Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Take it sleazy, everyone. Take it sleazy. With those three words, television bid farewell to The Good Place, one of the most ambitious sitcoms in recent history. When Michael Schur’s afterlife comedy was at its best, it was one of the smartest, most refreshingly audacious shows on television. Instead of wearing out its welcome, The Good Place decided to wrap things up after four seasons and just over 50 episodes.
Last night’s season finale, “Whenever You’re Ready,” made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me think. A truly perfect Good Place cocktail of enjoyment. Philosophically, the show’s swan song provided viewers with a lot to noodle on, but when I reminisce about The Good Place, the first thing that’ll pop into my mind is the show’s optimistic advocation of kindness and friendship. I’ll think of Eleanor’s essence gliding through the air to help guide one man into being a slightly better person, if only for five minutes.
The Good Place finale was a soothing reminder of the healing power of kindness. “Whenever You’re Ready” not only delivered on an emotional level, but it also provided a slew of clever jokes, callbacks, and unforgettable moments. Here are a few you might have missed.
“Take It Sleazy”
People may have been initially confused that The Good Place ended on “take it sleazy,” but it’s a touching callback from Season 1’s “The Eternal Shriek.” In the episode, Michael lists all the human things he wanted to do:
“I wanted to get a rewards card, any rewards card,” Michael said. “I wanted to talk briefly to someone and then say, ‘Take it sleazy.'” Was Michael in the midst of torturing Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason at the moment? Sure. But I’d like to think he was voicing a genuine desire.
A Bonus “Take It Sleazy” Easter Egg
Michael’s Coyote Joe’s letter states that “We will be collecting data on everything you buy and making sure that ads are targeted directly to you for all of your needs. Fun!”
“Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose”
One of my favorite recurring Good Place bits is The Judge’s (Maya Rudolph) obsession with all things pop culture. We were already aware of her undying affection for Justified, but thanks to her choice in t-shirts, we now know that she loves Friday Night Lights (specifically Seasons 4 and 5).
Vince Howard forever.
The Return of Doug Forcett
Doug Forcett is back… and this party animal loves fried chicken! Who exactly is Doug Forcett?
“Doug was a stoner kid who lived in Calgary during the 1970s,” Michael tells Eleanor upon her Good Place arrival. “One night he got really high on mushrooms, and his best friend Randy said, ‘Hey, what do you think happens after we die?’ and Doug just launched into this long monologue where he got like 92% correct.”
Forcett is portrayed by comedy writer Noah Garfinkel. Back in 2017, Garfinkel explained to Decider how he became the face of the prescient stoner.
“My best friend Joe Mande writes on The Good Place,” Garfinkel said. “Mike Schur’s wife J.J. [Philbin] writes for New Girl, which is the show I write for, so I knew a lot of Good Place people from the Parks and Recreation days. They needed a picture of someone who looked like a ’70s stoner, and I guess that my general aura said that for what they needed.”
Perfect Cameo 1: Mary Steenburgen AKA Ted Danson’s Wife
“You have no idea how long I’ve been trying to figure that out,” Michael says, finally learning how to play the guitar. “Well everybody needs a teacher,” Steenburgen sweetly replies.
Perfect Cameo 2: Nick Offerman As… Nick Offerman?!
Since it’s been established that The Good Place and Parks and Rec exist in the same universe, many fans assumed that Nick Offerman was playing Ron Swanson during his Good Place cameo. Personally, I didn’t get a “Ron Swanson” vibe from his character; I got more of a legitimate Nick Offerman vibe, which was confirmed by the closing credits.
According to the show’s credits, Nick Offerman was portraying Nick Offerman, which means that our favorite woodworker found his way into the Good Place.
The Gardner Minshew Of It All
The Good Place getting a Gardner Minshew reference in under the wire brought me so much joy. In Season 4’s “Employee of the Bearimy,” Jason learns that his beloved Blake Bortles had been replaced by Nick Foles. His reaction is classic Jason.
“Nick Foles?! Are you kidding me?” Jason asks, seemingly upset. “He won a Super Bowl! We’re gonna be unstoppable!”
Moments later, Janet informs Jason that Nick Foles broke his clavicle, which happened during Week 1 of the NFL regular season. I covered the Blake Bortles/Nick Foles Good Place saga back in October, predicting that it was only a matter of time before Gardner Minshew Mania made its way into The Good Place.
“After Foles’ injury, rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew took over for the Jags. The mustachioed QB has morphed into a folk hero in Jacksonville, and while we know the final season of the series has already been shot, we fully expect another ADR miracle to help introduce Minshew Mania to The Good Place.”
Michael’s Love For Bizarre Names Continues
From Charles Brainman to Gordon Indigo to Zach Pizazz, Michael loves a good alias, which makes his human name, Michael Realman, all the more sweeter.
Tahani’s Good Place To Do List Included “Beat NBA Jam On All-Star”
Boomshakalaka! The Good Place writing room is on fire! “Finish Infinite Jest” was also a true chef’s kiss of a joke.
The Man At The End Of The Finale Was Played By…
Comedian Kurt Braunohler, who you may recognize from The Big Sick, Long Shot, and/or Lady Dynamite. Braunohler also hosted IFC’s comedy game show Bunk.
The Good Place finale is now available to stream on both Hulu and NBC.com.
