The Good Place: Employee of the Bearimy
October 24, 2019 7:06 PM - Season 4, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Michael and Jason hatch a plan; Eleanor learns firsthand the difficulties of running the neighborhood.
I hope they find a way to restore Vicky. She's too much fun to spend the rest of this final season as a bucket of goo.
posted by MrBadExample at 8:16 PM on October 24, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by MrBadExample at 8:16 PM on October 24, 2019 [6 favorites]
I feel like I called it two weeks ago with possible Janet baby problems and that makes me proud. But I also didn’t see almost any of tonight’s crazy weirdness coming so the show is still surprising me.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:43 PM on October 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:43 PM on October 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
In fairness, I don't think "champagne glass full of Scrabble tiles" is the sort of thing anybody would have seen coming. And yet in retrospect, it makes perfect sense.
posted by MrBadExample at 8:46 PM on October 24, 2019 [31 favorites]
posted by MrBadExample at 8:46 PM on October 24, 2019 [31 favorites]
I was just wondering what the next step beyond a martini glass consisting of an onion with an olive garnish was, now I know!
Tahani saying "The Whatever Spoon is used only for certain jellies" made me laugh so hard, probably the most since Jason asking which way to the money store when Janet handed him a briefcase.
The green screen was really noticeable this episode, maybe there is no scenic lake house near LA?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:35 PM on October 24, 2019 [25 favorites]
Tahani saying "The Whatever Spoon is used only for certain jellies" made me laugh so hard, probably the most since Jason asking which way to the money store when Janet handed him a briefcase.
The green screen was really noticeable this episode, maybe there is no scenic lake house near LA?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 9:35 PM on October 24, 2019 [25 favorites]
Everything I know about the current NFL has come from this show. So thanks, I guess?
I enjoyed this episode but it felt very much like an episode written just to get the various pieces into place as we jump into the next phase. Of course, I have no idea how many phases this final season will have. It's too soon to be in the endgame, though. I assume.
posted by acidnova at 9:51 PM on October 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
I enjoyed this episode but it felt very much like an episode written just to get the various pieces into place as we jump into the next phase. Of course, I have no idea how many phases this final season will have. It's too soon to be in the endgame, though. I assume.
posted by acidnova at 9:51 PM on October 24, 2019 [2 favorites]
You Are Now Entering THE BAD PLACE Population Your Mom
posted by RichardP at 10:00 PM on October 24, 2019 [31 favorites]
That was ... fast. Like, last season that would have been 2-3 episodes long.
Ever since season 2, this show only feels right when it's moving crazy fast or is a bottle episode.
Population Your Mom
Reminded me of the title cards to The Bad Place's webisode series.
posted by Gary at 11:00 PM on October 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
Ever since season 2, this show only feels right when it's moving crazy fast or is a bottle episode.
Population Your Mom
Reminded me of the title cards to The Bad Place's webisode series.
posted by Gary at 11:00 PM on October 24, 2019 [3 favorites]
"What in the name of Kevin Spacey's self made Christmas Eve video message to try to get back on House of Cards is going on here?"
posted by JimBennett at 2:31 AM on October 25, 2019 [37 favorites]
posted by JimBennett at 2:31 AM on October 25, 2019 [37 favorites]
The Rebooted Derek had a golden chalice and I need to rewatch this entire ep asap because so. many. background. jokes.
Also Derek being able to reboot himself feels like a Mahoosive checkov's gun.
What happened to tub O'Glen?
posted by Faintdreams at 2:49 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
Also Derek being able to reboot himself feels like a Mahoosive checkov's gun.
What happened to tub O'Glen?
posted by Faintdreams at 2:49 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
Shawn checking out the Jason skin suit: "They went a little overboard with the cheekbones"
posted by ellieBOA at 7:34 AM on October 25, 2019 [27 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:34 AM on October 25, 2019 [27 favorites]
does anyone have good enough latin to translate the motto on shawn's podium? it reads as follows:
top half: irrisiones infidelium convivia
bottom half: eius formido
google translate gets confused by it and can't really assemble it into a meaningful sentence. i can't tell if it's because google translate isn't up to the task, or if it's because of course the bad place would troll everyone with shit latin.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 7:40 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
top half: irrisiones infidelium convivia
bottom half: eius formido
google translate gets confused by it and can't really assemble it into a meaningful sentence. i can't tell if it's because google translate isn't up to the task, or if it's because of course the bad place would troll everyone with shit latin.
posted by Reclusive Novelist Thomas Pynchon at 7:40 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
Kristen's reading of the response to "What am I, Welsh?" was an Emmy reel all on its own.
