Hazel is startled when she wakes up to find that Byron is next to her. Dr. Hau, who will treat Herb’s cancer without his knowledge, introduces them.
Herb takes his pills each morning, which have been swapped out with a sedative. When he falls asleep, they will take him to the medical center. There, they will reset his clocks back to the time he passed out. ..
Hazel tells Byron she’s only staying in the Hub for as long as it takes for her dad to get better. Bryon says this gives him 12 weeks to try and fix their relationship.
The FBI is investigating people who have gone to work for the Hub and died mysterious deaths. They believe these people are still alive and working in the Hub.
The FBI is clearing Jay for an undercover interview at the Hub under the name Jasper. If he can get a job there, they think they can pin Byron Gogol with multiple crimes. They also think Hazel could potentially fall for him and confide in him.
At the Hub, Hazel and Byron get their chips taken out of their heads. Hazel eats the chips afterwards, worried that Byron has plans for them.
Last season, Bryon trapped Herringbone in the pasture cube with Fiffany. He claimed it was a parting gift after he fired him, but it was actually a gift from his predecessor.
After Hazel leaves, Dr. Hau asks Byron how he knew Hazel would destroy the chips. He had planned for it, and managed to save the chips’ data to the Cloud via a transfer plate, right before Hazel consumed them.
Herb goes about his life, but there are things he finds strange. For example, in his drawer, he finds an old watch that doesn’t match his digital clocks. When he calls his mechanic, Bennett answers the phone. Bennett tells Herb they can’t squeeze him in right now to fix his truck because they’re already full. Herb is especially confused by the toilet, which suddenly flushes without issue.
Jay is given the choice to become a Hub employee or to cease using his former identity. He chooses to become a Hub employee, but is told that if he signs on, he’ll be declared dead.
Hazel explores the Hub while her dad sleeps. People won’t talk to her until Byron gives them permission.
Byron wants to show her something. He has her enter a pod that leads her to his childhood roof, where he used to hide. He says the Hub has cameras in every location except there. It’s his sanctuary that only he knows about. He wants to give it to her, and promises he’ll never intrude.
The episode ends with a surreal scene set in The Cloud, where digital versions of Byron and Hazel greet each other. ..
The Episode Review
This season, Made for Love is back for another darkly comedic season. The relationship between Hazel and Byron is the focus of the show, but we see that dynamic play out in other ways as well. This season, Made for Love is back to be dark and funny.
Made for Love is aware of its overt theatrics and pokes fun at its own clichés. It’s with a wink to the viewer that the nameless FBI agents push a dangerous assignment on Jay–with no plan of extraction–and Jay finally responds, “F*ck it. I’ve done worse. Let’s do it.” It’s like we’re in on a joke with the creators who are saying, “This isn’t real. We can do whatever we want!” If overdone, this may eventually come across as cringeworthy and lazy. For now, it serves up a few laughs and some light fun. ..
The season 2 premiere of “The Good Place” had a slow start. However, it managed to keep up an overall sense of fun and intrigue. I’m looking forward to seeing what zany plans Byron has up his sleeve- and concerned that Hazel doesn’t seem worried enough about her husband’s intentions.
