ONE
Wearing a turtleneck and a tweed jacket (lol) Chidi teaches Eleanor from the blackboard.
However, she’s more focused on the “You don’t belong here” note tucked in her binder.
Chidi notices and calls her on it. As they argue, a knock at the door sends them scurrying to flip the chalkboard and hide the books.
TWO
It’s Tahani with a flowering houseplant. After she leaves, Eleanor puts on a posh British accent and mocks her. Chidi’s confused that a neighborly visit gets Eleanor so worked up.
“I’m supposed to treat her with mutual respect?” Eleanor accuses. “That’s exactly what she wants!”
After an amused pause, Chidi responds, “Er . . . that’s what everyone wants.”
Roll credits.
THREE
Michael and Janet approach Chidi, who’s studying books at a yogurt shop table. Janet, who has recently been programmed to behave more casually, says inane things. Michael apologizes for her. Sitting, Michael mentions Chidi’s life work, a tome of a book. He wants Chidi to try new things. They’ll meet tomorrow.
FOUR
Meanwhile, Eleanor, following Chidi’s advice, visits Tahani’s house. Jianyu, eyes closed, sits on his cushion and meditates. Eleanor’s brought a basket of pears — something you can eat, so it’s a better gift than the one Tahani gave her. But pears are a sign of bad luck in Chinese culture — Tahani gestures at Jianyu with a triumphant look — so they’ll be dumped in the garbage. Kicking back on her chaise longue, Tahani tells of her plan for tomorrow. She’s going door-to-door, checking on all the neighbors. After a pained grimace, Eleanor volunteers to accompany her. Tahani claps. Jianyu continues to meditate (or sleep).
At the Clown House that night, Eleanor shows Chidi the note. She thinks Tahani wrote it. As she goes on a rant about how perfect Tahani is, the houseplant wilts. Chidi connects Eleanor’s negative attitude with the plant’s browning. Denying it, Eleanor prepares to out Tahani tomorrow as a “bench”.
SWITCH
Fade to black.
FIVE
The next day, the two women walk with picnic hampers. Tahani wears a large sunhat and a tea gown. At Eleanor’s prompting, Tahani talks about her life. She raised a lot of money for charity. Eleanor probes for weaknesses, but there are none.
Flashback to Eleanor on earth. She brings home coffee for herself and her boyfriend. Noticing the brand, the boyfriend says everyone’s boycotting the shop. He opens his laptop, showing her the undercover footage of the owner “checking an applicant’s references”.
You’re not better than me, Eleanor says, just because you won’t support a guy who grabbed a boob once.
Cut to Chidi with Michael and Janet on the edge of a cliff overlooking a beautiful landscape. Cartography! You can map what you see. But Chidi has no sense of direction, and exploring makes him nervous.
Back to Eleanor and Tahani who visit the neighbors. Everyone tells Tahani how sweet she is. She hands out fresh-baked scones. Eating one, Eleanor is forced to admit they’re delicious.
Chidi’s next potential hobby is editor of the local newspaper. He doesn’t work well with deadlines, though.
Eleanor and Tahani have tea together back at the palace. However, it’s time for Tahani to start her skin care routine. She boops Eleanor, invites her to enjoy the nibbles, and leaves. Eleanor ransacks the room, looking for dirt.
Chidi cringes in an arc-welding studio. He just wants to be an academic and to continue working on his manuscript. Michael has read all 3,600 pages of it. It’s a mess.
Chidi gets a stomachache.
Eleanor returns to the Clown House to find Chidi brooding on the couch. “Am I a good teacher?” he asks. “Yes,” she answers, “I’m super ethical now.” Hiding under her shirt is Tahani’s diary that she stole.
The houseplant catches on fire.
Chidi chastises Eleanor. In order to be a good person you must do good things. Eleanor is convinced that Tahani wrote the note. “You wrote it,” Chidi tells her. You manifested it, like you did the flying shrimp. Tahani belongs here in the Good Place. Eleanor seems convinced.
Flashback to Eleanor with her boyfriend. She roasts him. There’s bad stuff everywhere, man. She knows he’s leaving her; she read his personal emails. Enjoy your perfect life. It’s not like anyone’s keeping score.
(The extra pause reminds us that someone is indeed keeping score.)
Eleanor, remorseful, approaches Chidi. “Good people make me nervous,” she says. “I have to bring them down to my level.”
Chidi admits that even Michael, who understands literally everything, couldn’t make sense of his book.
But he doesn’t know everything, Eleanor responds. He doesn’t know I don’t belong here.
SIX
Chidi returns to Michael and asks if he’ll be his advisor. He wants to try writing his book again. Michael agrees, although he thinks the whole 3,600 pages should go in the garbage. With a bold gesture, Chidi dumps the tome in the trashcan.
SEVEN
Meanwhile, Eleanor sneaks into Tahani’s house to replace the unread diary. She hears crying, though.
EIGHT
Screwing up her courage, Eleanor asks Tahani if she wants to talk. Of course she does! She’s devastated that Jianyu won’t talk to her. Paradise isn’t perfect. Eleanor comforts her with sympathy and humor. Tahani hugs her.
The next morning when Eleanor stumbles out of bed, Chidi hugs her. He gestures to the houseplant, which is blooming and luxurious.
NINE
Michael, Janet, and Tahani approach Eleanor on a bench on the plaza. Janet, who’s gone through many personality programming changes, is now back to normal. Michael realizes that she’s not really built to be his assistant. He had asked Tahani to take the job, but she refused and recommended Eleanor. Michael thinks he and Eleanor together can figure out what’s wrong with the neighborhood. Having no other choice, Eleanor says yes.
When she returns home, another note waits for her. “We have to talk. Meet me tonight town square.”
Roll credits as Eleanor walks in the plaza. “You sent this to yourself,” she says to boost her courage.
Stepping from the shadows is Jianyu. “I’ve been waiting for you,” he says. “You don’t belong here.” Eleanor admits it and begs for him to keep the secret. She’s really trying to become a good person.
Losing his monkish air, Jianyu exclaims, “I don’t belong here either! I’m freakin’ out, homie!”
The camera pushes in tight on Eleanor’s face as she says, “What?!”
CRITICAL NOTES
We have a classic Three/Six: Chidi’s book in/Chidi’s book out. Finally, a solid storytelling choice.
The Eight is brief, but it resonates very nicely with the Two. Eleanor is now forming mutual relationships with Tahani and Chidi.
The Nine is the unique beat in this episode. After the Eight, the conflict between Eleanor and Chidi/Tahani is resolved. They’re becoming a community. The other conflict that always faced Eleanor — I don’t belong in the Good Place — now gets the focus. This Nine sets up all the ways Eleanor will be challenged. Becoming Michael’s assistant: we’re not necessarily surprised. Michael has seen himself as a failed architect since Episode One. He’s sought help from the residents.
The Jianyu reveal, though, is a wonderful surprise. He brings two conflicts to future episodes: he’s another mistaken identity waiting to be discovered, and he’s a disruption to the community that Eleanor has begun to form with Chidi and Tahani. Tahani thinks he’s a wise monk whose vow of silence is making her miserable. Eleanor knows this. How will she keep Jianyu’s secret while developing her friendship with Tahani? Juicy stuff.