The Good Place: Help Is Other People (4x07)

I have some concerns, actually.

Cons:

So, I have always admired this show's ability to mix things up, change the game, constantly adapt. But the thing is... these first seven episodes were supposed to be about an experiment with the humans. Apparently now the experiment is over, and I did not get to feel any of that progress or really sink in to what it all meant. John was a nothing character. And Brent? Maybe he was about to have a breakthrough, but I need to see more of that. I need to explore the implications of what he's finally realizing. Even Simone became pretty one-note, driven only by her desire to find out the truth, and nothing more. I'm disappointed in how little time we got to spend with these characters. I wanted to explore their relationship dynamics further. I wanted to turn them from caricatures into fully realized human beings, like what happened with Tahani, Jason, Chidi, and Eleanor. But Brent and John still feel extremely one-note to me. That's disappointing.

I suppose I should lodge my continued complaint that Tahani and Jason haven't had that much to do all season. There have been sparks here or there, and last week's episode was a good one for both of them in some ways. But I still feel like the show is struggling with ideas for what to do with these two characters.

Pros:

I like the idea of the Hail Mary, though. Basically, as the clock winds down on the experiment, it seems that the humans have figured out they are being played. So, they make Brent fall into a giant hole, with the goal that Chidi, Simone, and John will team up to help him, just out of the goodness of their hearts. But... the Hail Mary doesn't work. Eleanor and Michael then tell Chidi and Brent that they are actually in the Bad Place, leading Brent to a crisis about whether or not he is a good person. This is a great idea. I wish the buildup had been better. I wish I had seen more from Brent in the lead-up to this crisis moment for him. But within the confines of this single episode, it was cool to see him finally confront some ugly truths. I need more. I definitely need more. But the framework is there for something potentially interesting.

I also like that Simone and John just... leave. Simone should not have to stay around to help Brent. She has given him chance after chance after chance, and Chidi ultimately respects her decision to leave, just as Simone respects Chidi's decision to stay. While they are both people of science and reason, Chidi has a romantic heart, and more hope about humanity in general. Simone is too caught up in a rational mindset to believe in the possibility that maybe she really is in the Good Place, that maybe she really does have a soulmate. It's an interesting dynamic, and leads to their respectful (and "boring" according to John) breakup.

Once again, Jason kills it with being an idiot and also perfectly wise all at the same time. He has perfect analogies for what they're doing with the experiment, and also comes clean to the others about being Jason, without blowing the whole plan. I just like tracking his progress as an oddly competent idiot.

I think that's all. I have been a bit let down with how little I've come to understand the humans in the experiment. But every time this show decides to pivot and try something new, I've been excited and intrigued. So I'm choosing to trust that I'll enjoy whatever comes next!

7/10