The Good Place 1.13

Michael's Gambit

Eleanor, Jason, Tahani, and Chidi argue over who should go to the Bad Place and who should get to stay in the Good Place. The debate goes on until Eleanor finally has a revelation, they are already in the Bad Place. She explains it all to them. Michael's plan in bringing them together was to drive them all nuts. 

Michael isn't happy. He decides to wipe their memories of everything that happened to them since they died and start over again. Eleanor writes something down on a piece of paper and puts it in Janet's mouth. The next thing Eleanor knows she just arrived in the Good Place. She is given a place to live and a soul mate.

Janet shows up and gives Eleanor the piece of paper she found in her mouth. Written on it is two words: Find Chidi. Eleanor doesn't know what to make of it or what a Chidi is.

Thoughts

The flashbacks in this episode belong to Michael.  They didn't spoil the reveal. 

This was an okay episode. I had part of the ending of this season spoiled for me a while back, before I even started watching this season of the show. I'm undecided as to whether I will give the second season a try. It isn't a bad show but I'm not the biggest fan of Kristen Bell. She's kind of bland in my book. So maybe I will give the second season a try, some day, and maybe I won't.

The Good Place 1.12

Mindy St. Claire

Eleanor, Jason, and Janet take the train to the in between place. They meet Mindy St. Claire who lives there by herself. Eleanor and Mindy talk while Jason and Janet try to figure out how to have sex. Judge Shawn hears testimony from Michael, Chidi, Tahani, and the other Eleanor as to whether Eleanor deserves to stay in the Good Place or not.

Shawn ultimately decides that Eleanor and Jason deserve to go to the Bad Place. He gives them four hours to return or elase Tahani and Chidi will take their places in the Bad Place. The episode ends with Eleanor and Jason (and Janet) returning from Mindy St. Claire's place. 

Thoughts

There are flashbacks to Eleanor's past including the day she was killed and the day that talked her deadbeat parents in to signing the paperwork to emancipate her.

This episode was okay. There was a laugh or two in it. The Mindy St. Clair part of it seemed like filler, although as I understand it Mindy does return in future episodes.

Notes

Judge Shawn was played by Mark Evan Jackson. This is the second of 21 episodes of this show in which he appeared. I've watched a few other things he has in which he has made guest appearances including episodes of GLOW, Parks and Recreation, and Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Maribeth Monroe played the part of Mindy St. Claire. This is the first of seven episodes of this show in which she appeared.

The Good Place 1.11

What's My Motivation

Eleanor tries to improve her score by doing nice things for people. Her plan doesn't really work out because she does what she does just so she can stay in the Good Place. Michael finds out from Jason that he isn't really Jianyu.

Michael starts to feel worse about the job he's doing. Jason and Janet decide to run away because Michael wants to keep them apart. Eleanor 2 tells Chidi that she loves him and he doesn't know how to respond. A judge shows up to decide Eleanor's fate. He arrives just in time for Janet, Jason, and Eleanor to steal his train.

Thoughts

This episode wasn't bad. It wasn't the best but there were a few good laughs. There were some flashbacks to Jason's past. I think I liked the Janet and Jason parts of the episode best.

The Good Place 1.10

Chidi's Choice

Tahani gives Jason a piece of her mind.

Michael tries to work with Chidi but Chidi is so indecisive that it drives Michael bonkers. Eleanor tells  Chidi that she loves him. Tahani, moments later, also tells Chidi that she loves him. Chidi runs away, back to Michael, who tries to help Chidi get over his indecisiveness.

Jason decides he's in love with Janet. The episode ends with them getting married.

Thoughts

There were some flashbacks to Chidi's past which helped to illustrate how indecisive he was when he was alive.

This was a fun one. I'm not sure how they are going to wrap up the season in the next three episodes but i am on board for that.

The Good Place 1.09

...Someone Like Me as a Member

Trevor tries to talk Eleanor into leaving the Good Place. Michael tries to talk her into staying. The story behind how the mix up occurred is revealed. Chidi and the other Eleanor get along really well. Eleanor is ready to give in to Trevor but then Michael steps up and refuses to let Trevor take her.

The episode ends with Tahani revealing that she knows Jianyu isn't who he claims to be.

Thoughts

This was an okay episode. I loved the reveal at the ending but it felt like this episode didn't need to be as long as it was.

The Good Place 1.08

Most Improved Player

Michael evaluates Eleanor to try and determine if she is really there by mistake. He asks Janet to retrieve Eleanor's file but Janet is still in the process of rebooting. No matter what he asks for she brings him a cactus. Michael tries interviewing Eleanor but doesn't find it to be very helpful. He also talks to Tahani and Jianyu. Janet finally finds Eleanor's file.

