Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing my look at Community (2009-2014, NBC; 2015, Yahoo!), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-Ray and streaming!
Community stars JOEL McHALE as Jeff, GILLIAN JACOBS as Britta, DANNY PUDI as Abed, YVETTE NICOLE BROWN as Shirley, ALISON BRIE as Annie, DONALD GLOVER as Troy, KEN JEONG as Chang, and CHEVY CHASE as Pierce. With JIM RASH.
The 2010-2011 season for sitcoms was perhaps the best of the entire decade, with strong laugh-forward shows abounding. NBC’s “Comedy Night Done Right,” the finest sitcom niche from the niche-filled 21st century, was thriving. Not only was 30 Rock still in good shape, but Parks And Rec was also stepping into its brilliance. And while the once-great The Office was long past its apex, at least it was still offering Steve Carell, meaning it had yet to maim its situation. Combine all that with the state of Community here in its peak-quality second season, and you have their zenith as a collective — a display of sitcommery that, unfortunately, would be diluted as the Peak TV decade unfolded. Community previews why. Its first season established media-on-media parody as a major aspect of the show’s humor and weekly storytelling, thus embedding meta into its DNA as something to regularly expect. It’s now part of its identity, its situation. But as we’ll see, even when such meta is also supported by a character like Abed’s, it’s nevertheless still so predicated on outside notions beyond those created by Community that the emphasis on sustaining elements, overall, is reduced, as those elements now less exclusively inspire the show’s narrative projection of self. Accordingly, the “situation” as a concept is undermined, for regularity is coming less from its own components than from the reliable inclusion of outward-facing ideas. In that regard, I look to Community, and this season — where it is the best version of itself — as evidence for this inherently anti-situation trend that I’ve diagnosed in the 2010s. If that sounds like a negative adjudication, it’s only meant to explain why, even when Community is at its most ideal, I still prefer the more intra-situational 30 Rock and Parks And Rec (not to mention The Office — not this year, but at its peak). Otherwise, I aim to be positive, for this is the best, most consistent, most self-fulfilled season of this sitcom that has the right, like any other, to define itself any way it chooses. And here in Two, it does so every week with charm, as its self-understanding has refined. But with enough novelty to still elicit fresh ideas that acquit the series as an exciting, imaginative delight, boasting clear characters and a sense of metatheatrical parody that’s not just sexy but individualized enough to stand as genuine situation comedy. The kind of situation comedy that would prove just right for the transformative 2010s.
01) Episode 26: “Anthropology 101” (Aired: 09/23/10)
Jeff must deal with the aftermath of his rejection of Britta.
Written by Chris McKenna | Directed by Joe Russo
Season Two opens with an ideal half hour that reflects the series’ elevated understanding of self and its new capacity to feature all major aspects of its situation on a regular, consistent basis (which is the reason this is its finest collection). Not only are there plenty of metatheatrical jokes and cultural references, but there’s also some strong character material, with the premised study group construct reaffirmed via conflict within the ensemble that’s used to re-cement their congregation as a viable status quo for this sophomore season. As for certain individuals, Jeff is directly called out for being jerky to others (Abed does this succinctly, with appropriate meta-awareness), and there’s lots of fun in his competitive dynamic with Britta, who relishes in performing heartbreak for the sympathy of her peers — a great reiteration of both their depictions. What’s more, there’s the guest appearance by Betty White as an insane anthropology professor — evidencing the series’ commitment to big-laugh, even if idea-driven, comedy that helps confirm why this season of Community is at the peak of its powers.
02) Episode 31: “Epidemiology” (Aired: 10/28/10)
A biohazard accidentally infects students at the school’s Halloween party.
Written by Karey Dornetto | Directed by Anthony Hemingway
One of the series’ most-beloved genre parodies, this Halloween-themed excursion delights in spoofing the clichés associated with zombie flicks, as a biohazard is accidentally introduced on campus, forcing the students to quarantine during their costume party. Unfortunately, those who have ingested the biohazard develop rabies-like symptoms that aesthetically turn them into zombies — thus trapping the humans inside an infestation, queuing up all the expected tropes, and with a story that plays out like a quintessential example of the subgenre (with special allusions to stuff like 28 Days Later and Shaun Of The Dead). It’s all a well-crafted lampoon that corroborates just how committed the series has become to these kinds of high-concept culturally literate sketches as a play to its own identity. And since this is still pretty early in the run, outings like these are also still fresh and exciting. Now, I, personally, would prefer a little more character, but this is better than many on that front, with a tryst between Shirley and the hilarious Chang setting up a major arc for the rest of the season. So, it’s a key entry here in Two.
03) Episode 33: “Cooperative Calligraphy” (Aired: 11/11/10)
The group locks down to solve the mystery of who stole Annie’s pen.
