‘PLACE’ OF HOPE
Humanity front & center as ‘Good’ returns
Everything is great!
It’s not, of course, but “The Good Place” wants you to believe that it could be. That’s the appeal of Michael Schur’s hit comedy — the hope that people can change.
And that’s where the third season picks up, with the four humans (Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Manny Jacinto and Jameela Jamil) sent back to Earth to try to make it to the Good Place, for real this time.
They’ve been given a second chance to be good enough in life to earn peace in death; the first time, they were all awful enough to end up in an ethereal afterlife where demon Michael (Ted Danson) spent his days trying to make their lives a living hell — literally — without them realizing it.
For the group, this reboot follows 800 or so before it. But this reboot is different. Season 3 opens to find the humans returning home as if the Bad Place never happened, because to them, it didn’t. The lessons they learned in Reboots 1 to 800 don’t travel. Over the 800 reboots, the humans have made marginal improvements, but more, they’ve identified their greatest faults.
Dimwitted Jason (Jacinto) is becoming more aware of his surroundings, acknowledging conflicting feelings for both Janet and Tehani. Chidi (Harper) tries to make a decision. Eleanor (Bell) wants to do the right thing. Tehani (Jamil), famous for being rich and pretty and knowing people, makes an effort to namedrop less, even if she isn’t particularly successful.
“I think Tehani’s become less of a douchebag,” Jamil told the Daily News.
Then there’s Janet (D’Arcy Carden), who serves as the most visceral representation of “The Good Place’s” belief in change. Over her own reboots, the not-a-robot, not-a-lady has become “the most advanced Janet ever.” She’s the one who’s changed the most, but where the foursome — and Michael — have tried to change, Janet has been changed by her surroundings, even if her goals haven’t.
“Her program is to make sure the humans are happy and safe and taken care of. The audience wants her to live a full life, but her job is to watch these four humans. When we start off Season 3, she’s on a mission to get them to the Good Place, but Michael is the captain of that ship. He’s creating a whole new thing again. Everything he does, it’s the first time it’s ever been done,” Carden told The News.
“Janet will do whatever Michael says. She’s his dude. She’s a good li’l helper.”
“The Good Place” works because of its cast. The other aspect of its success involves the most human belief that we can change each other.
“The Good Place” is still funny — quiet jokes that hit you a day later and loud, abrasive ones that are better watched if you can pause the show and laugh. Physical comedy, verbal comedy, it’s all there. But there’s more to it, too, which is what makes it so wonderful. “The Good Place” believes in redemption.