Courtesy NBCUniversal
The Good Place is back to start off 2018 on the right foot, aka the “AAH WHERE IS THE NEXT EPISODE I CAN’T WAIT A WHOLE WEEK FOR MORE” foot.
The last time we saw the Good Place Gang, they had just had a breakthrough with Michael but as he headed to his office, he found Sean waiting for him looking none too pleased.
We come in exactly there, except Sean is actually thrilled with this experiment- that he thinks was only rebooted that one time – and wants to destroy the neighbourhood and promote Michael to senior staff. In this moment, Michael is full on back to his demon ways, calling the humans in with a “Surprise IDIOTS” and revealing to them that this has been The Bad Place all along.
Courtesy NBC Universal
Understandably, the humans are confused. Eleanor had just had a very human moment with Michael, and they had all started trusting him, given the progress he was making in the ethics lessons. They spend the entire episode wondering if he’s turned on them and if they really are going to end up in the bad place or if this is some ploy and Michael is still on their side.
The demons are feeling less conflicted and want to celebrate a job well done so they throw a massive party & a roast of the humans. The roast represents a super uncomfortable few minutes of television. What Michael says to the core 4 is cold and painful and seems like it would truly be more painful than the penis flattener. But then again I am penis-less so I can’t be sure of the veracity of that statement. Michael tells Eleanor she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be (the Bad Place), makes fun of Chidi for dying alone, and mocks Jason’s love for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Courtesy NBC Universal
During all of this, the humans are still confused and scared, but then while thinking back on their time with Michael and really focusing on what he said during their roasts, they have a eureka moment! Michael is still on their side! Everything he said was intended to give them clues to his plan. Butchering Bortles’ name indicates & calling him Derek told them to summon Janet’s Derek and have him drive the train. Telling Eleanor that she’s exactly where she belongs indicated to them that they shouldn’t actually get on the train but hide underneath. Later, Michael reveals he actually dropped thousands of clues but their human brains couldn’t grasp them all.
To kill two birds with one stone, he also framed Vicky by whispering random nothings to Janet (rendered drunk by the metal handcuffs Sean placed on her) to make Vicky suspicious and then make her look bad. Sean, Vicky, and all the demons get on the train, thinking the humans got on the previous one to go to Mindy St-Clair’s house.
The train drives off, the humans are revealed underneath, Michael cries out in relief and we are all safe…for now.
Courtesy NBC Universal
And in case you were worried, Derek isn’t sent to Mindy’s empty handed. He shows up with a huge bag of cocaine and his penis wind-chimes for her to play with.