Written by Megan Ganz | Directed by Joe Russo
One of my all-time favorites, “Cooperative Calligraphy” offers enough of the series’ sexy metatheatricality to genuinely reflect that guiding aspect of its existence without putting too much stock on outside genres or works for parody. You know, like zombie flicks or spaghetti westerns. That is, it keeps its meta confined to the rest of its self-cultivated situation, with its media-on-media satire coming exclusively from the inside, namely the sitcom form, or at least, the television medium. Specifically, this script acknowledges — via Abed, whose obsessions justify this reference and its accordant ethos — that this is a “bottle episode,” a.k.a. a cheaply produced segment that features only the regular characters and on the regular sets. Now, you know I love this — by limiting narrative distractions, this story is forced to focus and therefore rely on the main elements of its situation, like the characters and their relationships. That’s sitcommery 101, and it’s exactly what we see here, as the study group turns accusatory when trying to figure out who stole Annie’s pen. This begets a fine character showcase, and with just enough self-knowing meta to make it a seminal sample of this series. An MVE contender.
04) Episode 34: “Conspiracy Theories And Interior Design” (Aired: 11/18/10)
Jeff and Annie investigate a conspiracy centered around a mysterious professor.
Written by Chris McKenna | Directed by Adam Davidson
Another popular outing, this is one of those samples that personally vexes me, as it inherently proclaims story-driven and idea-based values that undermine the regular elements of the situation and the centricity they should ideally display when reinforcing the series’ identity in episodic ideas. My issue is not the high-concept thinking though, for this is not so much a tangible parody of an outside work as it is a play on the idea of conspiracies — with layers of ruses about who’s fooling whom. Meaning, it’s essentially a prank show — with one character believing they’re punking another, then learning they’re being punked, then revealing they’re part of a larger punk with others, and so on. I’ve seen a lot of this in the sitcom form and I tend not to love these entries, because so much emphasis is taken away from the leads and what they’re doing, instead focusing on flashy plot twists and the circumstances of the prank. However, Community is doing all this with a wink — it’s media-on-media satire, after all — so this ends up being an exaggerated caricature of this notion. And that’s not just funny, it’s enjoyably deflating. Additionally, the blanket fort subplot is a quintessential setup for this series, elevating this selection’s fortunes even higher for me and rendering it a must-include.
05) Episode 36: “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (Aired: 12/09/10)
The group intervenes when Abed suddenly sees the world in stop-motion animation.
Written by Dino Stamatopoulos & Dan Harmon | Directed by Duke Johnson
The year’s Christmas offering is one big high-concept gimmick — entirely produced in stop-motion animation, with the actors voicing both their characters and their characters as Christmas-like figures in Abed’s head. “Abed’s head” is the key phrase there, for all of this gaudiness is justified in the narrative by his definition. As always, his awareness of culture not only enables references to other works but also the metatheatrical acknowledgment of this series’ own fourth wall — that is, its parameters as a bit of produced media. Accordingly, a show where Abed consciously sees the world in stop-motion animation is an idealized display of both Community’s fundamental understanding as a vessel for such cultural parody — examining, in this particular case, classic Christmas specials — and also of the opportunities this series has granted itself to indulge such big-brained fare courtesy of his character, who feels genuinely explored as a result of this stunt and how directly it’s tied to his depiction. It’s thus a major sample, memorably spotlighting how crucial aspects of the series work together.
06) Episode 39: “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” (Aired: 02/03/11)
Jeff invites a loner to play Dungeons and Dragons with the group, minus Pierce.
Written by Andrew Guest | Directed by Joe Russo
Admittedly, I am completely ignorant when it comes to Dungeons & Dragons (my obsessive study of sitcoms is consuming and has precluded any time to develop an affinity for gaming, video or otherwise). But I appreciate how much this excursion draws upon references from that cultural institution to generate the same kind of comedically clever and media literate storytelling that’s now a deeply entrenched part of the series’ situation. And what I like most about its application here is that the role-playing mechanic forces direct interplay between the regular characters to carry out its presence. Indeed, this is actually a simple show, finding its high-concept comedy not in major set pieces or an overarching stylistic gimmick, but rather in the characters spending time together. As such, the regular elements of the series are being utilized to support the idea-driven hijinks — perhaps in a subordinated position, but in a nevertheless essential way. Pierce, in particular, is well-used, as his antagonistic turn, centered around tension over his very inclusion, acknowledges a narrative arc in Season Two — one that’s also adjusted for his own comedic characterization. So, this is another gem — evidencing many vital components of the series’ situation, and in a story that reflects Community’s impressive ingenuity. In fact, after being undecided going into this post, I’m talking myself into it: this is my choice for the year’s MVE (Most Valuable Episode), best representing this peak-quality season and how it constantly embodies the show’s self-determined, individual excellence.
07) Episode 41: “Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking” (Aired: 02/17/11)
Abed films a documentary while Pierce gives away his possessions to members of the group.
