The best thing about “A Girl From Arizona Part 2” is that this episode delves into the Eleanor we knew and the Eleanor we have now, while underscoring how much she has grown and why she deserves to be where she is. But the second-best part is how gleefully the show puts down dudebros, a message I’m sure will go right over their heads, if they’re ever smart enough to be watching this show, which I doubt.
Because this episode is basically a master class in how NOT to be a douche like Brett.
Ironically, Eleanor, who was never the kind of douche Brett is, because that kind of douche is reserved to men (he buried several HR complaints, fuck him), serves at the counterbalance. Because Eleanor was kind of a mess when this show started, and now she’s grown into not just a leader, but the leader this team – and by extension, all of humanity, needs.
Which means that there’s quite possibly a chance for Brett in this world. The show kinds of needs it to be to prove their point. As an aside, though, even if there’s hope for Brett, that doesn’t mean there’s hope for every dudebro you meet on twitter, or it’s that your responsibility to explain to them how life, women’s bodies or healthy relationships work. You’re not Eleanor, and more importantly: you don’t have to be.
And I promise, if the faith of mankind ever rests on you doing that, I’ll say it’s okay.
Back to the show, though, it’s both hilarious and ironic how, of all the demons and overall bad beings we’ve met on this show, not the mention the shitty humans that have interacted with the people we know have come to care for, but who were shitty humans at first, my least favorite character ever is Brett.
Yet, here we are, and I think this speaks a lot to what 2019 is, and the world we live in today. Maybe, like Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani and Jason, I have also grown. Maybe I have learned that I absolutely don’t have to put up with it, and that’s why now I recognize it more and it bothers me more.
Either way, this is a journey. I’m not anywhere near the end, and neither are these characters. Let’s see where it all goes. May it be as entertaining, heartwarming and educational as every other episode has been.
Things I think I think:
- The message of this episode is basically: Don’t be like Brett.
- “You have no control over your own impulses” is Jason to a “T.”
- Though we gotta give it to him, dude made it a while as a monk back in season 1.
- Look, The Good Place, for you to sell the idea that Eleanor isn’t, you know, showering, she needed to look way less put together than she did.
- Just saying.
- “You don’t get to quit this.”
- Dear God, I love Michael. When did this happen? I don’t want to make it stop.
- “You beat me in three months. Then you beat me 800 more times.”
- We don’t talk about this enough, but she DID.
- And I love that she did it even, you know, being Eleanor. She was never the perfect heroine, because she was never perfect.
- Have you all realized that Michael is a better parental figure than anything Eleanor had growing up? Imagine what she would have grown up to be had she had this level of support?
- I wish I could tell you that this Jason and Janet break hurts me, but …
- Only Chidi and Eleanor hurt me.
- BUT OMG YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO TELL HIM ABOUT BLAKE BORTLES.
- That’s cruel, Janet.
- How did I find myself feeling aaww about Tahani and Jason’s friendship?
- I knew Eleanor was going to end up pushing Chidi towards Simone, for, you know, the greater good, and IT HURTS MY HEART.
- Of course, I have faith Chidi is somehow going to end up falling in love with Eleanor again, but why make it easy for me, right show?
- “What do you have to lose by treating people with kindness?”
- THAT’S THE CODE.
Agree? Disagree? Did you enjoy “A Girl From Arizona Part 2”? Share with us in the comments below!
The Good Place airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC
