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[HP_Wuvcraft]

Just watched (binged the whole thing on one sitting) the first season on Netflix a couple of days ago, holy shit did I love this moment. Like the twist itself wasn't anything mindblowing, but this was just PERFECT. Great show in general, too.

Really hope they'll put the second season up on Netflix soon too.

The twist is nothing special, but the execution is what makes it excellent. From Michael's backstory, to how it frames the entire concept of the Places, to how season two is utilizing it to basically deconstruct the sitcom format.

I mean, the show is basically The Truman Show: The Series now. It has changed from its initial premise completely.

 

[pigeon]

The twist is nothing special, but the execution is what makes it excellent. From Michael's backstory, to how it frames the entire concept of the Places, to how season two is utilizing it to basically deconstruct the sitcom format.

I mean, the show is basically The Truman Show: The Series now. It has changed from its initial premise completely.

That's what was great about the show all along, really. Every episode left me with a different elevator pitch for the show. Most sitcoms are terrified of significant changes to the formula. This one is terrified of going three episodes without totally upending things.

 

[Santiako]

We don't have Fargo on Netflix in the UK, think it's on Channel 4 here. Would suggest what you're saying is right - that another channel there has the broadcast rights.

No, we definitely have Fargo.

 

[LordRaptor]

No, we definitely have Fargo.

Not the latest series, and not weekly as it airs in the US is what I think he means.

 

[Berserker976]

Got into this show recently on the recommendation of Justin McElroy (apparently at just the right time) and binged it in like 3 days on Netflix. Now I'm spreading it to all who will listen and eagerly awaiting each new episode.

I'm curious if anyone has talked or thought about Shawn and his cases. When he's introduced he refers to the current case (fake though it may be) as case 0003, and that he's been asleep in goo for 29 years, which means case 0002 was probably Mindy's. So what would 0001 be? Something we'll find out about in the future, or is the low number of cases an irrelevant factoid? Or was he just straight up lying, since we see him pre-"Good Place" awake and not encased in goo?

 

[wetflame]

Not the latest series, and not weekly as it airs in the US is what I think he means.

Yeah, sorry I wasn't clear with my post. We do have the previous seasons.

 

[LakeEarth]

I'm curious if anyone has talked or thought about Shawn and his cases. When he's introduced he refers to the current case (fake though it may be) as case 0003, and that he's been asleep in goo for 29 years, which means case 0002 was probably Mindy's. So what would 0001 be? Something we'll find out about in the future, or is the low number of cases an irrelevant factoid? Or was he just straight up lying, since we see him pre-"Good Place" awake and not encased in goo?

It was all for show, and to induce frustration to the human characters.

 

[Berserker976]

It was all for show, and to induce frustration to the human characters.

I mean that's possible, but his mention of 29 years matches up perfectly with Mindy's actual, real case, and it was a case that would have needed legitimate adjudication.

 

[pigeon]

I mean that's possible, but his mention of 29 years matches up perfectly with Mindy's actual, real case, and it was a case that would have needed legitimate adjudication.

The fact that Mindy exists and is free does suggest that it is possible in some way to get an adjudication and in fact that a lot of the cosmology they gave us is more or less accurate, but there's no way to be clear on exactly what. But it's quite possible that they kept close to the truth on this just beside it's easier than lying. Shawn is definitely not the judge, though.

I do wonder if finding the real judge and asking for a real trial will be relevant at some point.

 

[sandy1297]

I wonder whether Michael Schur or the writesrs watch/play Dota, since having 322 residents looks really specific (could also be a hint that this is the bad place)

 

[Unai]

I wonder whether Michael Schur or the writesrs watch/play Dota, since having 322 residents looks really specific (could also be a hint that this is the bad place)

I don't plat dota. What 322 has to do with it?

 

[sandy1297]

I don't plat dota. What 322 has to do with it?

A dota player bet $100 (with $322 payout) against his team and then proceed to throw the match. He was banned a few years from competitive dota after that

https://www.thescoreesports.com/dota2/news/14727-a-trip-down-meme-ory-lane-what-is-322

 

[TheOddOne]

New episode today:

Season 2: episode 4 "Team Cockroach"

Spoiler

Michael looks at things from a different angle as Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani and Jason try to make a collective decision.

No promo trailer release so far, will update when it does go up.

 

[Rhaknar]

That sucks. There is probably a tv channel in Finland with the broadcasting rights then. I thought The Good Place was a Netflix original everywhere but the USA, with weekley episodes, just like Fargo, Better Call Saul, ...

...we dont have Fargo here. Stupid TV rights

 

[StarCreator]

All caught up now.

Chidi inexplicably running away from bees was probably my highlight from the last episode.

 

[DeathyBoy]

The twist is nothing special, but the execution is what makes it excellent. From Michael's backstory, to how it frames the entire concept of the Places, to how season two is utilizing it to basically deconstruct the sitcom format.

