The Good Place has gone and done it again. After last week’s awesome payoff to that “Chidi is jacked” joke, the show has followed up by revealing the shocking truth behind one of Jason Mendoza’s closest bros. That’s right, it’s time to learn about Donkey Doug. Jaguars rule!
After The Good Place gang discovered the awful truth about their fate last week — that they were destined to die and go to hell — the best thing for them to do was try to make the world a better place before they left. Surprisingly, they decided to start close to home, heading to Jacksonville in “The Ballad of Donkey Doug” to heal the divide between Jason Mendoza and his father. I’m sorry, I mean Donkey Doug. That’s right, Donkey Doug is actually Jason’s father!
If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Donkey Doug is one of Jason’s besties. Jason’s mentioned him several times over the series so far. But they have history. In the season one episode “Category 55 Emergency Doomsday Crisis,” Jason tried to understand Utilitarian ethical dilemmas by describing how he framed Donkey Doug’s girlfriend Sheila, a black market alligator dealer, with theft — so his break-dancing crew wouldn’t lose its best pop-and-locker. Yep, Jason framed his dad’s girlfriend.
But it’s OK, Donkey Doug got revenge: He formed a rival dance group, #DougLife, and challenged Jason’s to a dance-off. So Jason, being of sound mind and body, stood up Donkey Doug’s team so he could slash all their tires.
We actually met Jason’s dad earlier in the season. I know, I forgot too! In the season three premiere, “Everything Is Bonzers!,” Donkey Doug briefly joined Jason’s dance group before quitting because he thought it was going to be too much work. Then, Jason’s dance group was disqualified because Donkey Doug tried to carjack the host of the competition. Like I said, they’ve got history.
It’s actually kind of sad watching all of this play out, now knowing they were actually father and son. In that episode, Jason begged him to stay in the group after all they’d been through, but Donkey Doug wasn’t interested. He actually said, “You know you’re my boy, but this sounds like a lot of work.” In hindsight, this was a sign.
He actually was his boy. It just shows that Jason’s dad wasn’t really interested in taking on the responsibilities of fatherhood, and Jason’s best way of coping was to simply play along. You have to wonder what Jason would be like if his father had been less of a bro and more of a dad.
It’s also sad how, in the end, Jason wasn’t really meant to help Donkey Doug. He tried to get him on the right path, encouraging him to finish his certification to become an electrician, but he was too set in his ways. Dammit, he wants to make his body spray that’s also an energy drink, and no one can stop him from stealing all the Red Bull in the world to make it happen. He did sacrifice himself so Jason could escape the cops. It’s not much, but it’s probably the most fatherly thing Donkey Doug will ever do.
Instead, Jason turned his attention to Pillboi, the friend who had accidentally gotten him killed in the first place. Pillboi complained about working at a retirement home, but when we see him there, it’s clear he’s actually doing good. In his own way, of course — he’s still helping old people get their rocks off.
But he had a purpose, one that made people happy. So Jason told Pillboi he’s on a secret NASA mission so he stays at the retirement home. Seems like it would make it impossible for him to earn Good Place points, if he’s only staying because NASA wants him too. But hey, it’s Florida. Anything can happen.
Random Musings:
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I love how Janet just invented a new immersive virtual reality that would change the world as we know it, but it probably won’t mean a thing later on. Also, her need to “ding” in and out of the room was precious.
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I like where the story is going, helping our heroes heal the wounds of the world and their past, but I’m worried this means the end of Simone’s story. I saw some people speculating that Simone was actually a guiding spirit, perhaps the Judge or someone sent by the Judge, designed to watch over their progress. I liked this idea, but given this development, it feels like that might not be the case. I liked Kirby Howell-Baptiste in the role, and I am sad to maybe see her go.
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Eleanor is the bisexual icon we all deserve.