#michael and janet

[crime-wives]

ok so i've been rewatching the good place recently and there was once scene in season 2 episode 6 that stood out to me.

the scene between michael and janet in his office where michael refuses to kill her. "why are you making such a big deal about turning me into a marble forever?" "because of reasons. there are reasons. they exist, and I just don't want to explain them right now." "what are the reasons?" "they're reasons, janet!" "okay, but what are they?"

"the reason is friends!"

after he says this, we see michael blink in shock over the fact that he actually, truly cares for someone. it surprises him that he even has the ability to care. it humanizes michael to the audience by showing that even after years of nihilism, he still cares somewhere deep down. this is the first time we've seen michael express his feelings honestly. and it feels raw and real in a way that is emphasized so well in the show. before this moment, michael was trying to form excuses over his reluctance to kill janet, i.e. 'vicky will find out' 'we need you to escape to the real good place' etc etc. after the shock has set in, michael stands by his statement.

"but for me, our… our relationship has become important. you're my oldest, my truest, my most loyal friend. i can't just get rid of you and replace you with some other janet I don't even know."

in this moment we see michael recognize the value of external connection and companionship. the realization that things, that people matter to him.

i talk a lot about michael, but this moment also humanizes janet. i mean this in a way that's different from michael. throughout the show so far, we've seen janet as a comic relief, or as someone who really isn't very fleshed out as a character. she's mostly used as a device on the show for the main characters to gain items or knowledge for their own benefit. it's established very early on that she's not human and therefore does not have feelings. however, as we progress through the show, after all of the reboots, we see janet begin to develop feelings. she becomes more human because of that. additionally, this scene impacts janet as well. this is because it's different for janet to matter to someone not just because she's useful to them. michael values her because she's his friend, because he cares about her. not what she can provide him. maybe it started like that, but now, she has value outside of being useful. it shows janet that she is not replaceable, no matter what she may think. however, even with her developing psyche, she's still pragmatic to a fault. insisting that killing her is the choice that causes the most good.

in fact, now that i think about it, this is an interpretation of the trolley problem presented for michael. 'kill his closest friend to save the neighborhood, or not kill her and let the neighborhood be destroyed, and his experiment deemed a failure, risking retirement'

in the previous episode titled "the trolley problem" we see michael's fickle grasp of ethics as he plots on how to cause the most carnage. however now, when faced with the exact scenario in a way that applies to him, he is unable to do anything. he chooses to save janet's life, risking the entire experiment, his future, and the existence of everyone else. and is that selfish, sure. but it shows that michael has grown. that he prioritizes the people he cares about over all else. it shows that michael is loyal, a trait we have not seen him display so far in the show.

anyway, what was i on about again? oh right, the importance of michael and janet's relationship in the development of both of their characters. about how friendship, having people to lean on, being vulnerable, caring, having external support can help you build yourself into a better person. i think that good place is a show centered on the belief that everyone can change, that it is never too late to improve oneself. the good place shows that being "good" is a choice. that you have to choose it over and over and over again. and that even in this bleak world, it matters. all you can do is be kind and caring and good towards others, and i think this is the moment where michael chose it for the first time.

[notsocheezy]

Brain Curd #47 - Fanfic Friday #6

Brain Curds are lightly edited flash fiction - practically first drafts - posted daily and sometimes written with the express intention of being terrible… but, you know, in an endearing way. Please enjoy these continuing adventures in The Good Place.

“Jason!” Michael yelled out, hoping the Jacksonvillian was just hiding somewhere in the house.

“Michael,” Janet interjected. “Don’t we need to look for all three of the missing humans?”

“I’m not worried about Eleanor, she’s obviously got Chidi with her and that means they’re bonding. But Jason is a wildcard. He could be somewhere making trouble. Jason!”

Jasom, instead, answered his call, appearing out of thin air with a ‘pop’. “Hi, Michael!”

“No, no, not you! The real Jason!”

“Remember, Michael,” Janet interjected. “That other Jason still might not be the real Jason.”

“No, no, I refuse to believe that,” he waved his hand. “You couldn’t possibly have done this all by mistake.” He had an epiphany. “But… you know Jason better than anyone. And that means Jasom knows Jason better than anybody.”

Janet tilted her head. “I don’t know if that’s entirely true. He isn’t a perfect replica.”

“Jasom,” Michael said, interrupting a game of ball-in-a-cup. “If you could go anywhere right now, at this moment, where would you go?”

Jasom scratched his head. “Racing golf carts with dolphins.”

Michael looked at Janet with a puzzled look on his face. “It’s been a while, but that doesn’t sound right.”

“Or sometimes,” Jasom said. “I just like to spend time with my homies.” He kissed his fingers and put them in the air. “Rest in peace, Poolboy.”

“… Poolboy?”

Jasom held a whiskey bottle high in the air, upside down, as he ‘poured one out for the homies’.

Michael nodded. “I think I understand. If he’s not with Chidi and Eleanor, he’s looking for Pillboi.”

“Pillboi just arrived back in the afterlife twelve minutes ago.”

“Find him and you’ll find Jason. Hurry.”

