Source: NBCU // The Good Place
Eleanor, Chidi, Jason, & Tahani go through their first day about 803 times, with Michael rebooting the neighbourhood every time they figure it out.
Turns out Eleanor is pretty perceptive and will always figure out that this she is in fact in The Bad Place and that she’s being tortured. In the beginning of the episode, we see Michael rebooting everything over and over and the humans going varying lengths of time before ultimately realizing what’s being done to them.
Colleen Hayes / NBC
Sometimes Eleanor figured it out after a few years, sometimes she heard Michael say it into his tape recorder, and one time Jason figured it out! Michael alternates literally every aspect of their lives, their houses, the neighbourhood itself & their soulmates (in one version Tahani & Eleanor are soulmates and I would like to revisit that one in depth please) but nothing works. OH and Sean still thinks they’re on attempt number TWO! Honestly he’s a terrible boss, why isn’t he checking in on them more often? My boss checks on me at least every month, the boss of Hell should be harder to trick than this but that’s beside the point.
On the day of attempt 803, Michael also has a staffing problem. See, Vicky, who we used to know as Real Eleanor, is upset that her part has been reduced to nothing. She’s gathered everyone’s complaints and presents them to Michael, blackmailing him into giving into her demands or risk being exposed to his boss. Apparently, our girl Vicky has kept impeccable notes of everything that was wrong with every reboot and now, on top of wanting a better part, she wants to run this ish. Honestly I think Michael should let her, it’s not like he’s having much luck.
Colleen Hayes / NBC
While this is happening and there’s NO ONE in town, Eleanor and Chidi take a study break to go into town and get some clam chowder from the chowder fountain (ew). While there, they overhear 2 demons talking about “the good old days of old school torture” and then they see a guy out of his “human suit” and lose their miiiiiinds! They go to Janet and ask if there’s another place they can go to, away from Michael, so Janet takes them to The Medium Place to visit Mindy Sinclair.
Remember her?! She is totally real and not a demon part of the torture plan. Mindy isn’t thrilled to see them because this is like the 15th time that they’ve shown up to her house, and she’s asked them for cocaine every time and they’ve NEVER delivered. This is all new to Eleanor & Chidi but not to Mindy, so she’s written down all their old dumb plans, to help them not repeat the same thing over and over again. Eleanor and Chidi cannot agree on ANYTHING in this version, so when Eleanor comes in to complain to Mindy, she pulls out a tape from one of their previous visits, where ELEANOR AND CHIDI ARE IN BED TOGETHER!!!!! GUYS!!!! THEY HAD THE SEX!!!!! And in the tape, Eleanor turns to him and tells him she loves him!!!!!!! I can’t! My babies! Admitting their feelings for each other!
Colleen Hayes / NBC
Upon seeing herself show emotion so freely, Eleanor freaks out! She’s never said those words to anyone before and can’t imagine having done so. She grabs Chidi and Janet and they rush back home…
Meanwhile, Michael, after being blackmailed, goes for a walk and ponders his life choices by a bridge. There he runs into Jason, whose still pretending to be a silent monk but answers loudly to Jason so he’s not doing well. Michael uses him as a sounding board and Jason tells a story about someone from his dance crew leaving after a fight and starting his own dance troupe to get even. Surprisingly, this inspires Michael to come up with a new plan.
Colleen Hayes / NBC
It all comes together in the final minutes of the episode when Eleanor and Chidi tell Jason & Tahani about the whole Good Place/Bad Place thing as Michael storms in. Instead of rebooting them this time, Michael wants to TEAM UP with the humans and start his own new dance crew. Michael and the humans could team up to pretend that they don’t know about the whole thing, keeping Vicky from being able to blackmail Michael and take over.
What’s going to happen you guys?! When will Chidi and Eleanor confess their true feelings for each other?! Now that they’re not being rebooted and that she knows she loves him – it’s only a matter of time right?
Colleen Hayes / NBC
The Good Place airs Thursdays on NBC.
