[8.4/10] A real winner. I am a sucker for bottle episodes, particularly ones that use the opportunity to dig into character and really allow for some creative writing and performances. Despite a few flashbacks and some CGI trickery, this is a mostly-contained half hour that lets the strengths of the performers and the writers’ room shine through.
There’s two great arcs here. The first centers on Janet herself, and the realization that her malfunctions are due to her sublimated feelings for Jason emerging every time she claims to be happy about something involving him and Tahani. It’s not much of a revelation given what we saw last week, but it’s still realized nicely.
The process of Michael troubleshooting Janet leads to all sorts of creative sequences showing off the show’s high concept chops. But I also enjoy the idea that (a.) Janet isn’t even aware of why she has these feelings about Jason and has to come to terms with them in her own, A.I. sort of way, and (b.) that she’s willing to die, again in her own detached way, if it means protecting Jason.
It’s a great showcase for D’Arcy Carden, who plays up Janet’s traditional chipper dialtone demeanor, while also finding room for subtle bits of emotion that show the ways she’s becoming a little more human.
It’s also a great showcase for Ted Danson. Michael comes to terms with the fact (mostly through flashback) that despite everything, he views Janet as a friend. She helped him solve his biggest problems and has been there for him, whether from affection or programmed duty, from the beginning, and he can’t bear to let her go. It’s a nice bit of parallelism in Michael becoming just a little more human as well.
“Janet and Michael” is the type of episode that could provide challenging in the wrong hands, but on The Good Place, it gives the audience a heap of creative comedy and character development without being able to rely on traditional TV storytelling beats or changes in scenery. Kudos to all.
(Plus hey, it's Dennis Feinstein as Janet's new manufactured boyfriend!)
A whole episode just for Janet and Michael was a refreshing change of pace for the show. It was definitely fun to get more insight in a friendship we (and them) didn't know it was there!
Seeing the guy who plays "Pimento" on Brooklyn Nine-Nine as Janet's "rebound boyfriend" (oh, lol) was the cherry on top, that dude is perfect for nonsensical roles!
Also, I forking love Bad Janet! I wish we'd get a whole episode with her!
Last episode was a letdown, but this one brought things back on track, it was loads of fun!
i love how the way how janet is portrayed, and her acting is so amazing.
Is Pimento always like that?
Jason Mantzoukas! One of my very fav comedy actors
I love Kristen. And D'Arcy Carden, Jameela, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto, they're all awesome, what a brilliant cast. But man, Ted Danson is the best!!!
Also... Derek!! :joy::rofl:
Janet's user manual has to be pulled out of her nose? I don't buy that she was designed that way by Good Place engineers… Based on the descriptions we get of The Good Place, I very much doubt they would have engineered such a gross solution to the problem.
Shout by PongpengVIP 2BlockedParentSpoilers2017-10-28T05:05:13Z
D’Arcy Carden is already a treasure, but she and Ted Danson together in an almost-bottle episode are just amazing. Danson admitting they were friends turns out to be unexpectedly affecting too. Reminds me of Anya processing unfamiliar emotions in Buffy's "The Body", but obvious far, far less severe.