The sinkhole from last week’s episode is getting bigger and this causes a “Code 55 Doomsday Crisis.” The Good Place becomes too dangerous to walk about in so everyone is housebound. Chidi continues to teach Eleanor and Jianyu about ethics and it appears that Tahani has some baggage from when she was alive.
While it seems that Jianyu, aka Jason Mendoza, is getting the hang of ethics pretty quickly, Eleanor is moving a bit slowly. Although she does allow someone else to go ahead of her at the frozen yoghurt line.
Once it dawns on her what she has done, Eleanor rushes home to tell Chidi. However, something is not quite right with the former ethics professor.
Michael is at Tahani’s eternal house party when Janet arrives with horrible news. The sinkhole is getting bigger rather than fixing itself. He and Janet go to inspect the problem and leave their holographic computer console at Tahani’s house.
Tahani browses through the thing and learns that her “ranking” in The Good Place is second from last. This brings memories of her childhood and the constant competition between Tahani and her sister.
Chidi and Eleanor get into a long running argument about her taking up all of his time. Michael brings a couple who live near the expanding sinkhole to stay with them until the problem can be fixed.
The new couple attempt to help Eleanor and Chidi to get past their apparent issues.
Tahani’s flashbacks show that her childhood and later life were less than ideal. Her “good works” were not so much a selfless dedication to doing good but an attempt to better her sister and impress her parents.
To be fair, Tahani’s mother and father doted on her sister so much that in their will they spelt her name wrong. Tahani declares that sis can have it all and dedicates her life to outdoing her parent’s favorite child.
Here then is just the hint of a crack in the Tahani exemplary life. Yet another denizen of The Good Place who may not really belong there after all. Even Chidi, when questioned by the house guests, has a secret.
After a long questioning session, he says that he never had girlfriend when he was alive and that getting used to having a soulmate is difficult. The confession, which is partly to keep the new soulmates from guessing that Eleanor does not belong in The Good Place, sounds dodgy.
Tahani comes out to bring Michael and Janet some donut holes. “Get it,” she asks. She hopes to be instrumental in closing up the sinkhole. Instead the sinkhole affects her and Michael must knock her out.
Later the gaping hole in the village mysteriously fixes itself and Michael is confused and frightened. He asks his new assistant Eleanor to help him figure out what is wrong. Michael has no idea why the sinkhole suddenly repaired itself.
Chidi and Eleanor make up. She gives him a “Fork off Eleanor’ sign and vows to give him some space.
It is apparent that it is not just Eleanor’s presence in The Good Place that is causing all the problems. Jianyu does not belong either and it is looking like even Tahani may be there under false pretenses.
The system for selecting the new occupants of the village looks to be broken. Perhaps there are a number of residents who do belong but the newer occupants may be the problem.
There may be many who have “life” baggage that affects their “calm” in this vision of heaven.
Kristen Bell is a delight as Eleanor and Ted Danson is sheer perfection as the “newbie” Michael. Kudos to both a Jamil and Jackson Harper as Tahani and Chidi. Garden and Jacinto also impress in their roles as Janet and Jianyu.
The Good Place airs Thursdays on NBC. Tune in and see if Michael figures out that his new assistant my be part of the problem.
CAST:
- Kristen Bell – Eleanor Shellstrop
- Ted Danson – Michael
- William Jackson Harper – Chidi Anagonye
- Jameel a Jamil – Tahani Al-Jamil
- D’Arcy Carden – Janet
- Manny Jacinto – Jianyu/Jason Mendoza
Mikes Film Talk 