THE GOOD PLACE: “Leap Into Faith” Roundtable

We’re back! After a hiatus fraught with questions about the sudden appearance of Sean in Michael’s office, The Good Place returns for the second half of the season. Let’s jump right in to discussing the winter premiere.

While we were imagining all sorts of dire consequences because Sean discovered Michael’s ruse, the reality is that Sean came to congratulate Michael on “our” successful torture and announce that “we” have been promoted. Were you surprised by this turn of events?

Melissa: Yes! I was sure Michael had been found out and was about to be punished. I like this twist, though. It added a sense of urgency to the story now that we know and the humans know that they’re actually in the Bad Place.

Cara: I liked it too. I wasn’t sure where things would go, and I think this was a nice way to move us into a new scenario for the show. It’s been interesting since the humans found out that they were in the bad place, but I’m anxious to see what comes next. Sean is such a great symbol of soul-crushing bureaucracy and a lack of creative thinking. I often wonder if he isn’t Michael’s personal tormentor.

Roz: I always love Marc Evan Jackson, so when Sean came back I expected the worst for Michael and Team Cockroach, but the twist was well played and then it felt right that a Michael could pull one over on his boss.

Leah: I was completely surprised. I’m happy with how it went.

Cay: The writing on this show is so good! They keep coming up with these great twists!

THE GOOD PLACE — “Leap Into Faith” Episode 209 — Pictured: Ted Danson as Michael — (Photo by: Colleen Hayes/NBC)

OK, on a scale of Eleanor to Tahani, how long did you doubt Michael?

Melissa: I was an Eleanor – I had faith that Michael hadn’t betrayed them, until the roast. That shook my faith. I was looking for clues, but while I thought the specific mention of Jason’s favorite football player might be a clue, I don’t have name recognition of many players, so I didn’t catch why it was a clue.

Cara: Me too. I was full-on Eleanor. It was painful to watch the four humans in the meeting with Sean, trying to gauge how sincere Michael was. I think Michael is just too likable to really be all that bad in the end. This was a great way to affirm that Michael really has learned something and is a changed…well, not person, demon? That roast was pretty rough though.

Roz: I couldn’t think that Michael would turn that quickly so I’m more on the Eleanor side than Tahani, but it wasn’t until Eleanor mentioned Derek rather than Blake that I imagined Michael was laying a trail of breadcrumbs. That said, I do appreciate how he set up everything once he had set his eyes on a goal.

Leah: I was wishing I could be an Eleanor but really I was a Tahani. Stressed me the heck out! When he said DEREK twice I thought…wait…oh thank goodness!

Cay: Tahani all the way. I’ve never really trusted Michael because so much of the “fake” torture seemed so real (like Chidi and the Trolley problem…).

Let’s talk about how our heroes escaped Sean & Co. 

Melissa: The party was so funny. DJ Bad Janet apparently only has two songs in her repertoire – “She Hates Me” by Puddle of Mudd and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”. Hilarious! And accurate for a party in the Bad Place. But seriously, that was a pretty clever plan. They even included Derek! And Michael framed Vicky!

Cara: It was a great plan. And, yes, those songs were great. This show is so good at pulling out little annoying things that I might not normally think about, but when they show up in the bad place, I’m like “Yes, that really is terrible.” Just like Vicky. She’s such a terrible, annoying character without being truly villainous. Showing the way such “normal” characters can be so irritating and terrible, while still being absolutely ordinary, is one of the real strengths of this show. The escape was pretty great, and getting back at Vicky in the process was the cherry on top (man, I really have it in for Vicky). I also like that Derek was resolved and not just left floating in a void somewhere.

Roz: I do enjoy a good bait and switch, so this plan spoke to me. The song choices are pretty great (though I might have added “Blurry” and “Bring Me to Life” in the mix) and watching Vicky be that paranoid was amazing after all her attempts at ousting Michael.

Cay: It was a very clever and satisfying escape and the party was on point as well. Bad Janet is so deliciously opposite of Good Janet – it must be really fun to play both.

Leah: Oh that was perfect. Bad Janet as the DJ, “drunk” Good Janet, and Vicky in a sticky cocoon. The fire monster who held up his human “suit” and yelled, “Let’s go streaking!” got an actual out loud laugh from me.

Now what? Michael, Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, Jason, and Good Janet are the only ones left in that neighborhood. What’s the plan?

Melissa: I have no idea. Apparently this will help them get to the real Good Place, but…how???

Cara: Maybe they’ll be on the run for a while or maybe we’ll get to see a kind of purgatory? Perhaps they’ll have to be sent back to life or to some other situation to prove they really are better people now. I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I anticipate it being great. I can’t wait to see what the Good Place looks like, but I can’t even begin to predict what it might be like.

Roz: Shouldn’t there be some glitch in the neighborhood or a back door to get them out? Isn’t that good coding and planning?

Leah: It can’t be that “easy”. So I can’t wait to see what the plan is. I have no idea where they are going with it.

Cay: I wonder how long Sean will give them before he checks back to make sure that the neighborhood really has been destroyed?

THE GOOD PLACE — “Leap Into Faith” Episode 209 — Pictured: (l-r) William Jackson Harper as Chidi, Kristen Bell as Eleanor — (Photo by: Colleen Hayes/NBC)

MVP?

Melissa: Major props to Eleanor for figuring out the clues, and to Michael for coming through, but I have to go with Janet/Bad Janet. D’Arcy Carden was flawless as drunk on “magenets” Good Janet and her Bad Place counterpart, DJ Farts-a-lot. I love her so much.

Cara: Yep, drunk Janet, Bad Janet, and DJ Farts-a-lot made this episode for me. D’Arcy Carden has got to have a great time playing Janet. It is such a great character. Eleanor and Michael drove the plot and saved the day, but Janet made it worth the ride. I’m convinced that Janet is a key component to what makes this show work.

Roz: All the Janets!

Leah: What all of you said!

Cay: My MVP is the writing room as this episode seemed particularly clever to me. Maybe absence has just made my heart fonder, but there were so many visual gags and witty dialogue this episode!

The Good Place airs Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.