The fate of, well, everyone, rests in the hands of Eleanor (Kristen Bell) on The Good Place. And after a crisis of faith, she's back on track with the experiment to prove humans, even in the afterlife, can try and become better people. Everything's going according to plan…until it doesn't.
In the exclusive sneak peek of "Chillaxing," the third episode of the final season, Eleanor and Michael (Ted Danson) discover their plan to have the mind-wiped Chidi (William Jackson Harper) get the other human test subjects has hit a snag.
"If there's anyone that can turn that ashhole into a good person, it's Chidi. My man used to collect action figures of famous philosophers. ‘Oh, Eleanor, look! It's a near-mint Arthur Schopenhauerwith a working quill!' What a dork, I love him so much," Eleanor says about her former boyfriend.
"Chidi might make the new humans better all on his own. It's so great he erased his memory, but it's also quite sad for you in a way that I always think about and am respectful of," Michael says, realizing he stepped in it.
But Chidi isn't working with Brent anymore, instead Brent has deemed his Princeton education and a B+ grade in moral values means he doesn't need to be involved in the ethics study group Chidi was drafted into leading. Now, Chidi is chillaxing, which is a combination of Chidi and relaxing, according to Michael. What will the Soul Squad do? Chidi isn't being tortured, he thinks he's really in the Good Place. Eleanor was his original motivation.
"If we don't force Chidi into stressful decision-making, he won't even have the chance to become a better person," Michael concludes.
And that's where Eleanor and her past relationship with Chidi comes in. "I've got this, I've got a ton of experience making ex-boyfriends' lives miserable. First up, we fill his acoustic guitar with wet cat food," she says. "Judge me all you want, I get results."
Maybe there's something else they can do, and the turn to an unusual source for help. Meanwhile, Tahani (Jameela Jamil) lends her expertise to assist one of the new residents.
Bell told E! News putting Eleanor in charge is the "ultimate challenge" for the character.
"Eleanor's always been opinionated and a bit bossy, and this season posed the question of saying, ‘OK, you think you're bossy? Prove it. Step up when we need you.' Don't call out, ‘Run faster from the sidelines,' anymore. That's a very cool thing to play as an actor. And, yeah, I think she does her best this season. I think it was a very cool place to put her, asking her if she'll finally lead ‘cause there was no one else who could do it," Bell said.
See what happens on The Good Place, Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)