posted by Etrigan at 7:50 AM on October 25, 2019 [20 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 7:50 AM on October 25, 2019 [20 favorites]
does anyone have good enough latin to translate the motto on shawn's podium? it reads as follows:
top half: irrisiones infidelium convivia
bottom half: eius formido
The best I can do with my schoolboy Latin is something like "I fear his parties and the mockeries of the unfaithful".
posted by firechicago at 8:35 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
top half: irrisiones infidelium convivia
bottom half: eius formido
The best I can do with my schoolboy Latin is something like "I fear his parties and the mockeries of the unfaithful".
posted by firechicago at 8:35 AM on October 25, 2019 [4 favorites]
you guys my weird crush on Jason Mantzoukas is getting a hell of a lot weirder
posted by palomar at 9:04 AM on October 25, 2019 [24 favorites]
posted by palomar at 9:04 AM on October 25, 2019 [24 favorites]
I liked a lot of the background jokes in this, but the episode felt pretty meh to me overall.
posted by jeather at 9:10 AM on October 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by jeather at 9:10 AM on October 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
I only just realized that Jason calling Janet "girl" and her responding "not a girl" wasn't just a callback to how he caught Bad Janet, it was a reflection of it - she realized Glenn-in-a-Jason-suit would never have known/thought to call her that!
"Michael said there's nothing he could say that would make you realize he's really him, but Janet does have a thing she can say that does make me realize she is really not her." And Jason does have a thing he can say that makes Janet realize he's really him.
"I could've meant Molotov anything, you don't know."
posted by solotoro at 12:03 PM on October 25, 2019 [39 favorites]
"Michael said there's nothing he could say that would make you realize he's really him, but Janet does have a thing she can say that does make me realize she is really not her." And Jason does have a thing he can say that makes Janet realize he's really him.
"I could've meant Molotov anything, you don't know."
posted by solotoro at 12:03 PM on October 25, 2019 [39 favorites]
I only just realized that Jason calling Janet "girl" and her responding "not a girl" wasn't just a callback to how he caught Bad Janet, it was a reflection of it
As I said last week with Manny's look as Jason figured it out, D'Arcy's little not-a-smile as she realizes what's happening is absolutely forking aces acting.
posted by Etrigan at 12:10 PM on October 25, 2019 [24 favorites]
As I said last week with Manny's look as Jason figured it out, D'Arcy's little not-a-smile as she realizes what's happening is absolutely forking aces acting.
posted by Etrigan at 12:10 PM on October 25, 2019 [24 favorites]
I said last week that if the episode was mostly Derek trying to run the place, it would be hilarious, and I wasn't wrong--though I confess to being a bit disappointed that more of the episode wasn't about that. The whole "unicorn died" thing made me laugh out loud, which not a lot has this season, so far. Also, the whatever spoon is only used for certain festive jellies was gold.
Also loved that the Bad Place has an interminable, sexist convention, because been there. Did they just abandon poor globular Glenn there? It seemed as though he hadn't just come there to warn them about the sabotage but to also seek asylum because Shawn is so mean. I hate thinking of what they'd do to him there--having been told much of my life to shut up, I have such a soft spot for him.
Man, D'Arcy is just so underrated.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 2:47 PM on October 25, 2019 [11 favorites]
Also loved that the Bad Place has an interminable, sexist convention, because been there. Did they just abandon poor globular Glenn there? It seemed as though he hadn't just come there to warn them about the sabotage but to also seek asylum because Shawn is so mean. I hate thinking of what they'd do to him there--having been told much of my life to shut up, I have such a soft spot for him.
Man, D'Arcy is just so underrated.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 2:47 PM on October 25, 2019 [11 favorites]
you guys my weird crush on Jason Mantzoukas is getting a hell of a lot weirder
I would expect that to happen under the circumstances.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:56 PM on October 25, 2019
I would expect that to happen under the circumstances.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:56 PM on October 25, 2019
I thought Glenn was left on the handcart and so will be coming back with them?
posted by harriet vane at 1:46 AM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by harriet vane at 1:46 AM on October 26, 2019 [1 favorite]
Oh, that was so good! I'm totally going to make scrabble-tile bellinis for breakfast.
I thought Glenn was left on the handcart and so will be coming back with them?
I just rewound and Glenn isn't on the handcart on the way back. I hope he gets reconstituted somehow later on.
One benefit of rewatching that last scene again, though, was Janet. There's a bit where she quietly regards Michael for a moment and then says, "That must have been hard for you, going back there." Which is such a sea change for Janet from way back in Season 1, where she'd simply spit out the truth no matter how blunt. Season 4 Janet is all about the value of empathy, compassion, insight, loyalty, friendship. Love. D'Arcy Carden is playing this evolution so perfectly.
"I could've meant Molotov anything, you don't know."
THE BEST. I'm still laughing over that one!
posted by mochapickle at 10:31 AM on October 26, 2019 [11 favorites]
I thought Glenn was left on the handcart and so will be coming back with them?
