This week’s episode of The Good Place is a crucial part in their experiment, but it also incredibly showcases Kristen Bell’s acting abilities.
Last week’s episode ended with Chidi (William Jackson Harper) becoming a part of the experiment, after the bad place is caught trying to sneak a demon into the experiment instead of a human.
This week, Eleanor (Bell) is still trying to figure out a way to break Brent (Benjamin Koldyke) and get him to figure out he isn’t actually a good person. So she takes a bad place tactic: She turns the good place into Brent’s personal nightmare.
Only the plan backfires –– Brent believes he was sent to the wrong place, but he thinks there’s a better place that he should’ve been sent to, rather than “just” the good place.
Everyone begins to question Eleanor’s leadership –– even Eleanor herself. After the group calls for a new leader, Eleanor storms out. This is when Bell shows, yet again, what an incredible actress she is.
In a beautiful scene with Michael (Ted Danson), he tells her that she’s the only one who is up for the job, and that no one really wants a new leader. But Eleanor believes they’re right, and completely questions herself.
“I’m not meant for this,” Eleanor said. “I’m not the freaking savior of the universe. I’m just a girl from Arizona. That’s it. I’m just a normal girl from Arizona.”
Michael and Eleanor prove again that their friendship is a true and beautiful one, while he convinces her that she is the only one who can do this job.
“Like it or not, the only one who can save humanity is a girl from Arizona,” Michael said.
Meanwhile, Janet (D’Arcy Carden) tells Jason (Manny Jacinto) she can’t be with him because it’ll put the experiment in jeopardy. Jason is heartbroken, and turns to Tahani (Jameela Jamil) for guidance.
Eleanor toughens up, realizes Michael is right and heads back to her rightful place as leader. She comes up with a new idea to break Brent, and is going to see what happens.
However, she also comes up with a new idea to help Simone (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), but it’s incredibly difficult. She tells Chidi that Simone is his soulmate, and because she’s having a hard time believing the good place is real, that it’s his responsibility to help her. Sure enough, the two hit it off and Simone listens to what Chidi has to say.
This episode is hard for Cheleanor fans, as the entire season undoubtedly will be with Chidi’s lack of memory of his relationship with Eleanor. For now, audiences should focus on the experiment and saving humanity, rather than the loss of Cheleanor, or even Janet and Jason’s relationship.
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The Good Place airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.