I mean, the show is basically The Truman Show: The Series now. It has changed from its initial premise completely.

Yeah, no. It was a great twist in idea and execution. Not sure why we have to differentiate between them, unless people refuse to accept the idea that they were genuinely got by a TV show.

 

[Baroquemantic]

Maaan, this show is just so good.

Edit: You must have to be damn near perfect to get into the good place.

 

[FiggyCal]

This show continues to be the best comedy on tv

 

[Ultratech]

"Your cocaine and escape train are ready."

I'm dying

 

[Baroquemantic]

Vicky is going all in, haha.

 

[Mr. Doop]

Vicky is lowkey the best character on the show

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Yeah, no. It was a great twist in idea and execution. Not sure why we have to differentiate between them, unless people refuse to accept the idea that they were genuinely got by a TV show.

I called the twist from the first promo. I don't understand why it's important to shit on my opinion.

 

[HoJu]

This season has been great so far, but this episode felt off for some reason.

 

[Baroquemantic]

Janet is so great.

Can't wait to see how this team up plays out.

This season has been great so far, but this episode felt off for some reason.

I think it's the weakest ep so far, though still good. It was a bit slow, and not much happened, but it was a setup episode, so yeah.

 

[TripOpt55]

The line "Call me a train and fill it to the brim with cocaine" (hopefully I got that right) had me rolling. Haha. I love this show. Good episode. Excited to see where things go from here.

 

[MC_Hify]

Fill it to the brim with cocaine!

 

[Baroquemantic]

Can't go wrong with a coke train.

 

[Cornballer]

- Onion A|V Club review
- Sepinwall's review
- Sepinwall interview: ‘The Good Place’ Creator Michael Schur Explains The Show’s New Twist

 

[JStein0222]

Excited to see where the series goes, but tonight's episode was a little too exposition heavy for me. Not a lot really happens other than explaining circumstances and then deciding to do what was proposed at the beginning of the episode

 

[jb1234]

Yeah, the show normally doesn't take this long to get on with things. I liked some of the jokes here but I was surprised that in the end, not much really happened.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

I didn't mind them taking time to establish the new status quo, plus we got to learn how Tahani died. In Cleveland of all places. Her sister was pretty terrible to her.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Vicky becoming the star of the new Good Place is going to be a good bit.

 

[Aske]

This season is even better than the first. I love that the show is pure comedy in terms of genre, but retains enough drama to get me invested in the plot. Did not see the twist coming at all, and it was brilliant.

 

[mechashiva]

Most advanced Janet in the universe!

 

[DeathyBoy]

Vicky becoming the star of the new Good Place is going to be a good bit.

When she started singing I lost my shit.

Best comedy on TV.

 

[LiQuid!]

I wish this show's episodes were longer. This episode was hysterical but it was literally a single scene that was a half hour long. Still incredible how much hilarious dialog they can fit into all this exposition in such a short run time.

 

[Pachimari]

I am very happy with these short episodes. There's no way I would be able to go through 45 minutes every single week. Also, I might have missed last week's episode, so whoa, two episodes to catch up with this weekend.

 

[Gotchaye]

Vicky at the end was the only really great bit of this episode. They burned a whole lot of time on Eleanor being uncharacteristically stupid about whether to go along with Michael's plan or not -- when someone offers you a choice between getting brain-wiped and just pretending to get brain-wiped, you choose pretending to get brain-wiped even if you're 100% sure they're up to something. The only plausible dilemma was the 15 seconds she spent intending to take the coke train to Mindy's, but of course this would have been hard to explore since for viewers it would have been a retread of something from S1.

 

[DeathyBoy]

Vicky at the end was the only really great bit of this episode. They burned a whole lot of time on Eleanor being uncharacteristically stupid about whether to go along with Michael's plan or not -- when someone offers you a choice between getting brain-wiped and just pretending to get brain-wiped, you choose pretending to get brain-wiped even if you're 100% sure they're up to something. The only plausible dilemma was the 15 seconds she spent intending to take the coke train to Mindy's, but of course this would have been hard to explore since for viewers it would have been a retread of something from S1.

I get your point, but it's worth remembering that these characters literally don't remember anything from S1. We do. So El is essentially who she was at the start of S1, and this is exactly the sort of stupid thing she'd do.

So it's dumb but it makes sense from her perspective.

 

[big ander]

Yeah Schur says in that interview with Sepinwall that these iterations are probably at the point they were in Chapter 4. Eleanor has agreed to take the lessons but isn't fully committed to being good yet, so it makes sense she'd spend most of the half-hour trying to find an escape on her own.

I thought it was another five star deal last night. So funny and sets up a totally unexpected new status quo.

 

[Goodstyle]

I get your point, but it's worth remembering that these characters literally don't remember anything from S1. We do. So El is essentially who she was at the start of S1, and this is exactly the sort of stupid thing she'd do.