Michael pulls Eleanor back into his office for another chat and learns about an awful thing she did. He calls the Bad Place and they send Trevor (on a train) for Eleanor. Eleanor is given a few minutes to say goodbye and then is put on the train. Chidi confesses to Michael that he was the one who killed Janet. He also tells Michael that he was helping Eleanor to improve. Michael decides that he needs to evaluate Eleanor again. He pulls her off the train just as it is about to leave the Good Place.

The Good Place 1.07

The Eternal Shriek

Michael announces his departure. Tahani decides to throw a going away party for him. Eleanor decides, after learning that Michael can't leave without Janet's help, that they must do away with Janet. Chidi tries to talk Eleanor out of killing Janet. She won't be swayed but then Chidi accidentally kills Janet.

Chidi has some flashbacks to his life before he died. Janet returns from the dead but without all her memories. Eleanor tells Michael the truth, that she got mixed up with someone else.

Thoughts

The title of the episode refers to something that Michael says about his planned retirement from the Good Place.

The Good Place 1.06

What We Owe to Each Other

Eleanor spends the day trying to help Michael figure out what is wrong with the Good Place. She sees that he is unable to relax and suggests that he stop trying to fix things for a day. They sing karaoke, go bowling, and just have fun.

Chidi goes to the spa with Tahani and Jason / Jianyu. Tahani suggested the spa because she wanted some time alone with Jianyu to work on their relationship but instead she discovers that she has more in common with Chidi that she does with Jianyu.

The episode ends with Michael announcing that he is the problem and that he will be leaving them.

The Good Place 1.05

Category 55 Emergency Doomsday

Everyone is forced to stay inside for an extended period of time because of a Category 55 Emergency Doomsday situation, the sink hole won't stop growing.

Tahani discovers that she has an extremely low ranking among the citizens of The Good Place. The discovery brings on a bit of anxiety and some memories of her life before she died. She confronts Michael about the matter but he waves it off.

Eleanor and Chidi go a little nuts being locked up together inside for days on end. Michael asks them to let another couple, Nina and Bart, stay with them while the sinkhole is being repaired. Eleanor and Chidi get very nervous when they learn that Nina is a marriage counselor and Bart is a fraud investigator. Their guests put them under the microscope after they catch them having an argument.

The Good Place 1.04

Jason Mendoza

Jianyu and Eleanor talk. His real name is Jason Mendoza and he's a DJ from Jacksonville, FL. He's getting tired of keeping quiet. Eleanor tries to convince him to continue to keep his mouth shut but then Chidi finds out about Jason's secret. Tahani almost finds out but Eleanor and Chidi lie and tell her that they are trying to coax Jianyu out of his shell.

Tahani hosts the opening night for a new restaurant, The Good Place. Jason wants to break his cover but just as he is starting to talk a hole opens up in the ground, in the middle of the restaurant. Everyone freaks out and runs screaming from the restaurant.

The episode ends with Jason agreeing to let Chidi teach him how to be a good person.

The Good Place 1.03

Tahani Al Jamil

Chidi tries to teach Eleanor to be good. Eleanor isn't a very good pupil. She thinks that Tahani is the one who left her the note. 

Michael tries to help Chidi find a hobby but all Chidi wants to do is finish writing the book he's been working on for close to two decades. 

Eleanor bonds with Tahani despite having her doubts about her. Michael asks Eleanor to be his assistant after Janet proves to be incapable of serving in that role.

Eleanor finds out that the person writing the notes is Jianyu. He talks for the first time and tells her that he also doesn't belong there and it's freaking him out.

The Good Place 1.02

Flying

Chidi agrees to help Eleanor learn to be a good person. She does something that makes him reconsider his decision but before the episode is over she convinces him (once again) to help her by doing a good deed. The episode ends with Eleanor receiving an anonymous message that reads "You Don't Belong Here".

Thoughts

This episode is peppered with a few flashbacks to Eleanor's life before she died.

The title of the episode is a reference to the activity that almost everyone take part in. Eleanor is one of those people who doesn't get to participate because she is too busy helping Chidi and several other volunteers pick up trash.

This episode was as funny as the first one. It made me laugh several times. I'm eager to see where this goes next.

The Good Place 1.01

Everything Is Fine

Eleanor wakes up in The Good Place. She discovers that she is dead and she's there because she was extremely good during her life on Earth. She has a soul mate in The Good Place. His name is Chidi. Once they are alone she confesses to him that she doesn't know what she's doing there because when she was alive she wasn't a good person. She made a living selling fake medicine to poor, old people.

Chidi doesn't want to believe her at first. The next morning everything seems to have gone haywire in the neighborhood where they live. Chidi is convinced that it must be because Eleanor is there. Michael, who designed the neighborhood, doesn't understand what's going on.

Eleanor suggests that maybe Chidi, who used to be a professor of ethics, could teach her to be a good person.