Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

S02.E07: Janet and Michael

ElectricBoogaloo

By ElectricBoogaloo
in The Good Place [V]

Recommended Posts

DrScottie

DrScottie

I was wondering when Eleanor was going to show. Of course she'd be the one to talk to Janet about relationships. It was either that of have Janet access the repository of all knowledge about strategies to deal with them. Eleanor narrowed that down for her nicely

4 minutes ago, mammaM said:

Janet & Derek 4eva!!!

If that keeps the neighborhood intact, I wish those two all the best! 

  • Love 5
Link to comment
  • Popular Post
Linny

Linny

  • Popular Post

Janet's high in potassium. Like a banana!

Very strong episode considering most of the cast only appeared minimally. Michael's fondness for Janet was sweet and appropriate, as she is the only one he has a semblance of transparency with. Everyone else around Michael has been buried by lies built up over hundreds of iterations of fake Good Place experimentations, but his relationship with Janet is much more straightforward. He cares about her and values her presence, and it's nice to know Michael cares about more than just his scheming machinations.

So, does Janet have a type? Derek the rebound guy seemed awfully reminiscent of Jason, at least in terms of mental acuity. He looks like a guy who would enjoy a bowl of jalapeño poppers, so hopefully we will get to see those two hangout.

"Eleanor told me to 'go get it, girl.' So I'm going to get everything, just to be safe." Lovelorn Janet is great, and I can't wait to see where they take her next.

  • Like 1
  • Love 33
Link to comment
SomeTameGazelle

SomeTameGazelle

I kind of want to know what Vicky's cover story for the needles was since she is supposed to think that Chidi believes he is in the real Good Place.

Janet and Michael were very sweet together, although I would also have liked them to talk about the contrast of her willingness to be "marble-ized" with her resistance to being rebooted . . . or at least Michael's experience of it since he has ignored her desperate pleas more than 800 times before. Not because I feel like they left it unexplained, just because I enjoyed the reboot montage we got before and it would have been fun to get another taste somehow.

  • Love 7
Link to comment
  • Popular Post
Mockingbird

Mockingbird

  • Popular Post

And to think I was upset about how I imagined I was going to lose my affection for Michael after the season one finale. Underneath his contempt for humans and penchant for torture, he’s just a big old softie. A Silly Billy, if you will.

I read an article earlier today about how this show has been Ted Danson and Kristen Bell’s best work in their careers, which may be debatable, but they (and the rest of the cast) really are so great with these characters. 

  • Love 25
Link to comment
SmithW6079

SmithW6079

27 minutes ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Janet and Michael were very sweet together, although I would also have liked them to talk about the contrast of her willingness to be "marble-ized" with her resistance to being rebooted . . . or at least Michael's experience of it since he has ignored her desperate pleas more than 800 times before. Not because I feel like they left it unexplained, just because I enjoyed the reboot montage we got before and it would have been fun to get another taste somehow.

I wondered if she was going to beg, too, but maybe when it's reached the stage of self-destruct, the time for begging is past.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
Amarsir

Amarsir

You guys called it. I was skeptical that it was specifically her relationship with Jason causing the problem, but there it is. Now I'm only sad they didn't bring up the "Ride or Die" protocol.

Good episode for character & relationship development. Also I'm happy if the little triangle turned into a short arc, though I suspect it isn't quite over yet.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
AnnaRose

AnnaRose

1 hour ago, Dots And Stripes said:

I'm relieved Janet created Derek rather than using Chidi as a rebound. Bonus points for Derek being Dennis Feinstein from Parks and Rec and Pimento from Brooklyn 99. 

I was so thrilled when we finally got rid of him in Brookly 99... and now he had to show up in my other favorite show.  Why does the Universe hate me so much?  (Or maybe it's just Michael Schur who hates me.  What did I ever do to you, Mr. Schur?)

  • Love 20
Link to comment
Traveller519

Traveller519

I loved the whole My Dinner with Andre vibe with Michael and Janet acting solely off one another for such a large part of the episode. Janet expressing so many thoughts through her cheery framework and Michael showing genuine concern were really touching. Not many shows would be willing to have a supporting cast centred episode. 

