This was the closest Community has come to being a traditional sitcom in its two years on the air.

There were no major gimmicks on "Mixology Certifiction," no outlandishly absurd situations.  It was just so... normal.  That wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Right of the bat, gotta say, if Troy is supposed to be a Jehovah's Witness, he's not a very good one.  A uteral expulsion cake is still a birthday cake, no matter which way you slice it.

I always enjoy a good bit of Jeff and Britta and their frustrated banter, but Troy was right: drunk Jeff and Britta are "Lifetime movie sad." I didn't laugh once during their boozy back and forth over the coolness/lameness of the local bar scene. The makeout session between them had skanky written all over it, and was only funny when Abed tattled on them.

It all did lead, though, to the most ironic moment of the night with Troy becoming the responsible adult and getting everyone home safely, while boasting a freshly mature outlook. That's cool and all, but I like Troy best when he's climbing into candy machines with Abed - or putting on dozens of T-Shirts.

What a wasted opportunity with Shirley.  Seeing the photos of her in her partying days was amusing, especially the one with her hoarding a boatload of beer bottles with a whacked out look on her face, but not as much as it would have been to have actual flashbacks of Shirley in all her debauched glory. 

I would have even settled for having her run into more people she used to know and party with, sort of like she did with the bouncer, learning little nuggets about her formerly crazy ways.  All we got was a handful of Polaroids and a hissy fit out the front door when her secret got out of the bag.

Speaking of wasted opportunities, what are they doing with Chevy Chase?  Pierce's role is becoming less and less relevant to everything else going on around him. 

Abed chatting up Farscape with the guy who was hitting on him in the bar was... creepy.  Though it was funny that he continued the conversation even after figuring out the guys ulterior motive, simply because he enjoys talking about Farscape.

Annie's attempt at trying to make passing off a fake ID seem legit was the funniest bit of the episode.  I like that it started out as typically frantic Annie trying not to get in trouble, but then as she felt the freedom of not having to be so perfect, she gradually sunk into the role with ease. I can appreciate her having an identity crisis; making a complete 180 from drug addict to Little Miss Perfect can't come without some emotional bruising.  Good thing she had Troy to help her figure out that who she's become is just who she's supposed to be. 

Average episode overall.  Nothing exceptionally hilarious about it, but we've selected the best Community quotes from the half hour below:

Jeff: There's a place at Third and Water. It's fun, divey but not staph infection divey. It's either got a gross name, or an ironically fancy one. Possibly both.
Britta: Oh, The Ball Toom. Good. | permalink

Annie: I'm not a relaxed person Britta. I think ahead. I prepare. I don't improvise my life like Caroline Decker, who probably has really bad credit and an unfinished mermaid tattoo. | permalink

Troy: Yes. I want to bathe in manhood. | permalink

Shirley: Here, let me help you with that.
Pierce: I broke my legs, not my gender. | permalink

Annie: Weird night huh?
Troy: Yeah. Alcohol makes people sad. It's like the Lifetime movies of beverages. | permalink

Jeffrey Kirkpatrick is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow him on Twitter.