The Good Place Scene That Had Fans In Tears

Created by "The Office" alum Michael Schur, the NBC comedy "The Good Place" sought to explore the rich possibilities of the afterlife with a tongue-in-cheek, nuanced lens that often merged satire with heart. During its run from 2016 to 2020, the beloved series introduced viewers to the messy contradictions of an ensemble cast learning to become better people while embracing their imperfections. 

At the beginning of the show, Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) arrives in the Good Place after an untimely death and meets her predetermined soulmate, an anxiety-ridden academic called Chidi Anagonye (William Jackson Harper). As Eleanor strives to maintain her standing in the Good Place, even as she fears that someone will realize she has been put there by mistake, she inadvertently finds herself bonding with Chidi and her peers. While learning to be "good," she attends lessons led by Chidi on the philosophical underpinnings of morality and begins to grow as a person. 

"The Good Place" received consistent praise from critics for its strong performances, smart writing, and eye-catching visuals (via Rotten Tomatoes). Despite its short run, the show left a lasting impact on the audience. In the series finale, a specific scene left many fans in tears.

For four seasons, "The Good Place" demonstrated, again and again, the ways in which humans can evolve with the unwavering support and love of those around them. By the finale, the group migrates to the real Good Place, a version of the Afterlife that offers them everything they could ever want. However, they soon realize that even the most perfect form of eternity cannot grant them eternal peace. Eventually, they have to choose to move on — which Chidi decides to do before Eleanor is ready. 

While Eleanor struggles with the thought of losing Chidi, he offers her a comforting way of looking at his departure. As they watch the sunset in their home, he tells her, "Picture a wave in the ocean: you can see it measure it, its height, the way the sunlight refracts... and then it crashes on the shore and then it's gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be for a little while. That's one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean, where it came from, and where it's supposed to be."

This particular moment with Chidi and Eleanor touched viewers with its poetic perspective of life after death. As Reddit u/TheNeverKing wrote, "That one speech is how I'll always remember this show. I managed to hold it together until the end, but for some reason Chidi's calm 'none of this is bad' is what finally got me." While "The Good Place" effectively leaned into slapstick humor and puns, it also frequently delved into hard truths with a thoughtful and compassionate eye. In the end, Chidi's wise, poignant farewell is what many fans continue to remember and hold close.