Was that Alison Becker with Sean in the administrative opening? 

  • Love 9
Link to comment
Dots And Stripes

Dots And Stripes

2 minutes ago, Traveller519 said:

I loved the whole My Dinner with Andre vibe with Michael and Janet acting solely off one another for such a large part of the episode. Janet expressing so many thoughts through her cheery framework and Michael showing genuine concern were really touching. Not many shows would be willing to have a supporting cast centred episode. 

Was that Alison Becker with Sean in the administrative opening? 

Close, that was former Pawnee resident Wendy Haverford (Jama Williamson). I only realized she was on this show after seeing a list of actors on multiple Schur shows.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
DEM

DEM

I was dreading the confirmation of the Janet-Loves-Jason theory, yet despite it coming true, I really enjoyed this episode! I watched it twice, back-to-back. Janet is delightful.

  • Love 9
Link to comment
SomeTameGazelle

SomeTameGazelle

33 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I wondered if she was going to beg, too, but maybe when it's reached the stage of self-destruct, the time for begging is past.

Yes, the self-destruct was clearly the last resort and there would be no reason to program the Janets to invoke the begging at that point. They just want to discourage the rebooting so those "murders" trigger the begging protocol. But self-destruct is recommended when the glitching is out of control, so it made sense.

  • Love 6
Link to comment
thuganomics85

thuganomics85

"Custard's Last Flan."  "I Thought I Saw a Puddin Vat."  I really want to see a contest between The Good Place writers and the iZombie ones over who can create the most hilarious name puns on their shows!

Loved the episode, despite Eleanor/Chidi/Jason/Tahani only being in about one scene each.  A great Janet-centric episode in general, but also a great insight into the relationship between Janet and Michael.  While I'm still unsure if I will ever find Michael trustworthy again, I really do believe that he actually has grown to consider her a friend, and he really couldn't bring himself to "turn her into the size of a marble and launch her into space."  D'Arcy Carden and Ted Danson were perfect here.  And, of course, I love all the random stuff and gags anytime Janet lied.  Especially vomiting pennies.  I kept laughing harder the longer it went, especially when it went on Michael and his/Ted Danson's annoyed look about it.

While brief, I still liked the moments we got of the other four like Jason trying to get Tahani into jalapeno poppers, poor Chidi getting a face (and feet) of needles thanks to Vicky, and Eleanor giving Janet advice about finding a "rebound guy."  Since it really looks like Janet's glitches are because she still has feelings for Jason deep down, I'm curious to see how this will play out (still suspect Jason/Janet are endgame, so Jason/Tahani won't last for too long.)  Also, I noticed that Eleanor briefly gushed about hot Jason is, so really, it seems like she find everyone here attractive on some level (although, I still think Tahani is the one that gets the most comments.)

Only thing I'm unsure of is the Derek character because I don't mind Jason Mantzoukas, but I feel like he only can play one type of character, so I depending on how and how much they use him going forward, I'm not sure if he'll work or not (he was fine in Parks & Recs, but I felt like he overstayed his welcome a bit on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.)

  • Love 13
Link to comment
Anisky

Anisky

Hey, so, basically confirmation that The Actual Good Place is up to something, right?

"Doors were unlocked, no security, I mean, it makes sense, right? They're good, so they're stupid and trusting." 

I mean, that means that they wanted Michael to take a Janet, no? Or at least that they're hoping that some Bad Place employee will take a Janet? 


I was gratified that I was 100% correct about what was going on with Janet and insist that I deserve cookies. I do kind of wish there'd been some unexpected twist, but I guess The Good Place can't manage that EVERY time, and the thing towards the end about Janet creating a person was pretty interesting. Hey, more evidence for my theory from a while back that Janet is becoming God through being rebooted so many times! 

  • Love 16
Link to comment
Anisky

Anisky

39 minutes ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

Yes, the self-destruct was clearly the last resort and there would be no reason to program the Janets to invoke the begging at that point. They just want to discourage the rebooting so those "murders" trigger the begging protocol. But self-destruct is recommended when the glitching is out of control, so it made sense.

