Last week, The Good Place, NBC's philosophical comedy created by Michael Schur, came to an end after a deliriously dizzying four-season run. It was a beautiful way to wrap-up what was, at once, the most ambitious show in all of network television and the last bastion of what shows could still do in a tight, twenty-one and a half minute format.
Season four of the show brought an end to the beloved characters, and there were some joyous and melancholy episodes along the way. According to the official IMDB rankings, these ten episodes stood out from the bunch most prominently.
10 "Employee of the Bearimy" - 7.8
With the realization that the Good Janet has actually been stolen by the figures leading the Bad Place, Michael and Jason venture down to retrieve her from the evil clutches of Shawn. It results in a killer heat check appearance from Tiya Sircar's Vicky and the realization for Jason that Blake Bortles has been replaced by Nick Foles on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Back in the neighborhood, Derek has been tasked with holding the world together and when a fake citizen begins to say, "Blargdy blargdy blargdy blarg," the audience knows things aren't going well.
9 "A Girl from Arizona" - 7.9
"A Girl from Arizona" is the two-part season premiere for The Good Place and its fourth arc. It sees Eleanor forced to take on the role of Michael as the experiment begins to see if four people, specifically tailored to torture Team Cockroach, can actually improve during their time in what they believe to be paradise.
It is truly thrilling to watch Eleanor step into the role that Michael occupied all those years ago, and it shows how incredible her character development has been over the past couple of seasons.
8 "Mondays, Am I Right?" - 8.0
"Mondays, Am I Right?" is a part of the fourth season's endgame, but it is ultimately a load-bearing episode. It resolves one last relationship concern between Chidi and Eleanor before sending them off into the real good place via a balloon.
We're getting some strong Wizard of Oz vibes are in this episode, but the major focus of this installment is to show that the new afterlife test system, headed by Vicky, is going to work swimmingly. It's one last bit of plot tidying before the end of the show, just two episodes away.
7 "You've Changed, Man" - 8.1
The title of this episode comes from the line delivered by Jason when he says to Shawn, a literal demon, "You've changed, man" after he won't go along with their new afterlife plan. According to the show's official podcast, Manny Jacinto's delivery was so funny that production on the episode had to actually be stopped for an hour.
The official pitch that Chidi concocts for a new afterlife is a solid one, and it's made all the more entertaining by the cameo of Timothy Olyphant, as the judge's eye candy.
6 "Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy" - 8.2
"Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy" takes the conceit of the film its title is based on and brings the concept to the forefront of classic Good Place humor. Glenn, a visitor from the Bad Place, claims that Michael is actually Vicky in a Michael suit, which sends the characters into disarray as they try to find out who is telling the truth.
It's a truly captivating mystery and one of the most impressive achievements of the show. What other network comedy could pull off such a story in under twenty-two minutes?
5 "Help Is Other People" - 8.5
"Help Is Other People" is an episode title, but it's also one of the core philosophies of the show as a whole. The only way to get through the world (and the spiritual world) and become a better person is to connect with other people.
The final moments of the episode are truly full of awe, and it shows how risky a Hail Mary can be when the fate of humanity is at stake. It is also particularly delightful to see Michael and Eleanor pretending to be devious Bad Place demons, in a callback to "Michael's Gambit," one of the show's best installments.
4 "The Funeral to End All Funerals" - 8.6
"The Funeral to End All Funerals" picks up right where "Help Is Other People" left off. It sees Michael pitching the experiment as a successful one to Shawn and the judge, but it also sees Team Cockroach throwing funerals for themselves since they never got to have one on Earth.
It ends with the pressing notion that Chidi needs to be woken up to save the afterlife and the surprising revelation that the Bad Janet has turned to help save humanity from the judge's reset plan. But no part of the episode stands out more than the reveal that Jason was born in a swimming pool.
3 "Patty" - 8.7
"Patty" is not the first episode to take place in the actual good place, but it is the first one that sees Team Cockroach visit there honestly. But they quickly realize it is not all that it has been cracked up to be. Lisa Kudrow's Hypatia portrayal points to this fact by showing that her brain has turned to mush due to the fact that the good place provides no challenges and only eternal boredom.
It sets up the endgame of the show by seeing the characters create a door that would end time in the afterlife, as well. Such thorough plot mechanics and heavy themes. Tough to digest it all in a half-hour!
2 "The Answer" - 8.8
"The Answer" was the fall finale of The Good Place, and it left viewers simultaneously in tears, entirely satisfied, and yearning for more. Yes, the audience was desperate to see what plan Chidi would concoct to save the afterlife and humanity. But, in reality, the realization that Chidi knew all he needed in the world was Eleanor, was beyond satisfying.
After Chidi was unconscious for an entire episode, it was good to see him get his due by tracing his life from birth to savior status. It is so easy to get chills when one sees Chidi first born, knowing where he will end up.
1 "Whenever You're Ready" - 9.6
Maybe it's recency bias, or maybe it's just the fact that The Good Place had one of the best series finales ever put to screen. Written and directed by Michael Schur, the supersized episode sees each character reach their natural conclusion. Jason plays the perfect game of Madden and says goodbye to Janet before walking the door, content with his existence. Tahani graduates from accomplishing every task in the universe to creating afterlife neighborhoods. Michael transitions from demon to real human being. Chidi and Eleanor go globe-trotting before they understand that their time together has come to an end.
It is crushing to watch the ends of both of these characters, but also so peaceful, too. Chidi's speech about waves will live on in the memories of fans forever. So much philosophy and peace is imbued in this episode, and it will go down as one of the best episodes any show has ever done. The emotions are palpable, and tears flow throughout.
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