I just rewound and Glenn isn't on the handcart on the way back. I hope he gets reconstituted somehow later on.
One benefit of rewatching that last scene again, though, was Janet. There's a bit where she quietly regards Michael for a moment and then says, "That must have been hard for you, going back there." Which is such a sea change for Janet from way back in Season 1, where she'd simply spit out the truth no matter how blunt. Season 4 Janet is all about the value of empathy, compassion, insight, loyalty, friendship. Love. D'Arcy Carden is playing this evolution so perfectly.
"I could've meant Molotov anything, you don't know."
THE BEST. I'm still laughing over that one!
posted by mochapickle at 10:31 AM on October 26, 2019 [11 favorites]
It seems a tall order to ask their visual effects team to have Jason throw Vyacheslav Molotov himself while screaming "Foles," but maybe a cardboard cutout or a plaster bust will do.
posted by pykrete jungle at 11:28 AM on October 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by pykrete jungle at 11:28 AM on October 26, 2019 [3 favorites]
Just found this recipe for edible scrabble tile cookies. Havent made it myself but here it is for anyone who wants to try :)
posted by Faintdreams at 12:52 PM on October 26, 2019 [9 favorites]
posted by Faintdreams at 12:52 PM on October 26, 2019 [9 favorites]
I figured Jason meant he was going to throw the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact at their feet to illustrate the futility of ignoring evil.
posted by Etrigan at 12:55 PM on October 26, 2019 [12 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 12:55 PM on October 26, 2019 [12 favorites]
I assumed he was going to throw down the Molotov Line; the demons would never have broken past a sixty mile long system of thirteen border fortified regions consisting of a large number of concrete bunkers armed with machineguns, antitank guns and artillery!
posted by kyrademon at 1:53 PM on October 26, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by kyrademon at 1:53 PM on October 26, 2019 [5 favorites]
The podcast said definitively Glenn was left back in the Bad Place, to reconsitute over time. Which seems to me to be a really thoughtless and cruel fate, considering what he did for them, and his defection.
::Team Glenn:: & ::Justice for Glenn::
posted by kitten kaboodle at 2:01 PM on October 26, 2019 [6 favorites]
::Team Glenn:: & ::Justice for Glenn::
posted by kitten kaboodle at 2:01 PM on October 26, 2019 [6 favorites]
But nobody in the Bad Place knows Glenn defected... Only the bad Janet and she is still in the Medium Place.
posted by Pendragon at 3:08 PM on October 26, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by Pendragon at 3:08 PM on October 26, 2019 [8 favorites]
I just noticed the sign for Shawn's DemonCon presentation:
TODAY'S PRESENTATION:
THE DYNAMIC DEMONIC:
Leveraging Next-Gen
Torture Workflows
to Disrupt Iterative
Engagement Ecosystems
posted by mochapickle at 6:05 PM on October 26, 2019 [15 favorites]
TODAY'S PRESENTATION:
THE DYNAMIC DEMONIC:
Leveraging Next-Gen
Torture Workflows
to Disrupt Iterative
Engagement Ecosystems
posted by mochapickle at 6:05 PM on October 26, 2019 [15 favorites]
Although now that I've typed that out, do they mean Gen Gen?
posted by mochapickle at 6:06 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 6:06 PM on October 26, 2019 [4 favorites]
Oh sure, they don't know yet. Doesn't mean I'm not worried for Glenn.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:04 PM on October 26, 2019
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:04 PM on October 26, 2019
Did you guys notice Vicky exploded into a pile of red goo? Now maybe there's some weird demon gender-essentialism thing in the Bad Place, or maybe the demon exploder actually does happen to also work as a lie detector. I don't recall if the security guard said anything before he got blown up (blue goo, right?) but the last words out of Vicky's mouth were basically, once a demon always a demon...
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:12 AM on October 28, 2019 [10 favorites]
posted by yeahlikethat at 11:12 AM on October 28, 2019 [10 favorites]
Fun with the employee board, part one: that guy. Part two: catch it use its powers.
posted by rewil at 1:18 PM on October 28, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by rewil at 1:18 PM on October 28, 2019 [8 favorites]
Everything I know about the current NFL has come from this show. So thanks, I guess?
Wait’ll Jason finds out about the man, the myth, the legend Gardner Minshew II.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:38 PM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Wait’ll Jason finds out about the man, the myth, the legend Gardner Minshew II.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:38 PM on October 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
I wonder if there were any demons of a similar mindset to Glenn in the audience. They'd probably be pretty turned off by the idea of torturing a Janet.
posted by ckape at 7:07 PM on October 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by ckape at 7:07 PM on October 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
When will the new four humans ask themselves why there is so much annoying team building in the supposed Good Place??
