Liam Hoofe reviews the second episode of The Good Place season 4…
The Good Place has typically premiered with an hour-long episode, so the decision to cut this season’s opening episode into two parts was a curious one. In many ways, it paid off, with A Girl From Arizona Part 2 bringing a more emotional balance to last week’s whacky opener. That being said, A Girl from Arizona Part 2 felt much more like a ‘part 2’ than its own fully formed episode.
The big crisis surrounding Eleanor and the gang on this week’s episode was not one being presented by an external force (though, there are plenty of them as well) but rather an internal one. After trying and failing to win over Brent, Eleanor walks in on the group questioning her place as the leader. It’s an interesting moment and one that takes the episode in an interesting direction.
Eleanor being riddled with self-doubt provides plenty of interesting options for the story and the episode’s finest moment comes when Michael sits her down for one of his pep talks. Not only does he reveal that he faked his breakdown at the end of the last season, but he also reminds Eleanor that this group beat him hundreds of times and that they have shown a lot of resilience in the past. This all leads to Michael convincing Eleanor that she has to get Chidi and Simone together if they are ever going to win this challenge.
This is also a brilliant nod to just how far Eleanor has come over the four seasons and how much Michael has recognised that. Ted Danson is absolutely brilliant in this episode, as he is often is and the relationship between him and Eleanor continues to provide the beating heart right at the centre of the show.
Elsewhere, Janet breaks up with Jason, and then in another cruel blow, reveals to him that his beloved Blake Bortles has been dropped by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jason continues to provide the show with plenty of comic relief has things heat up elsewhere and it will be fun to see what kind of ending they decide to give him and Janet.
Simone took a little bit of a backseat in this episode after being so heavily featured in the season’s opener. It will be interesting to see whether Chidi has it in him to convince her that she is actually dead and it will also be interesting to see how Eleanor deals with the romance between the two of them.
Verdict: A Girl From Arizona Part 2 rounded off the season premiere nicely and added some real emotional levity to the season going forward.
Liam Hoofe
