The Good Place has finally moved on to the afterlife for comedy shows, and the season finale brought back plenty of familiar characters - along with some great surprise cameos. Created by Michael Schur, the NBC series ran for four seasons before being brought to a natural close this week, as the Soul Squad created a new afterlife system and found their own version of eternal rest.
Since time on Earth is linear and time in the afterlife moves in a Jeremy Bearimy, everyone from Alexander the Great to Beyoncé eventually ends up in the Good Place together. This means that the finale had ample opportunity to feature many of the characters from the past four seasons of The Good Place - from Tahani's parents, to Eleanor's old roommates, and even Jason's homie/dad Donkey Doug.
It's hard to say goodbye to Team Cockroach, but having a big reunion party for some of the best characters from the series makes the passing a little easier. Here are the big cameos and returning characters from The Good Place series finale.
Nick Offerman
Tahani's self-assigned mission in the Good Place is to learn how to do just about everything - from burping the alphabet to problematically objectifying Eleanor. One of the tasks on her to-do list is becoming a master woodworker, and so she enlists the help of a character played by Nick Offerman to teach her. It's unclear whether Offerman is playing himself or his character Ron Swanson from Michael Schur's earlier sitcom, Parks and Recreation, since both are skilled woodworkers. Either way, he's very impressed with Tahani's chair.
Mary Steenburgen
Oscar-winning actress Mary Steenburgen shares a scene with her real-life husband, Ted Danson, in a cameo where she plays the newly-human Michael's guitar teacher. Steenburgen's first major role was as Clara Clayton in Back to the Future Part III, and she has also appeared in titles like Step Brothers, Joan of Arcadia, and The Last Man on Earth. Steenburgen and Danson have been married since 1995, but there's more to this cameo than just a family connection. Like Michael, Steenburgen took to music later in life when, after a routine surgery, she woke up feeling suddenly musical. She took music lessons to find the proper outlet for her newfound passion, and has since had a prolific career as a songwriter.
Noah Garfinkel as Young Doug Forcett
The picture on Michael's wall came to life in The Good Place season finale. Doug Forcett, a Canadian stoner who managed to figure out the afterlife system during a magic mushroom trip in the 1970s, first appeared in the flesh in The Good Place season 3. Played by Michael Kean, the older Doug Forcett had lived a life of crippling selflessness out of determination to earn enough points for a spot in the Good Place. Once he actually gets there, he makes up for lost time by partying and eating dangerous amounts of chicken - and he even gets to return to his younger body. This means that Doug is played in live-action for the first time by Noah Garfinkel, a comedy writer for shows like New Girl, who posed for the original photo.
Other Returning Characters in The Good Place Series Finale
- Mindy St. Claire - The sole occupant of the Medium Place is persuaded to go through the new system by Eleanor.
- Derek - Having been rebooted many, many, many times by Mindy, Derek has evolved into an incorporeal all-knowing god-like being.
- The Doorman - The frog-loving guardian of the doorway to Earth amasses a huge collection of frog memorabilia - and eventually a real frog called Mr. Jumpylegs.
- Donkey Doug and Pillboi - Jason Mendoza's father and best friend ultimately end up in the Good Place, and attend his farewell party when he decides to go through the final door.
- Kamilah, Manisha, and Waqas Al-Jamil - Tahani finally gets to spend a good day with her parents (and then a few thousand more) when the Al-Jamils are reunited in the Good Place.
- Simone - Chidi's ex-girlfriend and one of the trial subjects for a new afterlife is seen back together again with Eleanor and Chidi at a dinner party.
- Brent - We briefly see Materials entrepreneur and amateur novelist Brent on a monitor, being given an evaluation for afterlife test scenario #15,724.
- John - The gossip journalist who was once Tahani's worst enemy makes it to the Good Place and even has a tryst with Alexander the Great.
- Brittany and Madison - Eleanor's old roommates eventually join her in the Good Place, having managed to move past the whole "Dress B***h" thing.
- Uzo - Chidi's oldest friend (who witnessed his unfortunate death by air conditioner) is pleasantly surprised to find Chidi has gotten over his crippling indecision.