Now this is more like it.
This episode has a lot to do. Most importantly, we’re introduced to “Real” Eleanor, a woman so perfect she might have been made in a lab. She’s sweet and supportive and spent her weekends breaking up dogfighting rings. She never once complains about her time in the Bad Place or takes offense that “Fake” Eleanor’s been enjoying the good life as she was tortured.
Eleanor agrees to go to the Bad Place after getting drunk with Trevor. She feels alienated because Chidi and “Real” Eleanor are getting along famously. Her look after Chidi assures “Real” Eleanor that the relationship was platonic speaks volumes, as does her little smile when Chidi offers to walk her over to Tahani’s for negotiations. Chidi sees this and intuitively knows that Eleanor is isolating herself because she’s scared and sad and maybe even a bit jealous. Chidi and Eleanor’s relationship is one of the high points of a show that is full of high points. Chidi is patient and so understanding; it’s no wonder he ended up in the Good Place.
The flashbacks take us through Eleanor’s adolescence and adulthood where we learn that she is not a joiner. She doesn’t do clubs or buddies or anything of the sort. She even turns down what seems to be a really good job because she feels the people are too friendly with each other. Her new job, selling fake drugs to old people is much more her speed (Thursday night drinks are grandfathered in with a quick line). Ultimately, current Eleanor realizes that she’s changed. She doesn’t belong in the Good Place, but she wants to. She’s made friends there.
We are introduced to Bad Janet. D’Arcy Carden is perhaps the show’s most underrated player. I’m not going to say more than that right now, but trust me. Meanwhile, Good Janet is still broken. She bonds with Jason as he explains to her what jalapeño poppers are. I’ve never had them. They sound atrocious. Jason’s love for snack food (and ability to tap a keg) inspires this week’s cliffhanger: Tahani is onto Jason.
Ethical Bits
The title was presumably inspired by the Groucho Marx joke “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.”
Stairs to the bedroom in Eleanor’s house are revealed.
I really liked that one demon’s kitty ears.
I can’t believe “Real” Eleanor learned English from Seinfeld, ate soup, and yet skipped the obvious Soup Nazi joke.
The Good Quotes
Michael: “The Real Eleanor was attending a conference on the death penalty, and you stopped by to pick up food for a local homeless shelter. And Fake Eleanor was there buying margarita mix and a magazine called Celebrity Baby Plastic Surgery Disasters.”
Jason: “One time, at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Jacksonville, but the nice one, not the one above the gas station, I ate 50 [jalapeño poppers] in two minutes. Everyone at the hospital was so impressed.”
three out of four Scorpi-oties
sunbunny
Again it was a bit draggy for me.
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