- For the eponymous character, see Hypatia.
Chapter 51: Patty is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of The Good Place, and fifty-first episode overall. It aired on January 23, 2020.
Plot[]
The gang arrives in The Good Place and attends a welcome party catered to their tastes. Meanwhile, the Good Place committee tricks Michael into assuming control of the entire Good Place. Chidi meets Ancient Greek philosopher Hypatia, who reveals that everyone in the Good Place has become a "happiness zombie". Eleanor proposes a solution to the Good Place happiness zombie residents: Michael creates a door that will allow people to exit the Good Place and peacefully end their existence. Knowing there is a potential end to eternity makes the residents of The Good Place appreciate being there again.
Summary[]
The Soul Squad finally make it to the Good Place officially. Janet connects with the local system to get upgraded while the humans indulge in the amenities provided at the Welcome Center. Michael is concerned whether he, as a demon, would be allowed to be there. Chidi asks Janet if he can meet any of the great philosophers, who reveals that while Aristotle, Plato and Socrates are indeed in the Bad Place for various reasons, Hypatia of Alexandria is one who did earn a spot in the Good Place.
The Good Place Committee welcomes everyone as heroes and tell Michael to come along with them, as they want to bring him in as an official Good Place architect. The humans go through a portal to their welcome party, which has decorations and memorabilia relating to all four of their personal tastes. Janet also reveals there are two green doors there, which are all over the Good Place, through which a person can go to visit any time or place, real or imagined. Jason dashes off to fulfill his lifelong dream of racing go-karts with monkeys.
Chidi and Eleanor then run into Hypatia of Alexandria (who tells them to just call her "Patty"). Chidi ecstatically tries to ask her questions about her philosophy work, but she's tongue-tied, not really capable of more than small talk, and not even remembering the word "philosopher". She then tells them that things in the Good Place are not quite what they seem, begging the two of them to help everyone and they're "screwed". She takes them aside to explain - in theory, the Good Place is a perfect paradise where all your needs and desires are instantly met, but eventually the novelty of that pleasure wears out and the eternal nature of the afterlife wears down on the mind, turning it to mush. Hypatia herself just barely has enough of a hold on her bearings to articulate this and even then she's prone to getting easily distracted, having forgotten all the knowledge she'd been famous for in her earthly life, much to her shame.
Tahani sees for herself what Hypatia has revealed as she socializes with the other residents, who are in even worse shape, as they're all lethargic hedonists who can only speak in monotonous tones when interacting with her. Everyone has become a bunch of unfeeling zombies who've become unbearably bored after having experienced literally everything, with nothing more to do but wait out the rest of eternity.
Meanwhile, Michael is given a nice robe and medal by the Committee, and they have him sign a big scroll that makes him an architect. As soon as it is signed, the Committee members scoop it up and dash out of the room, saying that Michael's now officially in charge of the Good Place, they all quit effective immediately, and it's all his problem now. Michael wanders around in confusion, looking for the other architects, but only finds empty offices and lists of possible solutions to improve the Good Place (music you can eat, giant mini doughnuts, bigger horns on the unicorns, and waiting for Beyonce to die so she can fix things).
The Soul Squad regroup. Jason reveals that go-kart racing against monkeys got boring real fast, proving the Good Place is incapable of keeping anyone happy forever. Discussing this, they realize that's why the Committee quit: they knew they had a problem, but couldn't think of any way to fix it except more ways to fulfill desires. Tahani exclaims they have to fix this, as millions of people will soon be pouring in and they can't be subjected to the eventual mental ennui that's afflicted the other residents. They consider the possibility of rebooting the residents' memories so they can feel pleasure again, but the idea is rejected as Chidi believes it would feel wrong to use a Bad Place tactic. Eleanor then tells Michael to repeat what she had previously said to him when he underwent his existential crisis: that every human is a little bit sad all the time because they know they will die, but that knowledge is what gives life meaning; here, they don't have that. Eleanor suggests they find a way to let people leave.
They go back to the party, and get everyone's attention. The partygoers mostly just stare at them, silently, as Eleanor explains that the Good Place is like a never-ending vacation, but vacations are only special because they end. The Soul Squad has set up a new kind of door where when one feels happy and satisfied and complete, and want to leave the Good Place for good, they can just walk through the door and their time in the universe will end, leading to a peaceful rest of indeterminate nature. Michael finishes the speech, telling the residents they led great lives and earned their place here, so they can stay as long as they like, do and see every single thing they want to see and do, and when they're ready, walk through one last door, and be at peace.
The crowd stares, then breaks into cheers. A real party starts, everyone excited and happy. Hypatia then tells Chidi that she plans on staying a bit longer to relearn the things she'd forgotten.
Later, Michael and the others gather in a new neighborhood area. They all have new homes to live in, for as long as they wish. Eleanor and Chidi reside in a replica of the house Michael built for her in his old neighborhood (with a few adjustments), Tahani has a mansion, and Jason gets to reside in a replica of his favorite restaurant.
Chidi and Eleanor lounge in their house, and reflect on what the Good Place really is: the chance to have enough time with their loved ones.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Kristen Bell as Eleanor Shellstrop
- William Jackson Harper as Chidi Anagonye
- Jameela Jamil as Tahani Al-Jamil
- D'Arcy Carden as Janet
- Manny Jacinto as Jason Mendoza
- Ted Danson as Michael
Guest Starring[]
- Lisa Kudrow as Hypatia
- Paul Scheer as Chuck
- Gary Richardson as Musa
Co-Starring[]
- Takato Yonemoto as Diasuke
- Denise Sanchez as Andie
- Andrew Law as Drew
- Tatiana Carr as Meg
- David Danipour as Paltibaal
Trivia[]
- Michael Schur, the show's creator, was also a former writer on HBO's The Comeback (2005). Lisa Kudrow (Patty) starred in the leading role of The Comeback.
- Paltibaal wears a jacket with the logo of Jason's dance crew, Dance Dance Resolution.
- In a previous episode Michael says to the Judge that Phoebe from the TV show 'Friends' would be the only friend to make it to the Good Place. Phoebe was played by Lisa Kudrow, who in this episode plays Hypatia of Alexandria 'Patty', who resides in the Good Place.
Gallery[]