Also, well, if they showed Janet begging, it would remind everyone that we've seen Janet lie before and we know she lied like crazy every time she was rebooted. If it comes up, they’ll probably just hand wave it away that it’s a completely separate subroutine so it isn’t really Janet that’s lying or something, or even just say that trying to prevent rebooting is just an exception. But they thought it was better if they just didn't bring people's attention to it, maybe?

It feels kinda off to me, though, since it’s a time that obviously Janets CAN and DO lie. 

  • Love 3
Link to comment
possibilities

possibilities

I love how bureaucratic thinking operates with Shaun and the other supervisors. They said they understood why Michael needed a Janet, so the torturees would think they were in The Good Place. But of course the torturees would have no reason to know that Janets existed, or what The Good Place would be like, and thus they would have no reason to suspect anything was wrong if none existed.

It does seem like Janets are needed to construct and maintain a neighborhood. But that's not what Shaun said in that scene.

 

I think the begging is to prevent a random reboot of a non-glitching Janet. Janets who are glitching are apparently programmed to beg for death the way that fully operative Janets are programmed to lobby against it. It makes sense to me. Both ways, it's a failsafe.

  • Love 4
Link to comment
GaT

GaT

(edited)

Jason: "We've been robbed!" LMAO

Interesting episode, I'm glad we got more of Janet, she's definitely become one of my favorite characters.

Edited by GaT
  • Love 14
Link to comment
Blakeston

Blakeston

2 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

I was so thrilled when we finally got rid of him in Brookly 99... and now he had to show up in my other favorite show.  Why does the Universe hate me so much?  (Or maybe it's just Michael Schur who hates me.  What did I ever do to you, Mr. Schur?)

I thought I was the only person who couldn't stand Jason Mantzoukas. I really, really don't need to see him bring his tired "Look at how obnoxious I can be!" schtick to another terrific show.

  • Love 17
Link to comment
Kromm

Kromm

4 hours ago, J0nas3 said:

This show just keeps surprising me where it chooses to go.

 

4 hours ago, Dots And Stripes said:

I'm relieved Janet created Derek rather than using Chidi as a rebound. 

Agreed. I expected the cliche of Eleanor being made to eat her own words when Janet rebounded with Chidi. and then lame triangle drama. But they didn't go there. So me happy!

  • Love 8
Link to comment
Jamoche

Jamoche

Michael demonstrated real moral growth - he's got a friend that he doesn't want to destroy - and Chidi missed all of it. Michael will probably be smug when he gets around to noticing it - he's got something he can drop into conversation that'll make the needles look like a minor annoyance.

  • Love 8
Link to comment
TheOtherOne

TheOtherOne

This is easily my favorite episode to date. I've never laughed out loud as much or as hard as I did during this one, and for the first time I immediately wanted to watch the episode again as soon as it was over.

D'Arcy Carden is a treasure. This was perfection.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
Lebanna

Lebanna

(edited)

If the real Good Place's idea of fixing small awkward errors is turning someone (because clearly Janets are someone, even while they aren't people) into a marble and eating it/firing it into space, I'm not sure how Good the Good Place actually is.

I dread to think what will happen to the neighborhood when Jason and Derek team up.

Edited by Lebanna
  • Love 5
Link to comment
arc

arc

1 hour ago, Lebanna said:

If the real Good Place's idea of fixing small awkward errors is turning someone (because clearly Janets are someone, even while they aren't people) into a marble and eating it/firing it into space, I'm not sure how Good the Good Place actually is.

While this Janet is a Good Janet, I would imagine both kinds are made by the same neutral facility. Also, it's not clear to me that regular (or slightly upgraded) Janets are that much like people. Also also, those weren't small awkward errors: this Janet would have exploded or imploded the entire neighborhood, and probably soon.

The episode was really delightful. D'Arcy Carden plays a funny but difficult character so perfectly. And yeah, like some of y'all I thought Janet's rebound guy would be Chidi. I'm so pleased it's Mantzoukas though, because I think he's hilarious.

