The Good Place Review: Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy (Season 4 Episode 4)
The twists just keep coming on The Good Place Season 4 Episode 4, “Tinker, Tailor, Demon, Spy.”
The mystery of this episode is whether or not Michael really is Michael after all, thanks to an appearance from Glenn who insists he’s actually Demon Vicky in a Michael suit.
And because so many things have gone wrong for the gang so far, it’s not hard for them to believe The Bad Place is interfering somehow. Michael is, of course, heartbroken that Eleanor, in particular, is now questioning him. She’s not quick to believe Glenn, but the whole thing does make her skeptical.
Then finding out that Michael had been lying to them — that affects her ability to be able to trust him regardless. It’s almost a lesson for Michael, who is still learning what it means to be human.
That’s fascinating to me because the humans are focused on learning what it means to be good throughout the series. Michael, on the other hand, has been learning about humanity and all of its complexities. He’s even baffled that a lie to cover the other lies isn’t actually okay.
There’s a vulnerability to Michael now because of how much he’s changed. So when Eleanor asks him to take off his Michael suit to prove he isn’t Vicky, he still can’t do it.
That’s less about ruining the experiment by revealing himself to the neighborhood (really try to imagine the giant fire squid covered in teeth, you guys), and more about not wanting his friends to see his true demon form. It’s absurd, and funny, and endearing all at once.
Michael proves he’s really Michael by accident, though. In a classic willingness to sacrifice his own self, there’s no longer any question. That he’s willing to blow himself up and share the fate of Glenn, who is now a pile of goo, is all the proof Eleanor and the others need.
Luckily, he doesn’t get a chance to blow himself up because Jason has figured out who the real imposter is. It’s the best moment of the episode, and it’s so unexpected considering how often Jason is treated as though he’s nearly useless.
I’d even noticed that Janet wasn’t quite acting like herself this season. She was so subtly different — a little less joyful and a little more irritated. But for Jason, the obvious clue is when he calls her “girl” and she doesn’t respond “not a girl” like the Janet we all know would have done.
So he reveals that Janet is actually a Bad Janet — that’s who’s been interfering with the humans all this time.
Even better, Jason is angry and worried for real Janet, so much so that he’s willing to head to The Bad Place himself to save her.
It’s a really enjoyable side to Jason to see, and such a victorious moment. I’m excited about the next episode.
What did you think of this episode of The Good Place? 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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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.