Entertainment
Throughout The Good Place's three-season run, the show has excelled at being heartfelt without bordering on hokey, complex without becoming confusing, and silly without being ridiculous. One of the best examples of these such qualities is Jason Mendoza, a hilarious, dumb, heart-of-gold Jacksonville Jaguars fan who finds himself in the afterlife after an ill-conceived robbery gone wrong. There are so many side-splitting Jason Mendoza quotes in each and every episode, but actor Manny Jacinto plays the character with such sincerity that he feels like so much more than simple comic relief.
Jason is definitely a stereotypical "bro," but he is only revealed to be such after a few episodes of being forced to pretend he was a monk who had taken a vow of silence. When viewers finally learned Jason's real personality, it was a shock to the system, and one that immediately made the character more interesting.
"When I first got the audition sides, [Jason] was very bro-ish so I played it towards that line. Then when I went in for the callback, they were like, 'We want him to still have that dim-wittedness, but also make sure to have this sweet side of him,'" Jacinto told Vulture in January. "That’s a very big part of who Jason is, that he has this innocence and sweetness about him, which makes him more likable.
He's always toeing the line between outrageous and adorable, and he'll certainly leave you scratching your head sometimes, but that's part of what makes the Jason's best Good Place moments so great. Here are some of the highlights so far.
He Learned The Dangers Of Molotov Cocktails
The best part is that he's apparently thrown multiple Molotov cocktails, and has multiple instances in which it's backfired.
...But Still Lobbed One Anyway
Another Molotov situation was added to the ranks shortly afterward. It seems likely Jason will never learn, so it's probably best to keep him away from all fire, alcohol, and rags.
When He Embraced Boobs Of All Varieties
Jason Mendoza does not discriminate, and may in fact be a body positive legend.
When He Basically Summed Up Twitter In A Nutshell
We've all been there, and given the mayhem that's unfolding around him at literally all times, Jason probably frequently needs to lend his two cents even when he has no clue what's happening.
He Proved Himself A Master Of Storytelling
Show me a better way to set a scene before you launch into a story about your year.
His Love For The Jaguars Went To New Lengths
Jason's love for Jacksonville's NFL team has been a main thread in the series since his first moment on-screen. But this season, he hit up an Australian watch party, and things got even more interesting.
When He Got Wedding-Ready
Did you really think Jason was going to wear sleeves when he and Janet tied the knot? If there was ever a time to show off his guns, it was his wedding day, and the backwards hat really sealed the deal.
He Revealed That He, Too, Is An Ariana Stan
Not only did Jason maintain a secret room where he could be himself even as he lived as a monk — he deemed the space a "bud hole," you know, for buds to hang out — but it was also adorned with posters of Ariana Grande.
When He Made All Of Us Wonder About His Past
If zigzagging between the fake Good Place, the actual Bad Place, and the real world in an endless struggle to save himself from eternal doom doesn't make up Jason's wildest year, then what on earth does?
He Defined True Love Better Than Any Poet
Jason is nothing if not in touch with his emotions, and he should feel free to express himself in any way that feels natural. In this case, it was through EDM metaphors.
He Reminded You That He’s Not Scared Of Any Dare
This hopefully isn't his main claim to fame, but you certainly can't say Jason Mendoza is a coward.
He Hit Michael’s Self-Esteem
You know you really failed pulling off your complex, multi-layered evil scheme when even Jason was able to figure it out.
He Put His Heart On The Line For A Robot (Not A Robot)
Jason and Janet are the weirdest, most precious couple to maybe ever come out of television, and though they're on hiatus right now, they must be protected at all costs.
This is obviously not a comprehensive list of perfect Jason Mendoza moments — you could fill a book with all of them — but these are just a few to remind you just how much joy and silliness he's brought into our hearts during a rough two years.