  • Love 7
Link to comment
Amarsir

Amarsir

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

I love how bureaucratic thinking operates with Shaun and the other supervisors. They said they understood why Michael needed a Janet, so the torturees would think they were in The Good Place. But of course the torturees would have no reason to know that Janets existed, or what The Good Place would be like, and thus they would have no reason to suspect anything was wrong if none existed.

That has always been a bit of a plot hole. Michael covered it by saying “lies work better when they’re closer to the truth”, but really there was no need to ever tell them “The Good Place” and “The Bad Place” exist at all. Make up one afterlife place, pick four incompatible humans to torture each other, and there’s nothing to discover. (Obviously then no show either.) I choose to explain this in that most people don’t think very far outside their own box. Good Place / Bad Place are real, and it’s revolutionary to even pretend to be the other. Dropping the model entirely would be too far from their own paradigm.

This episode does seem to have undermined the idea that there is any more subterfuge left. There is a Good Place. It’s run by Angels. They do use Good Janets and Michael did steal one. I’m not saying there are no more twists in the show, but I’d say our perspective of the universeks structure is more-or-less accurate.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
Mabinogia

Mabinogia

9 hours ago, Anisky said:

I do kind of wish there'd been some unexpected twist,

IDK, Janet creating her very own human was a pretty big twist for me. Didn't see that coming at all. Also, damn I wish I had that ability. What I love is that, even though it was predictable that Janet's glitches were related to Jason, the way she dealt with it was still surprising. 

What was interesting to me was while I was glad the Humans showed up, I didn't miss them at all. Michael and Janet carried this episode amazingly. I LOVED getting the backstory on how he got her and what they've been through. LOL at pudding restaurants. What even is that? hahahahaha

Poor Chidi. After the ethics torture last week, Michael picks him for Vicky to torture again? What do you have against Chidi, Michael? 

Tahani is losing me. I feel bad that she doesn't have a soul mate, Jason has Janet (I am convinced they will get back together, I don't like the new guy) and Eleanor has Chidi (even if they don't end up romantic their bond is incredibly strong. Tahani is bending over backwards trying to make Jason happen which is a sign they are doomed. 

  • Love 10
Link to comment
Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory

(edited)

What I found most interesting was that Eleanor despite all her flaws treats Janet like a person while Vicky kept calling Janet an ‘it’ even if that was technically true.

Also after episodes of people wondering if the show was going to deal with the Jason/Janet thing....IT DID!!!! And quite effectively too I might add.  Trust the show people.

Micheal and Janet have a sweat relationship.

Edited by Chaos Theory
Autocorrect is evil
  • Love 8
Link to comment
ItCouldBeWorse

ItCouldBeWorse

(edited)
On 10/27/2017 at 9:26 AM, Chaos Theory said:

What I found most interesting was that Eleanor despite all her flaws treats Janet like a person while Vicky kept calmly Janet an ‘it’ even if that was technically true.

Well, Eleanor is human and Vicky is a demon. And humans don't have extensive experience with humanoid non-humans as tools/servants, and demons do.

We've seen from Michael that a demon can change, though.

I was going to say that Eleanor has spent much more time with Janet than Vicky has, but she's not aware of that, so unless she remembers subconsciously, that's not an explanation.

So, demon it is.

Edited by ItCouldBeWorse
  • Love 3
Link to comment
biakbiak

biakbiak

2 hours ago, Amarsir said:

but really there was no need to ever tell them “The Good Place” and “The Bad Place” exist at all. Make up one afterlife place, pick four incompatible humans to torture each other, and there’s nothing to discover. (Obviously then no show either.) I

I think it was essential because part of the torture for Eleanor and Jason was thinking that they were in the Good Place by mistake. 

  • Love 12
Link to comment
  • Popular Post
Rockstar99435

Rockstar99435

  • Popular Post

Janet's "I am happy for them. I am. I am. I am not. I am not. I am not happy for them." was so sad. Janet is my favorite. I love everything about her. Even her dumb new rebound boyfriend. I liked how he was introducing himself to the plants in the background. I want to see more of Janet and Eleanor bonding over broken hearts. And I really want to see Janet getting loopy on magnets.

