Loveday Writing

The episode kicks off with Michael making daily notes of attempt #3 where he hopes and assumes this will be the final version of his experiment. The experiment kicks off again with Michael meeting Eleanor and life for Eleanor in attempt #3, which is almost a repeat of the previous attempts. On Day 128, Michael has an obelisk appear to everyone and tells them that the Bad Place knows that one of them belongs there. While Tahani, Chidi and Jason freak out about the situation, Eleanor figures out that they are in the Bad Place again.

We then see Michael making his daily notes again, this time at the beginning of attempt #11. On this attempt, Eleanor figures it out again when her soulmate performs a three-hour, spoken-word jazz-opera performance for her. Michael resets again.

From here on out, we are then shown Michael’s repeated failed attempts as a montage of Michael making notes on each attempt, the different soulmates Eleanor is provided each time, every time Eleanor figures it out, every time Michael has had to reboot Janet, every neighbourhood redesign, and the frustrated demons yelling at Michael. Things get so bad that Michael has become dishevelled and is making his daily notes right in front of Eleanor, and Jason manages to figure it out on one attempt.

On attempt #802, Michael is surprisingly optimistic only to go the neighbourhood town square and instead of finding the demons, he finds Vicky alone. Vicky tells him the demons are on strike as he has lost control of the experiment.

We then cut to Michael’s office where Vicky provides Michael with a list of the demon’s demands, while Eleanor and Chidi take a break from the philosophy lessons. They go into town and find themselves alone by the clam chowder fountain. Eleanor smells smoke and finds three demons, one out of costume, conversing, and they find out the truth on their own. Eleanor then asks Janet if there is a way to leave the neighbourhood, they get on a train and go to Mindy’s, where she informs them that it’s their sixteenth visit to her house.

Meanwhile Vicky demands Michael reboot the experiment one more time so she can take over and execute her own version of it. Michael refuses, only for Vicky to blackmail him with a copy of a report she has written about his multiple attempts and failures.

We then cut to Mindy’s where Mindy informs Eleanor that she and Chidi always go back to the neighbourhood with a plan to defeat Michael. Mindy has written down every plan they have previous come up with. After she and Chidi have an argument while trying to formulate a new plan, Eleanor vents to Mindy, and Mindy shows her a video of her and Chidi in bed declaring their love for each other on their sixth visit. Mindy also tells her that she and Chidi have actually known each other for a really long time. Eleanor then decides to go back.

Meanwhile, Michael vents to Jason (revealing the truth to him so he can truly get things off his chest). Jason tells Michael a story of his friend, Donkey Doug, and him getting into a fight and Donkey Doug starting his own dance crew and challenging his and Jason’s crew to a dance off. Jason’s crew came together and slashed Donkey Doug’s dance crew’s tyres. Michael says that his story actually contained some good advice.

The episode ends with Michael coming to Eleanor’s to find her, Chidi and Tahani waiting for him, with Jason arriving seconds later. Eleanor points out to Michael that his experiment isn’t working as they keep figuring out that they’re in the Bad Place, and that he has two choices: keep trying and failing, or admit that she and the gang have all the power. Michael concedes defeat and admits that he’s on the same page. He also tells them he wants to team up with them due to needing back-up to deal with Vicky.

Overall, I felt that this was a solid episode as we got insight into how the experiment has failed repeatedly and its affects on the beings both directly and indirectly involved, specifically focusing on the demons and Mindy.

The demons going on strike due to Michael’s repeated failures and Vicky resorting to blackmailing Michael wasn’t unreasonable, especially as they are having to work outside of their knowledge and job description. Whereas Mindy is immune to Michael’s reboot due to being in the Medium Place and is therefore able to help Eleanor and Chidi, at least as much as she can as their memories are erased with each reboot.

I’m looking forward to seeing where the season goes from here now that Michael has asked the gang to join forces with him.

Stray Observations:

-While there are a total of 802 attempts, we are specifically shown the events of the following attempts:

• Attempt #11
• Attempt #32
• Attempt #57
• Attempt #99
• Attempt #108
• Attempt #109
• Attempt #127
• Attempt #146
• Attempt #218
• Attempt #291
• Attempt #333
• Attempt #484
• Attempt #649
• Attempt #802

-On Attempt #218 Tahani is Eleanor’s soulmate.

-On Attempt #333 a golden retriever is Eleanor’s soulmate.

-318 demons are working for Michael.

-Some of the restaurant names in the different versions of the “Good Place” are as follows:

• Hokey Gnocchi
• Knish from a Rose
• Hot Dog on a Stick on a Stick
• Steak on a Stick
• Bagel on a Stick

-Some of the previous plans to defeat Michael included:

• Physically attacking Michael.
• Seducing Michael.
• Making Michael think he’s the one in the Bad Place.
• Catch that magic panda use her powers (Jason’s plan)
• Throwing Tahani under the bus.

Best one liners and interactions:

• “Jason figured out! Jason? This is a real low point, yeah, this one hurts.” (Michael)