Loveday Writing

Michael explains that the average Good Place resident arrives with 1.2 million points, and that Eleanor has -4008 points. Eleanor kicks off with her good deeds by holding doors open for the residents, however as they know she is here by mistake, they all hate her. Tahani says it’s a good thing as they can do something about it that may help her increase her points total.

Meanwhile the Real Eleanor declares her love for Chidi by leaving a note in his eggs, however he doesn’t know how to respond. Jason and Janet are kissing, and Jason wants to make their relationship public, however Janet tells him that if Michael finds out, he’ll know who he really is and he’ll send him to the Bad Place. Jason says he’s tired of living a lie, which leads to a flashback of him and his friend, Pillboi, planning to rob a restaurant.

Later, Tahani holds a focus group with the residents so they can air their grievances towards to Eleanor. Tahani points out that the last moment the residents were happy was at Tahani’s welcoming party, so they decide to throw a party for them to make up for Eleanor’s behaviour. While this is going on, Michael sees Janet out in the neighbourhood, informing her that some of the residents have complained to him that she isn’t responding to their calls. When he spots Janet’s wedding ring, he asks her if she is married. She tries to deny it, only for Michael to see Jason carrying two yoghurts in his hands, and his wedding band.

Janet and Jason go to Michael’s office and tell him the truth about Jason’s identity and life. Janet also reveals that there is nothing in her protocol that bans her from marrying a resident, and she suspects that when she was rebooted she gained emotions and an ability to bond with Jason.

While Eleanor and Chidi are preparing for the party, Chidi asks her for advice on how to deal with Real Eleanor’s declaration of love, especially as he is questioning if his motivation for telling her he loves her is correct. Eleanor tells him to stop overthinking it and just tell her he loves her.

Back at Michael’s office, Michael tells Jason that there was a real Jianyu and that he went into such a deep meditative state that he registered as a dead, and Jason died at the exact same moment, the system mistook Jason for Jianyu. When Jason calms Michael, it leads to another flashback of Jason reassuring Pillboi that their plan of robbing the restaurant by pretending to install a safe, which has Jason inside, will work. However the restaurant employee Pillboi approaches catches on to their plan immediately and calls the police.

Meanwhile during the party, Eleanor apologises to everyone for her behaviour however no-one accepts her apology until she makes a pun-like joke about her flaws. However once everyone leaves, Eleanor finds her points total hasn’t changed. This makes Eleanor realise that her points total is never going to improve as her motivation for doing nice things in the Good Place is corrupt as she’s only doing them for self-preservation, referencing Chidi’s earlier discussion with Eleanor about telling the Real Eleanor he loves her.

Eleanor writes personalised apology notes and makes “Pobody’s Nerfect” shirts for everyone in the neighbourhood and asks the Real Eleanor, Tahani and Chidi to deliver them. Michael returns to his office to find Jason still there, having fallen asleep. Jason asks Michael why he doesn’t want him and Janet to be together, as he wants to give her the life they deserve. Michael points out that Janet isn’t built for human life and that Jason isn’t exactly the best provider, asking him if he remembers how he died. Michael then informs Jason he died as he suffocated inside the safe he was hiding in, as he forgot to drill air holes in it.

Jason then calls Janet to him and tells her to leave him due to his stupidity and that she should be with someone better than him, but Janet tells him that she loves him. Michael then goes off to reboot Janet. When Michael leaves, Janet tells Jason she’s not starting over and that they have to leave the Good Place.

Later when Chidi apologises to the Real Eleanor for not being able to say that he loves her and explains to her he wants to ensure his motivation for saying it is correct, he realises what Eleanor’s plan is to build up her points total. Sure enough, when he checks the points ticker, he sees that Eleanor has accumulated over 1.3 million points. When Tahani asks why her points increased dramatically, Chidi points out her motivation changed and that apologising wouldn’t be enough to increase her points as it is a means to stay in the Good Place, but now she has decided to leave.

While Eleanor is waiting for the train, Jason and Janet come up to her, Janet tells Eleanor that neither she, nor her and Jason belong in the Good Place. Janet informs Eleanor that there is a woman named Mindy St Claire who lives in a neutral zone, the Medium Place, by herself and that she and Jason are going there. Eleanor agrees and asks Janet to call a train just as one arrives, however Janet tells her that she didn’t call the train, it belongs to Shawn.

Janet, Jason and Eleanor sneak onto the train as Michael is talking to Shawn (Marc Evan Jackson) near the platform as the Real Eleanor, Chidi and Tahani arrive at the station. Michael tells Shawn that he thinks he has a rock solid case for Eleanor to stay in the Good Place, but Shawn asks him if he’s sure as Eleanor is stealing his train. The episode ends with Eleanor apologising to them all as the train leaves the station.

Overall this was another solid episode with character development in Eleanor as she tries to make amends, and Jason with the reveal of his death. I also enjoyed seeing Eleanor and Tahani work together, and Jason and Janet’s marriage driving Michael nuts. I also enjoyed the reveal that there is in fact a Medium Place, a reference to earlier episodes when Eleanor claimed there should be a Medium Place and that she belongs there.

I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next now that Shawn has arrived, as well as meeting Mindy St Claire.

Stray Observations:

–Running gag: Janet telling Jason that she’s not a girl.

-The “Real Eleanor’s” points total was 2,513,654 (6^th in the neighbourhood rankings), Chidi’s points total was 1,948,668 (16^th in the neighbourhood rankings) and Tahani’s points total was 997,485 (321^st in the neighbourhood rankings).

-“Crazy High Eleanor” was Eleanor’s nickname in college.

-Tahani is apparently friends with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Spice Girls (except Ginger Spice).

-Tahani has never heard of Walmart.

-Apparently Janet can add more tongues to her and Jason’s kissing.

-Jason suggests that he and Pillboi get married so “no-one can testify against them.”

-Apparently the party that Tahani throws for the residents to make up for Eleanor’s behaviour is the fourth most important party she has ever thrown.

-Jason had vanity plates, his said “I love butts.”

-Jason died 3 months ago.

-Janet also hates things now, specifically genocide and leggings as pants.

-Eleanor ended up accumulating 1,362,322 points.

-Jason blew up a guy’s speedboat after the guy sued him, and stole a lady’s fake leg on a dare.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “I wasn’t failed I was pre-successful.” (Jason to Michael on his DJ career)
• “She made the bass drop…in my heart.” (Jason to Michael on Janet)
• “I refuse to discuss my Fifth Amendment rights until I concur with your attorney.” (Pillboi to the Police)
• “You two sit tight, I’m going to go murder Janet, I’ll be right back.” (Michael to Jason and Janet)

Hints of the Season 1 Finale twist:

-Michael tells both Eleanors, Chidi and Tahani that the Good Place has never had to prove that someone belongs there before.