Community Review: Fresh and Funny
Congratulations, Subway. You have made up for relentlessly jamming your "$5 Footlong" jingle inside my head. And it was all thanks to the "Digital Exploration of Interior Design."
A Community episode that insulted Mitt Romney, all men named Kim and whoever the heck owns the world's longest fingernails, this installment all came back to Subway. The sandwich chain. Not the handicapped pet-adoring student parading around as a corporate entity.
Taking product placement to a new, absurd, hilarious level, Community played off Romney's famous remark at a campaign event last year that "corporations are people." But it did in a Community-esque way, overt yet subtle, taking no direct political stance, just extending that statement to its illogical conclusion.
And letting Britta work some of her whoresmanship along the way. Sorry, it's the 21st century: whoreswomanship.
As usual, Britta's outrage was little match for reality this week, only this time the reality featured blue eyes, a love for George Orwell and an openness to do things that make former Bay Area residents unable to arise from their seats for a few minutes... if you know what we mean! (Which Dean Pelton clearly does not.)
This was easily my favorite storyline of the three arcs featured. Pierce - the study group member most often on the periphery - has rarely been better, believing he was the head of a legitimate undercover operation (You're a weapon designed for sex!), willing to go to any length to achieve success, ink-filled pens be damned.
The Jeff/Annie/Kim plot wasn't anything special, though it is refreshing to be reminded the show hasn't forgotten about Jeff making out with Annie, even if he has. There were still moments to remember here, of course, from Jeff not noticing Annie sneezed to Annie's indignation that a guy could dare usurp the sort of petty complaining reserved for the fairer sex.
Finally, we get to Troy and Abed... in the mourning? Are we seeing the demise of TV Fanatic's Most Dynamic Duo? Of course not. But I do give Dan Harmon and company credit for actually evolving this friendship. It would have been easy (and hysterical) to maintain the status quo, just featuring this pair each week in its alternate realities of fort-building and Inspector Space-timing.
Instead, however, all three of the episodes since Community's return have given us different looks at Troy and Abed's dynamic, mostly from Troy's point of view, mostly in terms of him realizing the one-sided, unusual nature of their bond. And, yes, it accomplished that here in the course of a contest between competing forts. Only on Community.
I must now be going to help save Garrett, but I leave you with a link to our Community quotes section and also with a very difficult decision: Choose a team in this feud...
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Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
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April 21st, 2012 9:56 PM
Not for the cost of the house but they will have to pay the market value in taxes! Many of the ifimlaes that have been on the show, end up losing the home because they cannot afford the taxes each year. You figure, if a home was worth $70,000 to begin with but was worth $400,000 or more when the show left that is a HUGE jump in their taxes! There is no way around it. Believe me, the moment the permits are pulled for the build, the government is ready to come out and assess the amount the house will be worth with the improvements.
Rank: New User
April 2nd, 2012 7:50 PM
(comment continued)
but in truth Troy has changed to resemble Abed more than the converse.
Other than seeing this as merely an indicator of either compassionate adaptability or weakness of character, I think serious attention is being paid to a real social phenomenon: the plight of the High School Jock at college. Troy's re-invention of himself is more than common for those like him as power dynamics shift under the influence of the demands and situations of a more cerebral environment... a transition that occurs against a wider social shift from brawn to brain in that demographic.
I'm genuinely excited to see where they go with this: ham-fisted writing or faux mawkishness might blur the lines of a clearly long-thought thematic stream, but the possibilities presented by the use of war to represent social poles may echo 'Modern Warfare' and the sublime Paintball epics.
It got real up in that memory cave.
Rank: New User
April 2nd, 2012 7:40 PM
First time poster, long-time reader (do people really say that? I live in South Africa and receive my understanding of American vernacular from re-runs of 'The Simpsons'. Like everyone else).
This episode (which I enjoyed more than its predecessors, but this show often seems to struggle hit the ground running after breaks), represents a fascinating evolution of a narrative arc that spans multiple series, including crucial developments like Boobatron 4000 ('The Art of Discourse'), Troy's costume/Abed's'I love you' ending of 'Epidemiology'... and Evil Troy's alliance with Evil Abed ('Remedial Chaos Theory').
Beside the obvious disparities in the duo's capabilities - a tension that has has at times veered towards the dark, most notably with Abed's clumsy attempt to use Pop Culture to explain it with his 'Good Will Hunting' reference ('Pascal's Triangle Revisited'). The show acknowledges the value of diversity in a friendship, but in truth Troy has changed to resemble Abed more than
April 2nd, 2012 4:05 PM
@Bastarda, Lucky,
Actually Jeff and Annie did make out this season, even if it was in an alternate reality! Gotta admit, its gross, a 36 year old man necking a 20 year old!
I'm 33 and I find it awkward to even think of 26 year olds that way :)
April 2nd, 2012 4:02 PM
@Narsimha Fantastic and Astute comment! I can't believe in all my adulation of community I didn't notice this oh so subtle reference!
April 1st, 2012 3:52 PM
loved the episode. love community.
Rank: Regular Character
March 31st, 2012 2:34 AM
Great episode. They're probably going to build a combined pillow/blanket fort next ep. The ink drinking was gross. Abed saying To Be Continued was surreal.
Rank: Regular Character
March 30th, 2012 10:07 PM
Totally on team Blanket Fort!!! Go TROY!!
I loved this episode - and again, it was another solid episode for Britta, and a great one for Pierce (even though his ink drinking totally grossed me out). The Brita filter joke almost killed me LOL
I think this is the first time I've ever watched a show where one of the characters actually says "to be continued..."
March 30th, 2012 8:24 PM
Did you not notice the subtle meta-ness where Troy and Abed's friendship is really just symbolizing the show in the current state it's in? Like when Abed says he would much rather have quality or quantity, even if it means missing out on awards etc. They're using the friendship as a way to make a statement about the uncertainty of the show's future.
Rank: Guest Star
March 30th, 2012 6:50 PM
Another solid episode.
I still dont think it is as funny as it used to be but they have definitly toned down the "over-the-topness" and it is definitely an improvement from some of the episodes we have been seeing.
Team Troy #FTW