The Good Place – Chidi’s Choice

By: Marie Thong

“The Good Place” returned in 2017 with their tenth episode titled Chidi’s Choice. The episode picks up right where it left off with Tahani (Jameela Jamil) confronting JianYu (Manny Jacinto) over not actually being JianYu. The rest of the characters are now in Michael’s (Ted Danson) office trying to build a case for “fake” Eleanor (Kristen Bell) to stay. They don’t make much progress throughout the episode as they are more focused on Chidi (William Jackson Harper) and his choice and a surprise wedding. Although by the end of the episode, Tahani has seemingly figured out a way to help (fake) Eleanor. But I’m getting ahead of myself – back to Tahani and JianYu.

JianYu is ranking his favourite Fast and Furious movies while Tahani stands clueless. He explains that this is the best way for her to get to know him, but she doesn’t seem convinced, more bewildered in fact. He reveals to her his real name (Jason Mendoza), where he’s from (Florida) and that he’s a “professional amateur DJ.” However, this doesn’t make things any better and she leaves the room in a swirl of anger and annoyance.

In Michael’s office, he begins explaining that Shawn, a mystical all powerful judge (or at least in my head he is) could show up at any moment so the team [(consisting of “fake” Eleanor, “real” Eleanor (Tiya Sicar), Chidi and Bambadjan (Bambadjan Bamba)] need to come up with a rock-solid argument for why “fake” Eleanor gets to stay. Bambadjan was a human rights advocate so he is teaming up with “real” Eleanor to build a legal argument of sorts while Michael and Chidi work on a strategy for dealing with Shawn.

“Real” Eleanor and Bambadjan start off my questioning “fake” Eleanor on her time here (in The Good Place). She begins recounting all the not-so good stuff she was responsible as well as her time studying with Chidi. This recounts apparently alerts the duo to her undying love for Chidi, having mentioned his name nine times in the last ten minutes. This throws them of course (for the rest of the episode) as “real” Eleanor encourages “fake” Eleanor to face her feelings, after denying it at first she realizes she is, in fact, in love with Chidi.

Unsure where to start, Michael asks Chidi for his opinion, but Chidi being Chidi begins overanalysing things and begins stressing out. Seeing Chidi’s troubles, Michael decides to help him along by first making a small decision – dry erase board or pen and paper? … It doesn’t work as Chidi is thrown into a tizzy. We’re in a flashback now as Chidi remembers something from his childhood where he is picking teams for soccer, he’s doing his overanalysing thing again and isn’t able to pick his first player before recess ends. All his friends pressure and heckle him, he eventually makes a decision but chooses a teacher and not a student. Eventually, time runs out and his friends are left disappointed and annoyed having “filibustered recess.”

Back at Tahani and JianYu’s estate, Tahani is looking over the painting he had gifted her realizing now that he didn’t paint it, he just got Janet to. He rebuts by saying he did paint something for her, but switched it on Chidi’s request. This new information suddenly lights a bulb in Tahani’s head as she realizes that Chidi loves her and that they are soulmates? (Uh okay…)

In Michael’s office, Chidi is still vexing over the dry erase vs pen and paper decision when “fake” Eleanor rushes in to borrow Chidi. Back at their house, she reveals that she is in love with him leaving him stunned and speechless. Out of nervousness she continues talking (not really giving him a chance to speak so he may not be as speechless as we think, but I still think he’s speechless anyway) telling him he doesn’t need to say anything, just that she thought he should know about her newest revelation. As she gets to the door to leave, Tahani bursts in with a confession of her own (using a slightly altered line from Notting Hill mind you – “I’m just a girl, towering over a boy. Asking him to admit he loves me”). Overwhelmed by all this new information, he excuses himself from the two ladies needing some air and adding “and I will not be back for many days.”

JianYu is back in his man cave watching his “rise to fame” video which usually cheers him up, but isn’t quite working this time. He calls for Janet asking her to bring him something that will make him not so sad. Obliging, she dings out and returns with his favourite food from his favourite restaurant. This causes him to have his own lightbulb moment, realizing his love for Janet (this episode I swear, throwing love confessions and realizations out from all directions). He confesses his love for her and asks him to marry her.

