---
name: "Michael Schur"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-schur"
fi1m_id: "michael-schur"
imdb_id: "nm1321658"
tmdb_id: 1226308
wikidata_id: "Q1929297"
roles: ["Writer","Producer","Director"]
born: "29 October 1975"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 8
average_fi1m_score: 79
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-19T04:29:47.629803+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael Schur

## Identity

Michael Schur

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-schur
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-schur
- **IMDb ID:** nm1321658
- **TMDB ID:** 1226308
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1929297
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schur, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1929297, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1321658/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1226308

Writer and producer. Born 29 October 1975 in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Producer, Director
- **Born:** 29 October 1975, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA
- **Active:** 2005–present
- **Also known as:** Mike Schur
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 8: 4 directing, 2 writing, 2 producing
- **Frequently works with:** [Dean Holland](https://film.one/person/dean-holland.md), [Ken Whittingham](https://film.one/person/ken-whittingham.md), [Tucker Gates](https://film.one/person/tucker-gates.md), [Beth McCarthy-Miller](https://film.one/person/beth-mccarthy-miller.md), [Claire Scanlon](https://film.one/person/claire-scanlon.md), [Craig Zisk](https://film.one/person/craig-zisk.md), [Julie Anne Robinson](https://film.one/person/julie-anne-robinson.md), [Matt Murray](https://film.one/person/matt-murray.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 80 (2), 2010s 81 (4), 2020s 78 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schur, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1929297, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1321658/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1226308

## Coming up

- *Dig* (2026-11-23), Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/dig.md)

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Black Mirror*](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md) (81), [*Brooklyn Nine-Nine*](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md) (78), [*A Man on the Inside*](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md) (72)
- **Peacock:** [*Parks and Recreation*](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md) (83), [*The Office*](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md) (77)
- **Disney+:** [*The Good Place*](https://film.one/tv/the-good-place.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Michael Schur

> Michael Schur builds sitcoms in which people who are stuck with one another decide, slowly, to become better, and he will put a lecture on Kant where the punchline goes. *The Good Place* is the proof; the relentless decency is both his method and his risk.

The scene that tells you most about Michael Schur is a chalkboard. In *The Good Place* (2016), William Jackson Harper's Chidi, an ethics professor whose stomach hurts whenever he has to choose, stands at one and takes a bad person through Aristotle, Kant and the trolley problem so that she can learn to be good, mostly to save her own skin. The lines are written by people who have read the books and still want the joke. Most sitcoms would not go near the question. Schur built four seasons on it.

He wrote for Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2004, joined *The Office* (2005) as a writer and producer, and then spent a decade making variations on one programme. He co-created *Parks and Recreation* with Greg Daniels (2009–2015) and *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* with Dan Goor (2013–2021), and made *The Good Place* on his own (2016–2020). A parks department, a police precinct, the afterlife: each is a workplace, each has a large cast with the best jokes in the supporting seats, and each is about people who did not choose one another deciding to get on. He has said that "Optimism beats pessimism." Since then there have been *Rutherford Falls* (2021), *A Man on the Inside* (2024) and *Dig* (2026).

What works is the ensemble. *The Good Place* has no weak seat: Jameela Jamil's Tahani drops names the way other people drop crumbs, D'Arcy Carden's Janet delivers appalling news in the voice of a helpline, and we laughed out loud, repeatedly and against our better judgement, at Manny Jacinto's Jason Mendoza, who says the stupidest thing in every scene with the serenity of a man who has never had a doubt. He staffs his rooms well, too. Megan Amram, Joe Mande, Jen Statsky and Cord Jefferson wrote that programme with him.

What does not work is his appetite for the next idea. The third season of *The Good Place* likes its concepts more than its people, and his willingness to tear up what he has built, a virtue in year one, is closer to a tic by year three. Sometimes the philosophy stops being dramatised and simply gets taught. Some critics find the whole enterprise cloying, all niceness and no anger at its institutions. There is something in that; a Schur precinct is a happier place than any real one. But the programmes are about whether a person can change, not whether a system can, and on that question they are harder than their manners suggest.

His one visible excursion elsewhere is a teleplay for *Black Mirror*, a programme with no interest in anyone improving, the exception that shows how settled his habits are. Start with *The Good Place*. When the third season starts fussing over its ideas, keep going; the fourth remembers who it was for.

## Biography

Michael Schur is an American television writer, producer and director, also credited as Mike Schur. He began his career as a writer for *Saturday Night Live* (1998–2004).

Schur wrote episodes of *The Office* (2005–2013), where he also appeared as Mose Schrute, and co-created *Parks and Recreation* (2009–2015) with Greg Daniels. He co-created *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013–2021) with Dan Goor and created *The Good Place* (2016–2020). In 2016 he co-wrote the teleplay for the *Black Mirror* episode 'Nosedive' with Rashida Jones.