Written by Megan Ganz | Directed by Joe Russo
This installment is like “Cooperative Calligraphy” in that its metatheatricality is closer to Community’s own medium, and in particular, its genre, as the main form being parodied is another type of sitcom: the mockumentary. The faux-doc setup, as we know, was a formal conceit on The Office, which made it a hot new device going forward, with Parks and Rec and fellow sophomore Modern Family both deploying it casually as a mere aesthetic. Community creator Dan Harmon purposely eschewed that design and had strong opinions about it — voiced through the character of Abed, who also enables this lens both narratively and tonally, via his cultural obsession and the corresponding media-on-media satire that’s now a crucial, series-defining aspect of the situation. To wit, what I like most about this lampoon is that, instead of specific references, it’s instead more concerned with framing its own regular elements in a different way, as if this was that other subset of sitcom. That is, it’s more about its characters and their relationships, with the mock-doc gaze merely providing an extra layer of jokes. And, yes, this is one of the year’s best character showcases, especially for the antagonistic Pierce, whose individual relationships with the other regulars are spotlighted. So, this is ideal Community — meta and culturally aware, but well-supported by tangible elements inside its own world.
08) Episode 44: “Critical Film Studies” (Aired: 03/24/11)
For Abed’s birthday, Jeff and Abed have a serious conversation at dinner.
Written by Sona Panos | Directed by Richard Ayoade
Although I wouldn’t consider this to be one of Two’s funniest showings, it’s a beautiful tribute to several core parts of the show’s identity, including its primary characters — the narratively central and multi-dimensional Jeff, and the tone-setting, subject-enabling Abed — who share extended scenes that accordingly push them forward as the two finest, most comedically useful, series-defining regulars. What’s more, the latter’s obsession with pop culture is both explicit and implicit within this offering, which features the study group planning to surprise him with a Pulp Fiction-themed birthday party while he himself concocts an elaborate recreation with Jeff of My Dinner With Andre — whose style the show also deliberately parodies throughout the episode, in reflection of Abed, and of course, the foundational sensibilities that now extend beyond his initial justification. Indeed, this is a prime example of why Two is the peak year — everything works well; the show knows how to best deploy its characters to help carry fresh ideas that exhibit the kind of media-about-media humor that elicits its most individualized appeal.
09) Episode 46: “Paradigms Of Human Memory” (Aired: 04/21/11)
While working on a diorama project, the group reminisces about the past year.
Written by Chris McKenna | Directed by Tristram Shapeero
This is another outing that I enjoy because Community‘s vital brand of metatheatricality is allowed to stem from allusions that at least involve the show’s own genre — the sitcom — which in turn cultivates situation comedy, not just by forcing more of an emphasis on its contained elements (like the characters and their relationships), but also by simply turning its inevitable idea-driven focus onto itself. Meaning, when this series that’s known for spoofing culture regards the kind of thing it is as also worth spoofing, it’s prioritizing itself — engaging its own elements and reinforcing them as useful, thereby satisfying the unique charms of the sitcom as an art form. It’s also stylistically self-corroborating, for the whole concept of this half hour is that it’s a clip show. Only most of the clips are entirely new, reiterating what we know of the show and these leads — while also introducing a long-running dynamic between Jeff and Britta as a self-aware yet earned gag. It’s all very clever, mocking the sitcom but honoring the show, serving and playing on its own personal elements and making it therefore dependent on both its situation and the meta fact that it is a sitcom. Sublimity, and on Community’s terms.
10) Episode 48: “A Fistful Of Paintballs” (Aired: 05/05/11)
Another paintball game turns competitive — especially when it gets personal.
Written by Andrew Guest | Directed by Joe Russo
After the first season offered “Modern Warfare,” the most compelling statement about what the series most desired to be with regard to its media-on-media meta, this year establishes the paintball game as a recurring, and thus routinized, part of the series’ situation. And by merely calling back to it in this two-part finale, the show is building on a continuity unique to itself — making for basic sitcommery, all predicated on one of its best, most memorable showings. However, I must admit that I don’t believe any of these sequels bests “Modern Warfare,” which was not simply funnier for sheer novelty, but also because it played into more palpable character-based interests. Oh, there is effort here to climactically tie in relevant group dynamics (and I appreciate it!), but the stylistic commitment to Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns is narratively and comedically guiding. In fact, I think the second half of this two parter — which turns into a spoof of Star Wars instead — suffers because it’s not as heightened or visually specific as this, its flashier predecessor, which more directly communicates the series’ devotion to these mocking homages as the key and most audacious way it defines and projects itself. And this is the kind of entry that also previews Season Three, which will continue to go bolder with its high-concept idea-driven fun, yielding more highs and more lows…
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “For A Few Paintballs More,” the parodically unique but narratively overextended (and less fully conceived) sequel to its predecessor above, along with “Intro To Political Science,” which spoofs political culture well inside the campus setting, “Mixology Certification,” which is a relatively low-concept ensemble show that centers the characters’ relationships, and “Basic Rocket Science,” a genre parody that would have made my list if it was a little more attached to Abed and/or the other regulars. I’ll also take this space to cite “Accounting For Lawyers,” which builds out Jeff’s backstory, “Messianic Myths And Ancient Peoples,” which enjoys a lot of Abed-enabled meta, and “Competitive Wine Tasting,” which has several interesting character ideas.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Two of Community goes to…
“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons”
Come back next week for Season Three! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!