The Good Place | S04E05 | "Employee of the Bearimy" | OAD 10/24/2019 | *spoilers*

While I liked this one, I thought it was probably the weakest of the five episodes so far this season. That's definitely grading on a curve, however, given how strong the season has been overall so far.

I loved the ending of the prior episode, with Michael and Jason prepared to head back to The Bad Place on the hand cart. It didn't feel dangerous, exactly, but there was a definite undercurrent of suspense and the unknown. Once they actually got there in this episode, though, there wasn't any suspense at all. It's not like I thought they were going to get captured, or there would be a gunfight or whatever (though it turns out there were lasers), but I guess I never felt like they were even at any risk. This is in contrast to our last visit to The Bad Place with all the gang, which actually did feel like they were taking a chance, especially after the long buildup on the train ride. This felt more like a lark. I don't want even a comedic Bad Place to feel like a lark.

I think part of the problem there was the backdrop of DemonCon. I get why this would have seemed great on paper, and it was kind of clever, but I thought the execution was a little flat. It was a single joke that had to support the weight of several minutes of scene time, and I don't think it was up to it. Michael, Jason, and Janet were in a room full of demons who knew who they were, and not only were they not really threatened, they were... applauded? And then they just walked right on out? On the last visit, they were chased all the way back to the portal and still had to leave Michael behind. This was just anticlimactic. (Also, it kind of neutered Shawn. MEJ plays him with such comedic evil that even though you know he's not going to win, you always wonder if maybe he has the upper hand and you don't know it. Here he was a helpless victim the whole way, which felt off.)

Other minor complaint: this was right up to the line of being too much Jason Mantzoukas. It was inspired having him be Derek, with the need to pop in with a moment or two of lunacy. The more they need him to play a coherent character, though, the more it pulls me out: "That's Jason Mantzoukas acting."

All that said, though, the good stuff, among other highlights:

• Fun times seeing Ted Danson play Vicky playing Michael. Those laughs!
• Sign at the Bad Place tunnel: "Welcome to The Bad Place. Population: Your Mom"
• D'Arcy Carden really got me with her delivery of "Not a girl" as she realized that really was Jason, there to rescue her. Lovely fleeting moment.
• I thought Tahani's personal crisis played very real, and showed that even our four humans are still growing. She wants to be more substantive. And such a clever and truthful way Eleanor found of explaining to her how important she is. Good writing there.
• Shawn can't even bring himself to pay Jason-as-Glen a proper compliment: "Adequate work, Glen."
• FOOOOOOOOLES! And great way to handle that no, it didn't actually turn out to be Foles.