Yeah, as a Chidi-backstory episode it was very sweet and fulfilling!
All the mini-Chidi acting sequences were adorable. The idea that his presentation didn't auto-fix his parents' problems, just inspired them to go into counseling and go through the process of working on the problems, was a nice realistic bit of insight. You don't usually see that situation on TV.
Not a lot of jokes, although when they went for the laugh, they got it. (And the slow-mo drink-spilling interludes were a great bit.)
I don't remember anyone but Michael mentioning the divorce backstory. When did it come up with Eleanor? It makes sense to me that Chidi would open up to her about it during one of the reboots where they slowly fell in love -- and most of the show takes place during times when at least one of them doesn't have that memory, so it would've been hard to work in.
My only gripes were (a) Chidi's "soulmates" were all women, doubling down on a pattern where the show will gesture at female characters being bi but conspicuously avoid doing it for male ones, and (b) why didn't he ask Janet whether soulmates were a real mechanic of the universe? Michael's position of "can't rule it out for sure, but I don't think so" felt right for him, but Janet should actually know!
Re: Crossposting to my own journal
All the mini-Chidi acting sequences were adorable. The idea that his presentation didn't auto-fix his parents' problems, just inspired them to go into counseling and go through the process of working on the problems, was a nice realistic bit of insight. You don't usually see that situation on TV.
Not a lot of jokes, although when they went for the laugh, they got it. (And the slow-mo drink-spilling interludes were a great bit.)
I don't remember anyone but Michael mentioning the divorce backstory. When did it come up with Eleanor? It makes sense to me that Chidi would open up to her about it during one of the reboots where they slowly fell in love -- and most of the show takes place during times when at least one of them doesn't have that memory, so it would've been hard to work in.
My only gripes were (a) Chidi's "soulmates" were all women, doubling down on a pattern where the show will gesture at female characters being bi but conspicuously avoid doing it for male ones, and (b) why didn't he ask Janet whether soulmates were a real mechanic of the universe? Michael's position of "can't rule it out for sure, but I don't think so" felt right for him, but Janet should actually know!