This review contains spoilers for The Good Place series finale, titled "Whenever You're Ready."
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Few sitcoms — or television shows in general, really — have ever aimed quite as high as NBC’s The Good Place. Attempting to pin down a theory of morality that can fully govern and give meaning to human existence in only 52 episodes is a Herculean (or perhaps more aptly, Aristotelian) task. It’s one that The Good Place handled with as much aplomb as humanly possible, but in its final hour the focus is no longer on ethical quandaries or saving humanity. Rather, the finale is a long-due bout of catharsis, focusing solely on the ending of Jason, Tahani, Chidi, Janet, Michael, and Eleanor’s lives in the afterlife.
At its most clinical level, The Good Place’s fourth season was about building a better afterlife. Seasons 1 and 2 were focused on unraveling the mysteries of the intricate system; Season 3 was devoted to picking apart its shortcomings. Smart writing and brilliant performances from the main cast ensured that the series never faltered despite the fact that it was never going to top that absolute zinger of a Season 1 finale.
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“Whenever You’re Ready” packs an emotional punch early on as Jason (who is happily coupled with Janet and enjoying not-living in a Stupid Nick’s Wing Dump) reaches a symbolic end point by playing the perfect game of Madden with his father. It’s fitting that Jason is the first to feel ready to pass on given that his worldly concerns have always been the simplest. That doesn’t mean that they’re any less important, however, and appearances from Jason’s dad, Pillboi, and Jason’s dance crew set the cathartic tone for the rest of the episode.
The finale also does its due diligence calling back to previous characters and gags like the prophetic Doug Fawcett or the magic panda, an easter egg spawned from Jason’s Season 2 escape plan to “Catch that magic panda, use her powers!” However, the episode isn’t bogged down by quippy callbacks or guest appearances from stars like Nick Offerman or Mary Steenburgen, keeping the focus squarely on giving the main cast time to pass on.
“Whenever You’re Ready” eschews the particulars in favor of heady emotional resolutions and quiet moments between friends. In a way, it doesn’t quite feel like a classic Good Place episode: there are no life- or death-threatening stakes at place, no existential questions to be answered, and no crucial wrongs to be righted. In fact, it feels almost a bit too idyllic and tonally out of step with the season as a whole, which lingered a bit too much on new characters and dilemmas rather than honing in on relationships between the central cast. That being said, the finale course corrects a bit by focusing in on Team Cockroach (or if you prefer, the Soul Squad) itself. A 90-minute goodbye is what these characters have earned.
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Tahani finds peace after reconciling with her sister-cum-archnemesis-cum-best friend Kamilah and their parents. She also masters nearly every talent known to man, choosing to take on the ultimate duty as an Architect rather than leaving. Chidi learns how to be confident in his decisions, making the ultimate choice to pass on. Michael finally gets to defer control, giving up his demon nature to live, and be judged, as a human on Earth. Jason spends a not-insignificant number of Jeremy Bearimys meditating in the forest before passing, harkening back to his early days as Jianyu the monk.
Eleanor, however, is the most heart-wrenching case. Defined by her selfishness throughout the show, her ultimate resolution is arguably the most admirable. By the time the finale hits, she’s gotten everything that she ever wanted: friends who genuinely care about her, faith from those who believe in her, an unconditional soulmate, a renewed relationship with her mother, and a margarita whenever the situation calls for one. In order to feel at peace, she has to give it all up after helping those she cares about reach self-actualization.
Just as Eleanor learns how to properly move on, we have to do the same. While fans of the series, myself included, would likely watch infinite seasons of The Good Place until our own day of judgment, the finale is ultimately so strong because it abides by its own message: in order for anything to have potent meaning, it must come to an end. Last summer, showrunner Michael Schur posted a note on the show’s official Twitter account informing fans that Season 4 would be the last, something that he decided after the series was renewed for a second season. The finale ultimately feels so satisfying because The Good Place has said everything that it needed to say. Rather than prolonging the inevitable with season after season or less potent material, it leaves us with one final note: “Take it sleazy.”from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/37EKIs6
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