“Fake” Eleanor and Tahani are still in her house trying to understand the last few moments. Tahani then confronts her over knowing JianYu was a fake, but they soon make up and end up watching an old BBC show, “Deirdre and Margaret” that Tahani loves.

Michael is still in his office seemingly making some progress on the case (unlike some of the other characters) when Chidi rushes back into the office asking for help over his dilemma – unsure of who his true soulmate is. Michael tells him that “real” Eleanor is his soulmate, but soon backtracks and begins doubting his statement, overanalysing and vexing over the situation much like Chidi does. We’re thrown into another flashback as Chidi (as an adult) is having dinner with his best friend Uzo (Keston John) and is trying to make an order but can’t decide. The waiter announces he can come back (for a fifth time) and leaves him to mull it over. Uzo reveals that he is getting married, but instead of asking Chidi to be his best man, he asks him not to be due to his indecisiveness. Arguing that he can make on the spot decisions (or at least decisions quickly) he orders a meal, but quickly changes his mind running after the waiter.

Now doing something that “fake” Eleanor loves, (braiding Tahani’s hair with blonde extensions) Tahani asks her why they’re not working on her case (Ahhh, someone who has their priorities straight) but “fake” Eleanor deflects by saying she wouldn’t be any help. They continue discussing their lives when Tahani jokingly mentions that maybe “fake” Eleanor and JianYu are soulmates. And you guessed it folks, another love realization, however before Eleanor can do anything about it, Janet dings in inviting the two of them to her wedding.

At a frozen yogurt shop, Michael is trying to help Chidi make a decision about his female contenders. Michael gives him a decisive answer, but Chidi still wants to think about it. Michael asserts himself though, informing Chidi that indecisiveness ruled his entire life, right up till the very end. In another flashback now, Chidi is vexing over his best man’s speech for Uzo (in his apartment the day Uzo is supposed to be married). After having a meltdown, Chidi finally concedes defeat admitting to his best friend he was right. Uzo then reveals that this is all a test and he’s not getting married for another month. Wanting to comfort his best friend he takes him out for drinks, but they don’t get very far because Chidi hasn’t chosen a bar. At that moment the air conditioning unit from his apartment falls down, killing him.

After remembering this moment, Chidi admits to Michael that he is right; he just needs to make a decision. Chidi announces he will go look each of the women in the eye, trust his gut and figure out how he feels he gets up and leaves.

Back at the estate, JianYu and Janet really are getting married with a stunned Tahani and “fake” Eleanor watching on. “Fake” Eleanor is soaking it all up finding the entire situation amusing. Honestly, this scene is comedy gold in my opinion. The situation is just such a mess and seeing Eleanor and Tahani’s reactions to it all was hilarious. Janet and JianYu exchange vows, Janet asks for any objections is met with plenty of objections by their witnesses yet she overrules them and (by the power vested in her by her) marries them.

Tahani and “fake” Eleanor sit by the bar and reflect on their respective soul mates, both of them realizing JianYu definitely isn’t theirs. “Real” Eleanor walks in now to check on her fake counterpart to see how she’s doing after talking to Chidi. Overwhelmed by her kindness she confesses – if she’d known her, Tahani and Chidi when they were all still alive she would’ve “for real gotten into the Good Place.” This seems to catch Tahani’s attention who seemingly just had a light bulb moment (Oh man, I swear if it’s another love confession I might just—wait no they’d be cute aww).

Chidi walks in now finding all three of his love prospects in front of him, but before he can trust his gut and figure out how he feels “fake Eleanor” speaks up admitting to him that maybe she isn’t really in love with him. That recent events may have messed her up a little, she apologizes and while she does love him it’s more in a “best friend, afterlife, savior, kind of way.” Before he can say anything, Tahani steps up now and apologizes for her confession, recent events left her desperate and she need to cling on to something and at the time it was Chidi.

Chidi is now left bemused as everything he’d gotten worked up over is now gone. Tahani now reveals that she may have figured out a way for “fake” Eleanor to stay and rushes off to Michael’s office with “fake” Eleanor” and “real” Eleanor also in tow.