Also, I wish they would have written the scene where Michael meets Vicky-in-a-Michael suit so that we got to see Michael's demon form. Or maybe he stinks so much because he is becoming a real human instead of a demon.
posted by Emmy Rae at 7:57 PM on October 29, 2019
Also, I wish they would have written the scene where Michael meets Vicky-in-a-Michael suit so that we got to see Michael's demon form. Or maybe he stinks so much because he is becoming a real human instead of a demon.
posted by Emmy Rae at 7:57 PM on October 29, 2019
The green screen was really noticeable this episode, maybe there is no scenic lake house near LA?
They would've wanted to use green screen for a shot like that for sound reasons anyway, but yeah it was awkwardly noticeable. (But romantic! I'm just Charlie Brown with a football over here, somehow still thinking Eleanor and Tahani are going to kiss on this show.)
TBH this was the first properly funny episode of the season; I'm a little relieved.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:53 PM on October 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
They would've wanted to use green screen for a shot like that for sound reasons anyway, but yeah it was awkwardly noticeable. (But romantic! I'm just Charlie Brown with a football over here, somehow still thinking Eleanor and Tahani are going to kiss on this show.)
TBH this was the first properly funny episode of the season; I'm a little relieved.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:53 PM on October 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
Is the first episode where it is revealed Tahani also had all her post-life memories restored, or did I miss that earlier? Either way, I would expect a memory-restored Tahani and Eleanor to work much more effectively together than we saw this episode. That said, I agree this was probably the funniest/best episode of the season.
Jason did not get the "inoculation" memory restore procedure Eleanor did, but that is easily hand-waved away as his brain processing/retaining memories differently than most humans.
It seems notable that we've been much better at predicting things this season. I've gotten very few predictions right overall but I did see the Janet-switch when it happened, as did many others. On the podcast they emphasize that people think they know what's coming but they are very wrong, and I truly hope that is correct!
I feel like I've been enjoying this season a bit less, but part of that I think is knowing that it is the last season and everything has to wrap up. I do have confidence in the writers (and actors, and everyone) that even if it takes them to the last couple of episodes to get everything into place, they can pull off a satisfying ending. Subconsciously though, I think my brain is just wishing they would get on with it now, for whatever "it" means. So whenever they spend time on character development of the two new humans I have trouble caring because I really don't think their improvement (or lack thereof) is ultimately going to matter.
posted by mikepop at 12:12 PM on October 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
Jason did not get the "inoculation" memory restore procedure Eleanor did, but that is easily hand-waved away as his brain processing/retaining memories differently than most humans.
It seems notable that we've been much better at predicting things this season. I've gotten very few predictions right overall but I did see the Janet-switch when it happened, as did many others. On the podcast they emphasize that people think they know what's coming but they are very wrong, and I truly hope that is correct!
I feel like I've been enjoying this season a bit less, but part of that I think is knowing that it is the last season and everything has to wrap up. I do have confidence in the writers (and actors, and everyone) that even if it takes them to the last couple of episodes to get everything into place, they can pull off a satisfying ending. Subconsciously though, I think my brain is just wishing they would get on with it now, for whatever "it" means. So whenever they spend time on character development of the two new humans I have trouble caring because I really don't think their improvement (or lack thereof) is ultimately going to matter.
posted by mikepop at 12:12 PM on October 30, 2019 [2 favorites]
Jason did not get the "inoculation" memory restore procedure Eleanor did, but that is easily hand-waved away as his brain processing/retaining memories differently than most humans.
Could also hand-waving away by saying the rules for restoring memories are different on Earth than in the afterlife.
posted by sugar and confetti at 6:47 AM on October 31, 2019 [3 favorites]
Could also hand-waving away by saying the rules for restoring memories are different on Earth than in the afterlife.
posted by sugar and confetti at 6:47 AM on October 31, 2019 [3 favorites]
Good point; I forgot we’re not dealing with human bodies anymore.
posted by mikepop at 6:14 PM on October 31, 2019
posted by mikepop at 6:14 PM on October 31, 2019
Also, Michael and Janet didn't have their powers on Earth. Michael was using a machine Janet kludged together using available Earth technology. The powers he has available in the (Bad/Good/Medium/Between) Place are likely much more effective.
posted by Tabitha Someday at 9:15 AM on November 1, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Tabitha Someday at 9:15 AM on November 1, 2019 [2 favorites]
Is this the episode where chidi kept making that amazing “ oooooooooooo!!!” Sound regarding the puzzles because that is my favorite thing
posted by lazaruslong at 2:37 PM on November 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by lazaruslong at 2:37 PM on November 4, 2019 [5 favorites]
Chidi's delight for puzzles was so great. I love it.
posted by codacorolla at 8:24 PM on November 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by codacorolla at 8:24 PM on November 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by ZeusHumms at 7:36 PM on October 24, 2019 [1 favorite]