Chidi & Eleanor Scene Analysis

The Good Place is one of my favourite sitcoms! Particularly because of it's diverse character profiles. I think it's incredibly entertaining to watch people from such different background interact and problem solve. This is partially why I enjoyed this relationship - Chidi (William Jackson Harper) being very submissive and nerdy. While Eleanor (Kristen Bell) takes on a sort of troubled background - bully figure. But ironically, they're in love.

Immediately in this shot we see two completely opposite poses - outlining just how different they are. Eleanor is taking the higher ground, Standing up on the chair and arms wide - taking control. We immediately recognize her as being independent and boisterous. Very conflicting with Chidi's closed, shy pose - with his arms crossed and shoulders rolling forwards and not meeting Eleanor at her height - suggesting he's submissive to her behaviour.

Chidi remains this way even when Eleanor looks and points to him for some input into their plan. He stays closed, and even more depressed as he mentions pointlessness of what they're trying to achieve. As expected from Eleanor's personality, she turns her back on him in anger after he totally bums her out. Displaying their incompatibility to work together.

Chidi finally expresses his anger, opening his arms ever so slightly but remaining in his seat. He is stressed but still remains passive in his body language. During his small outburst, Eleanor keeps to her bully like qualities - shaking her head in disagreement and then expressing her feelings of disgust in HIS personality. All while keeping to her higher and condescending pose. Yeah, it's a personal dig. Chidi recognizes this and points it out - raising his voice and pushing his arms out to make it clear he isn't okay with how she's treating him. But of course, Eleanor has to have the final say. She leans in close expressing her anger - her arms are out and her body language is totally stressed. Significantly, she's doing so as close to him as physically possible, locking eyes. Showing just how much of a personal attack this is. Walking off and leaving Chidi with her final cruel words.

Eleanor brings her anger to Mindy (Maribeth Monroe) still with her arms out, taking the higher ground and clearly unable to deal with Chidi's contrasting personality. Mindy's had enough - as it turns out Eleanor and Chidi have been through all this before. We know this as Mindy continues to read her magazine on the couch, showing no interest in what Eleanor's ranting over. Eleanor continues to demonstrate her sarcastic angsty personality towards Mindy, until Mindy - sighing exhaustedly, reveals there's something Eleanor should know. Eleanor, keeping her eyes locked on Mindy, moves her body to face Mindy - showing sudden curiosity.

Eleanor put's her hand up as a sign she rejects the idea that her and Chidi could possibly be together. She reacts like that of a teenager, with denial and disapproval, looking away, shaking her head and yapping on. Mindy looks away and smacks her lips together -as if she's holding the information ready to go - as she know what she's about to reveal will be a shock considering how Eleanor currently is handling the information.