Janet bing’d out of the room.

“Jasom, you come with me. We need to find the others.”

[penna-nomen]

Flufftober Day 20: Pumpkin

For the Day 20 prompt I wrote a drabble for The Good Place: The Pumpkin Spice Reboot

@flufftober

[13taylorswifts]

Lol, I saw this on TikTok and thought I would share here, too. Credit goes to @rhondatoksaboutbooks on TikTok. The video can be found at this link.

Edit: I added image descriptions to the images. There is also a reblog with the image descriptions if that's easier for you. 😊

[unadulteratedloathings]

THE GOOD PLACE (2016-2020)

4.06 — A Chip Driver Mystery

[imanisays]

Black Love

[benoitblanc]

THE GOOD PLACE (2016-2020)

THE ETERNAL SHRIEK (1.07) | WHENEVER YOU'RE READY (4.13)

[xosiren]

Bitch, she went to the Michael Jackson School Of Performing Arts, and minored in Janet Jacksonology

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

The Good Place 2x6 | A Man On The Inside 1x8

[notsocheezy]

Brain Curd #26 - Fanfic Friday #4

Brain Curds are lightly edited flash fiction, posted daily and usually written with the intention of being terrible… in an endearing way. Please enjoy these continuing adventures in The Good Place.

“Michael, it will be so good to see everyone again!”

“Not exactly, Tahani. Since they don’t remember their afterlives, they don’t remember us either.”

“That’s disappointing. I’ve designed so many afterlife tests and I’ve had no one to name-drop to. Everyone here in the Bad Place has tortured the people I’d be bragging about helping.”

Chidi and Eleanor remained hidden behind a filing cabinet, listening in closely. Eleanor could barely hold in her sense of vindication.

“See, man! I told you! We’re in the Bad Place!”

“Oh no…” Chidi held his belly. “I’ve got a stomach ache…”

“I knew that story didn’t add up! No offense, but you aren’t like any of the guys I’ve dated.”

“None taken…” His eyes went wide. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“Almond milk.”

Michael put his hand on Tahani’s shoulder. “It’s too bad, I know. But there’s an upside to them not remembering us. It means you can design their perfect afterlife tests!”

She stepped back. “Me? Oh, no, Michael, I’m too invested!”

“That’s exactly why you should be the one to do it! You know exactly what makes those three tick. You know just what buttons and knobs to push and turn to make them their old reformed selves.”

“Sounds like brainwashing to me.” Eleanor whispered to Chidi. “I’ve heard enough. Let’s get the fork out of here before they see us.” She ran off to the green door and Chidi anxiously followed.

“Don’t leave me here!”

“It’s not so simple.” Tahani, laughing nervously, replied to Michael. “There’s more to it than just… tweaking things.”

“Oh, come on, Tahani,” He waved his hand. “I’ve been an architect longer than you’ve been dead. I know how it works.”

“I understand that… but, well, you haven’t been the most active in recent memory…”

“Fine, I’m a little rusty. Tell you what - we’ll work together on this. With my seniority and your dexterity, we’ll have our old friends back in no time. Then they can help us solve the bigger problems.”

“On that note,” Janet added. “Five more departed souls have returned since we started this conversation.”

“Oh no.” Michael shuddered. “Are you noticing any sort of pattern?”

“I am…” Janet lowered her eyes. “All of them are people we’ve met. People I’ve met.”

“What are you saying?”

“I think I might be the cause of this.” She said matter-of-factly.

“Listen, Janet…” Michael sighed. “I know this is very stressful for all of us, but you shouldn’t blame yourself. Even as the most advanced Janet in all of existence, I still have my doubts that you could accidentally reassemble souls out of the aether.”

“I’m not sure I did. They might not actually be our friends.”

“Are you saying they’re Janet babies?”

“I suspect so.”

“But you’ve never made an exact replica of another person before. It just doesn’t add up.”

Janet sighed. “That’s not entirely true. Back when you were still on Earth, I became lonely and tried to make… a facsimile of sorts.”

Michael frowned. “Don’t tell me this is another Derek situation.”

Janet pursed her lips.

“Oh no,” Michael and Tahani said at the same time.

“Jasom?” Janet said as if requesting a step-child from the other room.

“Jasom?” Michael said as if reading a foreign word from the back of a bag of imported cheese puffs.

“Jasom?” Tahani said like the barely familiar name of an ex-boyfriend.

With a popping sound, someone who looked almost but not quite entirely like Jason Mendoza appeared in the room.

“Friends, Romans, Countymen, lend me your beers.” He bowed to the other three. “My name is Jasom Endoza.”

Janet smiled awkwardly.

“I…” Michael trailed off. “I think I need to lay down. Yeah. I need to lay down for one or two… eternities.”

[xiiiwayfinders]

I offer my meager contribution to The Good Place fandom 🤲

[puffpuffmags]

[unadulteratedloathings]

THE GOOD PLACE (2016-2020)

[imanisays]

[clarkgriffon]

REWATCHING SITCOMS TO REGAIN MY SANITY → 6/∞

[antoschauniverse]

Daniel and Janet😢