NBC’s afterlife sitcom took some curious detours on the way to a moving conclusion.
The Good Placewas a nice show about nice people.
The main characters were cursed to eternal punishment, but nobody watching thought they belonged in hell.
Colleen Hayes/NBC
Their sins were quirky, their souls cute.
Everyone learned philosophy; everyone was stoked about philosophy!
I liked Thursday’s series finale, and I used to love the show.
The season 1 twist remains a high point in recent TV history.
CreatorMichael Schurcleverly revealed that the neighborhood built by angel-seeming architect Michael (Ted Danson) was a friendly trap.
The gang destroyed the neighborhood.
Then Schur wrote and directed the season 2 finale, “Somewhere Else,” the all-time bestGood Placeepisode.
It showed Eleanor getting a second chance at life.
She became a better person.
Didn’t “getting better” seem a tad simple, though?
Eleanor was no longer some scuzzbucket struggling between the allure of weeknight shots and a poorly paid activist gig.
Her whole job was going to Australia to fix herself.
Then the central foursome became a crusading Soul Squad, flying around the world on Tahani’s infinite dime.
Schur’s an optimist who believes the sweetness of his characters will be rewarded.
In that spirit, I thinkThe Good Placecut some corners when it became a catharsis-of-the-week redemption procedural.
Actually, the finale revealed, that youcansave Donkey Doug.
you’re able to save everyone!
Harper sputtered splendidly, and Jacinto and Jamil played their single jokes (Jacksonville/namedropping) with aplomb.
Bell’s acerbic steadiness counterbalanced an ever-busier plot.
Then came the final twist.
InThe Good Place, everyone was a purposeless zombie.
The solution: Add a doorway to nothing-everythingness.
Bring death back to death.
Jason scored his perfect Madden game.
Chidi experienced profound joy with Eleanor.
Tahani finally got along with her parents and dedicated herself to learning the demi-godly profession of architecting.
Michael became a human, and his legal name was Michael Realman, god that’s funny.
Janet was Doctor Manhattan, more or less, living forever in a kajillion Jason kisses.
It was an eccentric finale: location shoots in Athens and Paris, crossovers withParks & Recand the Danson-Steenburgenverse.
(See also:Lost.)
And, after two years of whiplashing plots, we watched the characters at rest.
Chidi’s journey through his own past felt personal.
Bell dug deep as the last misfit toy left on the island.
I admire the ambitions ofThe Good Place, and I wonder what could have been.
The series seemed anxious about portraying anything nasty enough to upset the smiley balance.
It believed everyone was redeemableand was unwilling to portray anything that came close to irredeemable.
The Good Placewanted to fix the universeand it did!
Aspirational, no doubt.
Series grade: B
Finale grade: B+