  • Love 34
Link to comment
Winston Wolfe

Winston Wolfe

3 hours ago, Amarsir said:

This episode does seem to have undermined the idea that there is any more subterfuge left. There is a Good Place. It’s run by Angels.

We also know that there is a Medium Place as well.  This leaves the mostly unexplored concept that this Universe does have a form of purgatory, and that's where the four humans are right now.  Trying to win their way into the actual Good Place.  It could be, given all Michael's lies and machinations, that they are actually not in the Bad Place after all.

5 hours ago, arc said:

The episode was really delightful. D'Arcy Carden plays a funny but difficult character so perfectly.

I feel like this is the most gifted, versatile cast on TV right now, and a bit sad that other than Kristen Bell and Ted Danson (who have both taken their game to another level on this show) I didn't know any of these immensely skilled actors.

  • Love 11
Link to comment
Jamoche

Jamoche

11 hours ago, possibilities said:

I love how bureaucratic thinking operates with Shaun and the other supervisors. They said they understood why Michael needed a Janet, so the torturees would think they were in The Good Place. But of course the torturees would have no reason to know that Janets existed, or what The Good Place would be like, and thus they would have no reason to suspect anything was wrong if none existed.

Theory: Part of being in The Good Place is being able to get whatever you want, and for that you need a Janet. Demons and bad Janets may have the power, but they wouldn't be able to resist putting a bad spin on it.

If FroYo was Janet's idea for round 1, did Michael also ask her the same question in the various reboots?

  • Love 3
Link to comment
tennisgurl

tennisgurl

To me, the biggest revelation is that the Good Place seems to be up to something in regards to Michael's plan. I mean, "totally unguarded without any security"? Seems a little suspicious to me. Maybe they are running their own experiment to see if people (or demons) can change, and they want to rewrite the rules of the Good Place?

I am so glad they dealt with Janet and Jason and how Janet feels about it! I loved the whole episode being about Michael and Janet and their history, and how Janet became more human, and Michael has become a better person/demon throughout their years together. It was so sweet when Michael admitted that he didn't want to destroy Janet because "friends" and that he cared about her and didn't want another Janet. Plus, Janet is amazing as always. "kill me kill me kill me..." I was so sad earlier that Michael was an evil demon and I couldn't enjoy him anymore, but even evil demon Michael is a big demonic softie. 

We didn't get much of the rest of the cast, but I enjoyed the glimpses we got, especially poor Chidi being tortured with acupuncture. Vicki really must miss flaming pitchfork tortures, because she sucks at being subtle. 

And suddenly a wild Jason Mantzoukas appears! Does the guy have a special contract that he must be on a show I watch at all times? He leaves B99, and how he arrives here? Well, for the people dont like him, this really IS the Bad Place!

  • Love 8
Link to comment
Affogato

Affogato

Odd that Michael didn't know about paperclips but you need paperclips to decommission a Janet. Loved the pudding/yogurt transition (although I actually like frozen yogurt).

Great episode.

I wonder if we are going to find out what is happening with the others, including the pins in chidi, in the next episode?

  • Love 2
Link to comment
marketdoctor

marketdoctor

The frozen yogurt was also a callback to Parks & Recreation, where in "The Wall" Ron Swanson writes a letter to frozen yogurt manufacturers saying "be ice cream or be nothing."  (Personally, I like it for what it is, but it's not ice cream.)

Those looked like accupuncture needles in Chidi, but I loved how he was asked to ride it out, and the whole discussion of how that was a great torture.

 

Happy-for-a-reason Janet is amazing.  Evil Janet melting down when she tries to be nice was surreal and absurd at the same time.

  • Love 4
Link to comment
Blakeston

Blakeston

33 minutes ago, Jamoche said:

Theory: Part of being in The Good Place is being able to get whatever you want, and for that you need a Janet. Demons and bad Janets may have the power, but they wouldn't be able to resist putting a bad spin on it.

Janet made it sound like a Janet is an essential tool for building a neighborhood. She implied that Michael would be the architect of the neighborhood, but she'd be the one to make his vision happen.

  • Love 7
Link to comment
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...