Schur graduated from Harvard University in 1997. He is married to writer and producer J.J. Philbin.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (8)

### Directed (4)

- *A Man on the Inside* (2024), Fi1m 72, Director, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md)
- *The Good Place* (2016), Fi1m 84, Writer, Director, Creator, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-place.md)
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), Fi1m 78, Writer, Director, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Parks and Recreation* (2009), Fi1m 83, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md)

### Wrote (2) — the average rests on these

- *Black Mirror* (2011), Fi1m 81, Teleplay — [page](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md)
- *The Office* (2005), Fi1m 77, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md)

### Produced (2)

- *Hacks* (2021), Fi1m 83, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/hacks.md)
- *Master of None* (2015), Fi1m 80, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/master-of-none.md)

## Complete filmography (22)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Dig* (2026), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/tv/dig.md)
- *Dang!* (2026), series, Executive Producer
- *A Man on the Inside* (2024), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Creator — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-man-on-the-inside.md)
- *Primo* (2023), series, Executive Producer
- *Q-Force* (2021), series, Executive Producer
- *Hacks* (2021), series, Executive Producer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/hacks.md)
- *Rutherford Falls* (2021), series, Writer, Executive Producer, Creator
- *Escouade 99* (2020), series, Original Series Creator
- *A Parks and Recreation Special* (2020), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Abby's* (2019), series, Executive Producer
- *Single Parents* (2018), series, Director
- *The Good Place* (2016), series, Director, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-place.md)
- *Master of None* (2015), series, Executive Producer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/master-of-none.md)
- *Brooklyn Nine-Nine* (2013), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Creator — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/brooklyn-nine-nine.md)
- *Black Mirror* (2011), series, Teleplay — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md)
- *Brief Interviews with Hideous Men* (2009), Associate Producer
- *Parks and Recreation* (2009), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Director, Creator — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md)
- *Totally Awesome* (2006), Writer
- *The Comeback* (2005), series, Co-Producer, Writer
- *The Office* (2005), series, as Mose · Writer, Co-Producer, Co-Executive Producer, Producer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-office-2005.md)
- *The O.C.* (2003), series, as Paul
- *NBC 75th Anniversary Special* (2002), Writer

## Gallery

- ![Michael Schur](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-9052769957b4.jpg) Michael Schur — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Michael_Schur_2012_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS 71st Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel May 21, 2012](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-a945d38ed786.jpg) PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS 71st Annual Peabody Awards Luncheon Waldorf=Astoria Hotel May 21, 2012 — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Amy_Poehler_and_Aziz_Ansari_with_photographers%2C_May_2012.jpg/1280px-Amy_Poehler_and_Aziz_Ansari_with_photographers%2C_May_2012.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, Mike Schur, Amy Poehler, Horace Newcomb, Retta and Jim O'Heir. 71st Annua (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-85f1bdb7ced0.jpg) PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, Mike Schur, Amy Poehler, Horace Newcomb, Retta and Jim O'Heir. 71st Annua (2012) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Aziz_Ansari%2C_Adam_Scott%2C_Nick_Offerman%2C_Mike_Schur%2C_Amy_Poehler%2C_Horace_Newcomb%2C_Retta_and_Jim_O%27Heir%2C_May_2012.jpg/1280px-Aziz_Ansari%2C_Adam_Scott%2C_Nick_Offerman%2C_Mike_Schur%2C_Amy_Poehler%2C_Horace_Newcomb%2C_Retta_and_Jim_O%27Heir%2C_May_2012.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Jim O'Heir, Adam Scott, Retta, Aubrey Plaza, Mike Schur, Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman and Aziz Ansari 71st Annual P (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-3bf0c4ffd1e2.jpg) PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Jim O'Heir, Adam Scott, Retta, Aubrey Plaza, Mike Schur, Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman and Aziz Ansari 71st Annual P (2012) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Jim_O%27Heir%2C_Adam_Scott%2C_Retta%2C_Aubrey_Plaza%2C_Mike_Schur%2C_Amy_Poehler%2C_Nick_Offerman_and_Aziz_Ansari%2C_May_2012.jpg/1280px-Jim_O%27Heir%2C_Adam_Scott%2C_Retta%2C_Aubrey_Plaza%2C_Mike_Schur%2C_Amy_Poehler%2C_Nick_Offerman_and_Aziz_Ansari%2C_May_2012.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Mike Schur accepts the Peabody for "Parks and Recreation." He is joined on stage by Retta, Jim O'Heir, Aubrey Pla (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-95fcfec23001.jpg) PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Mike Schur accepts the Peabody for "Parks and Recreation." He is joined on stage by Retta, Jim O'Heir, Aubrey Pla (2012) — The Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Mike_Schur_and-the_cast_of_Parks_and_Recreation_at_the_71st_Annual_Peabody_Awards.jpg/1280px-Mike_Schur_and-the_cast_of_Parks_and_Recreation_at_the_71st_Annual_Peabody_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Mike Schur, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Retta, Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari and Jim O'Heir 71st Annual P (2012)](https://film.one/media/person/46815/gallery-da26e4c424a3.jpg) PHOTO CREDIT: ANDERS KRUSBERG / PEABODY AWARDS Mike Schur, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Retta, Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari and Jim O'Heir 71st Annual P (2012) — Peabody Awards, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Parks_and_Recration_%287269055014%29.jpg/1280px-Parks_and_Recration_%287269055014%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-schur