Season 3 Episode 11: Reaction and Discussion Post

[sorchasilver]

A place to squee, flail, post thinky thoughts, and otherwise generally react to tonight's episode. I'll be watching it on Netflix here tomorrow, but in the meantime, have at it!

Comments

[readmethesigns]

Towards the end of the episode I was thinking about how much this felt like a season finale, so I'm very intrigued to see where they go with this next week! Also happy to be back in the familiar TGP setting, I've missed it. The Derek appearance was a surprise, I wonder how long he'll stick around for.

chapter 38

[oldtoadwoman]

I'm not even going to attempt to predict this series. It never goes where I expect.

I miss when I was new to the show and was marathoning whole chunks at once. I don't wanna wait another week!

Re: chapter 38

[readmethesigns]

Agreed!

I caught up on the show early on in season 1 so I'm used to watching it week-to-week, but I wish I could save the episodes because yeah it's a show suited for marathon viewing but at the same time... I'm always too eager to watch the next episode as soon as I can.

Re: chapter 38

[sciatrix]

SO much agreement! I was definitely not expecting to see a whole new group of experimental people here.

[enemyofperfect]

It's downright exhilarating the way this show burns through plot. Do you think Eleanor is going to have to take Michael's place in the season finale? That would be amazing.

I'm still kind of bemused that Chidi and Eleanor are in love now, and I have no idea what's up with Derek's reintroduction, but I guess at this point I am 100% here for the moral philosophy and wackiness rather than the relationships, so I'm doing pretty okay with that?

[erinptah]

The plot-burning speed was great early on, but now it feels like they're pushing to reach a "this could be the season finale" ending for every episode -- and skipping over important development in the process :(

And yeah, it's a little frustrating that the approach to relationships is "characters discover that in a previous loop they used to be in love, discuss the possibility of falling in love again, and get written as if they're a well-established couple from then on."

I did enjoy Derek's "very classy martini."

Love the prospect of Michael and the humans running a new Fake Good Place. Love the setup for Eleanor to step into Michael's planned role -- it fits with their parallel character arcs. Tolerantly amused by the "we already had this set built, we're going to shoehorn in a reason to bring it back" setup.

Mildly annoyed by the "we keep saying these AIs don't have genders, but it just coincidentally happens that the one who goes by 'she'+is played by a woman and the one who goes by 'he'+is played by a man are making 'babies' together, inspiring a male character to be jealous of the 'he'."

Very entertained by the Neednoggle. (A great deep cut for fans who've been listening to the podcast.)

[enemyofperfect]

Yeah, this show continues to be pretty heteronormative except around the margins, unfortunately. I'm not totally clear on how Derek has anything to contribute to Janet's people-making at all. But maybe there's going to be a storyline involving all of Janet's creations, and whatever moral status they possess? Comparing and contrasting ordinary humans with blank slates, perhaps?

Although I'm still not sure where Derek -- who was created as a rebound fling, had most of his brain yanked out when Janet got sick of him, was given to Mindy as a sex toy, and has since been rebooted thousands of times -- would factor into that. He's... a pretty weird piece to have on the board.

[erinptah]

The moral status of Janet's creations is a really good question! I do hope they get there.

Derek's his only broad narrative purpose so far seems to be "making Jason jealous," which, ehhh. But it's coming with a lot of funny moments, so that's nice.

[thatwasjustadream]

Ah... I have to listen to the podcast. :}

That whole little world was visually wonderful.

[erinptah]

Did some googling and I was way off on the spelling, whoops! The show's VFX supervisor is David Niednagel, and the crew's general slang term for every weird CGI visual effect has been "a Niednagel" since season 1.

[thatwasjustadream]

I'm not big on the relationshippy stuff either, but I am finding Eleanor/Chidi a little more appealing the last two episodes. Except where they had her get all weepy the second she realized she had something to lose, I mean.... c'mon.... But their banter doesn't feel forced to me, and I'm more on board than I expected to be.

I do think Eleanor is going to have to step in, and then (like it or not) she's suddenly the big boss, lol. How will Michael be framed to the new residents, in that case?

Is it really the season finale next week? Gah. Goes too quickly.

[enemyofperfect]

How will Michael be framed to the new residents, in that case?

Oh wow, I hadn't even considered that! And I feel like whatever the explanation is, it will be hilarious. Unless it's heartbreaking. I guess heartbreaking is also a possibility.

[erinptah]

Michael could be her assistant! The new incoming humans have no reason to think that's implausible.

Or Eleanor could frame it as "hi, I'm the architect's assistant, it's my job to welcome you to the neighborhood while he gives it one last quality-check." And then Michael could slide into place as planned once his panic attack is over. (But that doesn't seem dramatic enough for this show.)