What I’m Watching: The Good Place

The Good Place: Season 3, Episode 5 “Jeremy Bearimy” (B+)

Every time that it seems like this show might be out of ideas and headed in a direction that isn’t particularly appealing, it manages to reinvent itself entirely and start fresh. I love the concepts that exist on this show in the afterlife like that of Jeremy Bearimy, whose name as written in cursive is the best visual explanation of how time works, or rather doesn’t happen in a linear fashion, in the afterlife. That the dot over the I undid Chidi was great, and what a spectacular mental break he experienced, losing his shirt and then making a horrifying chili with Peeps in it in front of his students. The other three, however, were positively compelled by the inevitability of their fate to do good just for the sake of it, which is a fun and relatively believable twist. I like that Eleanor isn’t actually nice to people, still mocking the father whose daughter’s drawing she unintentionally delivered back to him, while doing something selfless and kind in the process. And, as always, she was the one with the plan, since she may not always have been a good person, but she’s been resourceful all her life (and after her life). Tahani’s actions were very much not in her own self-interest, and it was hilarious to hear the eternally dimwitted Jason celebrate his tacos much more than his newfound platonic marriage, which creates evident problems for Tahani, who forgot that her real life keeps going even though she knows how it’s all going to end. That shouldn’t be too much of a hiccup in their new do-gooder team getting started on some great work, and I’m really excited to see where it goes!