The Good Place Review: Chillaxing (Season 4 Episode 3)

Classes are in session on The Good Place Season 4 Episode 3, “Chillaxing,” with Chidi beginning his moral philosophy/ethics trainings with Brent and Jason—and Tahani starting a “genuine human emotion” course with John.

This season has been heavier than others, and Episode 3 is no exception. Stakes aren’t just high for the whole gang—they’re each suffering individually. This episode does a great job of balancing the overarching darkness with quotable quips and tender one-on-one interactions. 

But first, it’s spa day—complete with candy-flavored mushroom water from Oprah’s estate and treatment specials like removing your vocal cords to make your legs look mysteriously better (*wink wink*). 

Janet, resident expert on healthy-ish coping mechanisms, sure understands the point of a spa day:

Janet: We exfoliate the dead skin cells of envy, and we detoxify his soul.

With John by her side, Tahani seems more in her element than ever before. She finally has an audience to appreciate her name dropping and indulge in the boujee things in [after]life. 

More beautiful than a replica of Victoria Beckham’s private spa is when Tahani begins to draw parallels between John’s former life and hers.

The old Tahani—upon realizing that she, like John, was jealous and miserable with no real friends on Earth—would have had a breakdown or a meltdown. 

But this new, evolved Tahani now has real friends, feels compassion for others, and is in touch enough with her emotions that she doesn’t have to fake a pleasant demeanor to get by. 

Taking John under her wing by the end of the episode, we see her beginning to use her past faults and traumas, along with three seasons of lessons learned, to help both John and the entirety of humanity. 

Meanwhile, Chidi doesn’t know it, but the fate of humanity rests heavily on his shoulders. The pressure (if only he know how much pressure) is wreaking havoc on his innards, thanks to Eleanor’s not-at-all-emotionally-driven-and-totally-sane plan. 

I don’t know if I feel worse for Chidi, who is now experiencing an elevated version of the moral conundrum he had with Eleanor in Season 1—or for Eleanor, who is getting her heart broken over and over again, while trying to protect the human race. 

It’s worth noting that this time around, Chidi seems to come to a decision to help Jason a lot quicker than he did with Eleanor. Thinking back, the scenario was a bit different.

In Eleanor’s case, she was the one to hear about her potential fate directly from Michael and pleaded with Chidi for help. In Jason’s case, it’s Chidi’s idea to teach him how to be good instead. But he’d already been asked to help Simone and Brent.

Do we think he’s going to connect the dots and realize his other students don’t belong in The Good Place either? Is he going to come back to the idea that he might not belong either? 

Chidi: I’m good at moral dilemmas. I like moral dilemmas. This just feels like I’m being punished somehow. Feel like I did something wrong, and this is the universe getting back at me. 

Despite Chidi’s fears and setbacks, by the end of the episode, “all four of these mofos” (Eleanor) seem to be set up for success. What could possibly go wrong? 

Other Thoughts:

• Is that the Grim Reaper riding in on the train tracks at the very end? What’s he supposed do with the already dead?  
• Can y’all hurry up and save humanity and give Chidi his memory back so he and Eleanor can be happy again? I can speak for all of us when I say we’re heartbroken. 
• I wonder what I’d get if I tossed a magic lava stone in the fire… 

With its parallels to Season 1 and impressive character development for a sitcom (then again, The Good Place is no ordinary sitcom), Episode 3 helps set us up for what is sure to be a satisfying end to the show.

What did you think of this episode? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Good Place airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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