The afterlife comedy “The Good Place” on NBC may be one of the most complex and sympathetic depictions of humanity ever seen on television. Fortunately, the show was given the chance to finish the plot and conclude on their terms. The four lost souls sentenced to eternal suffering, the local architect/squid demon from hell in charge of their fate, and his not-a-girl helper Janet all won the hearts of viewers, making saying farewell all the more difficult.
Jason (Manny Jacinto), Chidi (Jackson Harper), and Eleanor (Kristen Bell) made the decision to leave paradise and vanish into oblivion, while Tahani (Jameela Jamil) decided to stay behind and pursue her dream of becoming an afterlife architect, Janet (D’Arcy Carden) continued to serve as the ideal assistant, and the demonic Michael (Ted Danson) chose to live a mortal life on Earth
What is The Good Place?
The comedy-fantasy series “The Good Place,” which debuted in the fall of 2016 and was created by Michael Schur (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), followed self-absorbed Eleanor Shellstrop as she dies and ends up in The Good Place, a Heaven-like utopia as recompense for her good deeds on Earth. Eleanor, however, knows she ended up in The Good Place by accident since she was a terrible a**hole on Earth. In the first season finale, she learns that she, Chidi, Jason, and Tahani were actually put in an experimental version of The Bad Place designed to resemble The Good Place in the hopes that the four of them would psychologically and emotionally torture each other for all eternity. She makes an effort to conceal her true humanity while trying to improve herself and become a better person.
The show’s premise is obviously amazing, but as it developed, “The Good Place” injected sitcom fun into complex philosophical situations and gave viewers a chance to reflect on their own goals and principles as people. It’s a programme that talks about ethics and generosity on Earth leading to a fulfilling hereafter without coming off as Christian evangelism. Schur stated in a lecture at the University of Notre Dame, “I marketed it as a programme that explores what it means to be a decent person. Compared to announcing, “This is a programme about dead people who read moral philosophy,” this is a lot less ominous.”
The Good Place is the Goodest Place
“The Good Place” became a refuge for many individuals, including myself, in a world that was becoming more and more hopeless and pessimistic. The show stopped in January 2020, just before the pandemic would drastically alter our lives as a whole, but its availability was a real lifesaver once we were cooped up inside with nothing to do but watch binge-worthy episodes out of fear. I can only speak for myself, but “The Good Place” helped me to once again believe that people can and will be good.
The show’s final two seasons delivered a message of consolation that, in my opinion, not many viewers realised was just what they needed. A perfect life on Earth is unattainable because human existence is too varied and complex to ever make everyone happy in any given circumstance. The Good Place takes the mature and well-rounded approach by acknowledging that there is no such thing as a perfect choice, which makes making mistakes inevitable. Lesser comedies are quick to say things like “everyone’s offended about something these days,” but “The Good Place” takes the well-rounded and mature route. We’re all simply foolish people doing the best we can, and both our failures and our accomplishments have equal value.
As Michael puts it in the climactic season, “It doesn’t matter if individuals are good or bad. What counts is whether or not they are making an effort to improve on yesterday. You questioned where I get my optimism from. That is my response.”
How Does The Good Place End?
The focus of the show shifts to Michael, who has been granted the opportunity to become a human and learn more about the species he has grown so captivated by, after our core four humans have decided how they would spend the remainder of their eternities. He was as human as they come during his time on Earth. He participates in a New Year’s Eve countdown, gets burned while cooking, picks up the guitar, and texts a friend while lying about his location. Michael Realman actually does become real.
A speck of Eleanor, who has just passed through the door into oblivion, descends to Earth and settles on the shoulder of a stranger who has just thrown out some of Michael’s mail. He is motivated by the desire to retrieve the mail and give it back to its proper recipient. The individual who responds, “Take it easy,” is thanked by Michael.
The episode is then concluded by Michael saying, “I’ll do you one better,” in reference to a scene from the first season where he lamented all the human experiences he would never get to enjoy as a demon. I’ll tell you this, my buddy, with all the love in my heart and all the knowledge of the universe: Take it sleazy, he continues.
The Good Place Ending Explained
Take it lightly is the ideal approach to remember Eleanor and highlight the influence she had on Michael’s life, even though her spirit may have fallen on this perfect stranger. Eleanor spent her eternity figuring out how to be the best version of herself, but she never lost sight of what made her unique. Philosophy could not change her personality or her unwavering devotion to Stone Cold Steve Austin (or men that look like Stone Cold Steve Austin).
Eleanor’s first act of selflessness was returning a wallet to a total stranger at a pub, which marked her beginning a new chapter in her character. This incident set off a series of events that led Eleanor’s development toward being deserving of the Good Place, including her final act of selflessness in assisting Michael in having the opportunity to be human. Take it sleazy” is more than just some endearing advise; it’s a tribute to the generous mess who made him into a person. A show that puts so much emphasis on significant topics and profound meaning concludes with something so straightforward. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go cry about it again. It’s the ideal conclusion to a show that reminds us that striving for perfection should never be our objective.
