren’t enough; what matters is why you do them. And while Trevor never learns that lesson, his role helps clarify it for everyone else.
That overlap is part of whyScott’s Emmy nomination hits harder now. He’s always had range, but these two shows reveal how deep it goes. If you found him compelling inSeverance,The Good Placescratches that philosophical itch. It’s shorter, faster, and still packs just as much to think about. That is, once the jokes settle in.
The Good Place
Cast
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.
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
