“Tahani Al-Jamil” picked up where “Flying” left off: Eleanor contemplating who could’ve slid a note saying “you don’t belong here” under her door. Her first suspect is none other than her new nemesis: Tahani. In an effort to bond with Tahani and confirm that she wrote the threatening note, Eleanor goes with her door to door to inspire the town’s residents to stay positive through the recent disasters that hit The Good Place. She then steals Tahani’s diary to compare her handwriting to the note. Ultimately, she admits to Chidi that she hates people who are better people than she is and she ends up genuinely consoling Tahani, who is heartbroken over her inability to connect with her soulmate, Jianyu. At the end of the episode, she became Michael’s new assistant because he needs help figuring out what is happening to the neighborhood.
First things first: I finally started to care about Tahani with this episode and I’m so happy about that! She was in need of some character development and this episode was full of it. Though she was still her egotistical self, I really felt for her when she was detailing her relationship struggles. She still has her over the top, funny, vain side, but now we also get a little glimpse into her insecurities and worries, which really helped me care about her. Eleanor had some subtle development in this episode as well. Though her intentions for spending time with Tahani were manipulative, she seemed to genuinely care about consoling Tahani at the end of the episode. I was a little worried after last week that each episode would be Chidi introducing a different virtue and Eleanor learning about it, but her development here was much more subtle and tied to her building a relationship with Tahani, making it all the more believable.
The B-story of the episode involved Michael trying to help Chidi find a hobby because Chidi’s life on earth was so singularly focused. After trying a few things, Chidi realizes he wants to rewrite his book about ethics. Though this storyline felt a little random and as though the writers just needed to find something for Michael and Chidi to do in an episode primarily about Eleanor and Tahani, I loved seeing more about how delightfully controlling Michael is. As I mentioned last week, one of the things I’m most looking forward to is a Triple M: a Major Michael Meltdown and this episode only fueled that excitement. Whether it was telling Janet how she should act (which was my favorite gag running throughout the episode) or trying to find Chidi a hobby, Michael is oozing with Type A control issues. He’s sweet and genuine, so he’s still likable, but he definitely has some hilarious control problems.
Overall, one of my favorite parts of
The Good Place so far is the pacing. Though this episode was probably the least funny of the 3 that have aired, it has the best story and character development. All the supporting characters are getting some depth and Eleanor’s progress towards becoming a better person is slow roasting and believable. Having the various mysteries in the show such as who wrote Eleanor the note and why she is in The Good Place preoccupies Eleanor and stops the show from becoming a formulaic, “what value is Eleanor learning this week”, series. I also loved that this episode included the plant that would combust or wilt anytime Eleanor said something bad about Tahani but grew after they bonded. It was a nice metaphor for Eleanor’s personal growth while also reminding the audience that Eleanor’s actions affect the town, which is a plot point that wasn’t as prevalent in this episode.
Okay, let’s talk about the biggest reveal in the episode: Jianyu wrote Eleanor the note! AND HE TALKED! I. Love. This. I figured that the author of the note would be threatening Eleanor, not also in the same position (I can only imagine the flashbacks to Jianyu being a terrible person!). I especially like this twist because it raises the stakes of the show’s central mystery: Eleanor is no longer the only one who is in The Good Place by mistake. How did Jianyu end up there? Is there a mole in the selection process? How many others are there? The show could go in so many directions here and I am beyond excited to see what happens!
Overall Grade:
B+. Not laugh out loud funny and the B-Story was a little random, but “Tahani Al-Jamil” had some awesome character and story developments that have me on the edge of my seat (pull out couch).
Favorite Quotes:
Eleanor: She wants everybody to think she's such a perfect princess just 'cause she's tall and glamorous and has cappuccino skin and curves everywhere. And now I'm complimenting her. And kind of turned on. The point is, she straight up sucks, bro.
Tahani: Oh, this is silly. So "Tahani" means "congratulations" in Arabic. And "Al-Jamil" means "beautiful," so my full name all together means-
Eleanor: ”Congratulations, Beautiful.”
Eleanor: First of all, throwing sand is an excellent way to put out a vodka fire.
Chidi: Why would you even know that?!
Jianyu: I’m not supposed to be here either. I don't know how I got here, I have no idea what's going on, and I am freakin' out homey!
How did you feel about this week's twists? Let me know in the comments!
About the Author - Doug Greer
Doug Greer is a TV obsessed Leo from the Bay Area. His TV origin story begins in 7th grade, when his friend lent him her Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs and 144 episodes (and 9 days) later, he was hooked for life. All time favorites include (but most certaintly not limited to) everything Joss Whedon, Charmed, The 100, Nikita, Battlestar, and anything with a laugh track. More recently, Doug produced and help write a webseries for The CW called CW FanTalk and also produced webseries for actors such as AnnaLynne McCord and John Lehr. For the 2016-2017 season, Doug will be reviewing 2 Broke Girls, Mom, and The Good Place.
