6 Times 'The Good Place' Was Obsessed with Frozen Yogurt

The Good Place returns to NBC on Wednesday, September 20, which means that now is a good time to revisit one of the show’s best running jokes: In the universe of the Good Place (a version of Heaven) where protagonist Eleanor (Kristen Bell) and her friends, including the seemingly-bumbling but well-meaning architect of their new world, Michael (Ted Danson), are sent to live out eternity, everyone loves frozen yogurt. Doesn’t sound too much different than the real-life Earth, but in the Good Place, there is an unlimited number of flavors and shops stocked with the treat on every corner. Imagine spending the afterlife sampling every frozen yogurt combination in the universe. Sounds heavenly to us. But there’s a catch: The frozen yogurt might be flowing freely, but you won’t find any ice cream in the Good Place. A world without ice cream seems like an unpleasant one indeed, but this is supposed to be Heaven, right? What could go wrong?

Season One is available on Netflix and Amazon, where you can rewatch these six times The Good Place couldn’t get enough frozen yogurt.

Season 1, Episode 1: “Everything is Fine”

After Eleanor Shellstrop dies, she finds herself in a calming waiting room, where Michael, who tells her that he’s the architect of her new home, greets her. He takes her on a tour of the neighborhood where she'll be living for the rest of time, and Eleanor notices that there’s a froyo shop on almost every corner: Let’s All Eat Yogurt, Yogurt Horizons, Yogurt Yoghurt Yogurté; the Good Place has them all.

“There are a lot of frozen yogurt places,” Eleanor comments.

“Yeah, that’s the one thing we put in all the neighborhoods,” Michael explains, confirming that frozen yogurt is popular just about everywhere.

Season 1, Episode 2: “Flying”

More froyo shops make an appearance in this episode: The Suggestion of Yogurt and Yogurt Acres.

Eleanor’s neighbor, Tahani, enjoys a cup full of rainbow froyo, marveling at how the Good Place managed to mix together one million flavors, “yet I can still taste each individual one.”

Michael, feeling depressed that his neighborhood isn’t turning out to be the paradise it’s meant to be, opts for the “no flavor" flavor.

Also in this episode: Eleanor praises Michael for inventing a coffee cup that doesn’t leak where the seam of the cup meets the lid.

Season 1, Episode 5: “Category 55 Doomsday Crisis”

Eleanor, working on becoming a better person even in the afterlife, stops by one of the froyo shops, where she examines a list of near infinite flavors, including raspberry sorbet, potato chip, Maine lobster, the perfect high five, skinny dipping, cancelled plans, empty inbox, inside jokes, stardust, and full cell phone battery, which Eleanor says makes her feel relaxed (pause at the seven-second mark of the episode to read full list yourself). Recognizing that it will probably take her a while to choose, she lets some else order before her.

Episode 6: “What We Owe to Each Other”

We finally find out why the Good Place keeps frozen yogurt on tap in this episode.

“What is it with you and frozen yogurt? Have you not heard of ice cream?” Eleanor asks Michael, finally confronting the issue we’ve all been wondering about.

“Oh sure, but I’ve come to really like frozen yogurt,” he answers. “There’s something so human about taking something and ruining it a little so you can have more of it.”

Episode 10: “Chidi’s Choice”

Eleanor’s closest friend in the Good Place, Chidi, has to choose who he wants to spend eternity with. Michael tries to help him by presenting him with three cups of froyo representing his love interests. All he has to do is choose which flavor he finds most appealing. The challenge proves difficult for Chidi.

Episode 11: "What's My Motivation"

Everything has its opposite, and in the case of the Good Place, it’s the Bad Place. When Eleanor realizes she may have to give up her comfortable existence in the Good Place, she tries to find out if there’s a middle ground in the afterlife. While she’s away, Tahani and Chidi worry they’ll have to go to the Bad Place in her stead, so Michael brings them two cups of—what else—frozen yogurt as their last meal.