So it's dumb but it makes sense from her perspective.

Ya, the choices weren't pretend to be brain wiped and actually get brain wiped, it was work with Michael or live a coke fueled life with Mindy.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

I think this whole thing with Michael is just another ploy to mess with the humans.

1. He’s a demon and has no chance to go to heaven. And really the humans can’t stay there either, they’ve been judged already.

2. How did he steal a Good Place Janet?

 

[big ander]

I think this whole thing with Michael is just another ploy to mess with the humans.

1. He's a demon and has no chance to go to heaven. And really the humans can't stay there either, they've been judged already.

2. How did he steal a Good Place Janet?

We don't know exactly how the real Good Place works—assuming it's some sort of bureaucratic system like the Bad Place, there could be a way to game it. Talk to a manager, like Tahani said.

This could be another ploy to mess with Team Cockroach, but if it is Michael's not in on it. We had multiple scenes of him alone worried about getting his psychological torture to work. Shawn or Vicky could be orchestrating it. I've thought maybe Mindy is lying and somehow pulling strings. Or it could all be a ploy by someone in the Good Place to convert these people, which would explain how Michael easily obtained a Janet. I also just realized there being multiple Janets pretty much guarantees at some point in the series D'Arcy Carden is going to have scenes with herself. Cannot wait for that.

 

[forgeforsaken]

We don't know exactly how the real Good Place works—assuming it's some sort of bureaucratic system like the Bad Place, there could be a way to game it. Talk to a manager, like Tahani said.

This could be another ploy to mess with Team Cockroach, but if it is Michael's not in on it. We had multiple scenes of him alone worried about getting his psychological torture to work. Shawn or Vicky could be orchestrating it. I've thought maybe Mindy is lying and somehow pulling strings. Or it could all be a ploy by someone in the Good Place to convert these people, which would explain how Michael easily obtained a Janet. I also just realized there being multiple Janets pretty much guarantees at some point in the series D'Arcy Carden is going to have scenes with herself. Cannot wait for that.

We already had Bad Janet in season 1.

 

[PK Gaming]

Episode was great

Tahani's sister is mega awful & will likely wind up in the Bad Place

Wish there was more I could say but the show is simply too good

Vicky's song getting cut off was absolute nonsense

I get your point, but it's worth remembering that these characters literally don't remember anything from S1. We do. So El is essentially who she was at the start of S1, and this is exactly the sort of stupid thing she'd do.

So it's dumb but it makes sense from her perspective.

To add to this, it's not just stupidity; vanilla Eleanor is a distant loner who's borderline misanthropic. The thought of a bunch of losers banding together and working with a literal devil to get out of hell is all a big joke to her.

 

[Gotchaye]

I guess it just seemed to me that the really obvious move for one-week-in Eleanor was to very quickly pretend that you're totally fine with whatever dumbass thing is going on, because the immediate alternative is getting brain-wiped, while keeping an eye out and probably planning to get on the coke train. Like, what she's been doing for all of the past week is pretending to go along with the goodie goodie idiots. It wasn't at all clear to me that what she was arguing for was for the whole group to get on the train, but even if this was the plan surely she should've tried to get the group to at least pretend to go along with it first, until Michael goes away.

 

[big ander]

We already had Bad Janet in season 1.

I meant multiple (2<) good Janets interacting.

I guess it just seemed to me that the really obvious move for one-week-in Eleanor was to very quickly pretend that you're totally fine with whatever dumbass thing is going on, because the immediate alternative is getting brain-wiped, while keeping an eye out and probably planning to get on the coke train. Like, what she's been doing for all of the past week is pretending to go along with the goodie goodie idiots. It wasn't at all clear to me that what she was arguing for was for the whole group to get on the train, but even if this was the plan surely she should've tried to get the group to at least pretend to go along with it first, until Michael goes away.

She wasn't arguing for them all to go ont he train. She was arguing not to trust Michael and before she knew it they'd all decided to trust him, so she figured out her own plan. She didn't care about getting them to come along because her main flaw is she never found a haircut that frames her face I mean selfishness.
I also don't think it's all that unbelievable for someone to decide not to trust or help someone they just learned is a literal devil. And she thinks she can escape the memory wipe, because she doesn't remember the 801 times she's been wiped before.

 

[shadowkat]

Tahani's "I died in Cleveland?" was great. Her sister is a terrible person.

 

[Slayven]

I originally passed this show up cause the premise sounds corny. But I almost done with the first season, and it is great. I like how they slowly reveal how fucked up the good people are

 

[pigeon]

Tahani's "I died in Cleveland?" was great. Her sister is a terrible person.

I wonder about that. She could be a good person who just doesn't like Tahani because she views her correctly as self-absorbed. We know that Tahani does all her charitable work for the wrong reason, but we don't know the motivations of her sister, and apparently that matters a lot.