Comic-Con 2019: 'The Good Place' creator on D'Arcy Carden Emmy snub

By Ashley LeeStaff Writer

July 20, 2019 1:41 PM PT

“The Good Place” showrunner Mike Schur isn’t feeling so good about D’Arcy Carden’s Emmy nominations snub.

The series was included in the comedy series category when the nominations were announced Tuesday, while Ted Danson and Maya Rudolph’s performances also earned nominations. A particularly ambitious episode, in which Carden played nearly every character onscreen, received a writing nomination — but Emmy voters left the actress unacknowledged.

Though Carden tried to shrug it off, she visibly held back tears and called the episode “incredibly positive and collaborative and truly one of the best experiences of my life.”

Schur, on the other hand, took a moment to speak his mind on the matter: “I’m sorry, I know you’re not supposed to talk about stuff this, but imagine if your job is to make a list of the best supporting actress performances on television, and imagine you watch that episode and you think, ‘You know, just not top five.’ Imagine that. Imagine how crazy a human being you would have to be.”

“Art is subjective, and to each, his or her own. I understand it,” he continued. “But I will never understand D’Arcy Carden not getting nominated for an Emmy for that performance.”

Since the NBC series is set to end after its upcoming fourth season, the Saturday afternoon panel at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront was both a celebration of the series and a teaser for its farewell season.

Schur announced that the final episodes will feature more of Manny Jacinto’s dancing, as well as a new character — well, a new version of a beloved character. “You may meet a new Janet this year,” he said of Carden’s character, to the audience’s applause. “I’m not saying you will, but you might. No, you will, you will.”

Schur also confirmed that the script for the final episode is complete, but the cast won’t be reading it until Sunday, ahead of Monday’s table read. The actors were initially supposed to receive the pages last night, but Schur held off because “it’s a series finale, it’s very emotional and very sad, and we didn’t want it hanging over people’s heads” at the convention. (Also because the very talkative Danson would spill everything about the finale to the audience — an assertion to which Danson agreed.)

The philosophical comedy’s impending end is bittersweet for the cast.

“He has a great amount of integrity, and he said the show showed him how it was going to end,” star Kristen Bell said of Schur to the Indigo Ballroom audience. Costar Jameela Jamil called it “a tragedy to walk away from this show … but it’s also so cool to know we’re completing this show as it was meant to be completed.”

“You can’t write about decency and what it means to be a good person and how to lead a life and their consequences unless you truly understand that and lead a life like that,” Danson told Schur, teary-eyed. “It’s been an honor that ... because I’ve been so busy trying to remember your lines, that will catch up with me as I go through life. You are an inspiration.”

At first, Carden described the series’ end as “a breakup when you’re still in love with the person but you know it’s not gonna last. So it’s like, ‘I still love you, but let’s end this in a way that feels good for everybody.’ ” Then, she shared how she really feels about it all: “It’s sad as hell. We can say it’s great, but it sucks.” Jacinto then revealed that he’s been taking behind-the-scenes photos of the final season and will share them with the public once it airs.

On a more lighthearted note, Marc Evan Jackson, who plays the devilish Shawn in the show and moderated the Comic-Con panel, joked that the series is ending because Jamil is practically becoming her character, Tahani, and Jamil agreed. “Her soul has entered me and I’ve become a wanker. It’s bad, it’s bad — I’m morphing into her.”

Alongside a minutes-long appreciation for Jacinto’s on-set antics, William Jackson Harper’s live rendition of his dog’s theme song, multiple standing ovations and many shed tears, one fan wondered how Bell’s cavalier character would Eleanor interact with her other onscreen alter ego, Veronica Mars.

“That’s kind of no contest. Veronica would slay Eleanor so bad, so bad. She would drag her and Eleanor would barely survive. But I think after Veronica really gave her one, Eleanor would have mad respect for Veronica and be a part of her crew.”

Danson followed up with a key question: “Would there be a physical attraction?” Bell then confirmed, “Big time.”

Ahead of its return Sept. 26, the series also dropped its season-three blooper reel.