NBC's critical darling yet ratings- challenged Community is entering its third season on Thursday night. Postbourgie will be doing weekly recaps because of our collective love for the show.It may not get all the awards and recognition of Modern Family but there might not be a more ambitious sitcom on television.
Before the season begins, though, Postbourgie's Human Beings got together to discuss what has happened so far.
What episode made you fall in love with the show?:
Stacia Brown: The episode that got me "all in" was "Interpretive Dance", where Troy (Donald Glover) is ashamed and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) does her humiliating frozen teapot dance, while staring glumly at newly-attached Jeff (Joel McHale). Pierce's (Chevy Chase) awesome commentary *made* that scene--and though I don't ship Jeff with *anybody* at this point, Britta sold me on the possibility of their coupling as an endgame. (I've since gotten over that.)
Monica Potts: Without a doubt, the episode that made me fall in love with Community was "Modern Warfare." The parody was so spot-on I laughed the whole way through.
Isabelle Pierre: I wish I could be contrary here, but it was definitely "Modern Warfare."
Sean Campbell: I don't want to sound like a hipster, but I was into Community from the beginning. But "Contemporary American Poultry" was the first episode where I actively reached out to people and said, "Why aren't you watching this show?" This episode combined two things I loved dearly: Goodfellas and chicken fingers.
What is your favorite episode so far?:
Monica: "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons." It's a good send-up of the epic adventure tales that have been so popular since Peter Jackson's Rings trilogy, but it's also really touching. The whole plot was a huge shout-out to the show's nerd fans, but it explained Dungeons and Dragons to those unfamiliar with the game without being pedantic. Every note was exactly right, and, because they were playing a role-playing game, the writers got to explore the characters' personalities and group dynamic in ways that normally aren't possible in sitcoms.
Isabelle: I think "Cooperative Calligraphy" made television magic. All TV shows have bottle episodes, but this one was spot on. Every character had a need and they were all so committed to it despite that fact that the inciting incident was a missing pen.
Stacia: I'm not sure I have a favorite episode, but I have a favorite B plot: Troy and Levar Burton in "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking".
Nothing beats a traumatized Donald Glover singing "Reading Rainbow" in a bathroom stall.
Cindy Mosqueda: I started watching Community late last summer/fall. I was caught up on season one and had already started watching season two when I heard about a panel with Community writers, producers and actors at my school.
The panel featured Dan Harmon, a few other writers and producers whose names I no longer can remember and a few of the actors. The college student audience went crazy when Allison Brie (Annie), Donald Glover and Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley) were introduced.
Following an advanced screening of "Cooperative Calligraphy," the episode where Annie's Boobs (the monkey who lives in the air vents) steals Annie's pen and we find out Shirley is pregnant, the panelists spoke about the show.
Harmon specifically spoke about some of the rather absurd and fantastical storylines from season one and coming up in season two. He mentioned that they were really trying to see how far they could push the show while still keeping budgets and ratings in mind. Also, if you really thought about it, some of the episodes weren't that ridiculous at all. Why couldn't there be a chicken finger mob ring or a paintball fight on a college campus?
If only we could have a puppy parade at my college...
Favorite character?:
Stacia: Easily Abed (Danny Pudi). Easily.
Monica: Abed and Annie.
Cindy: Annie's Boobs.
Isabelle: Britta.
Sean: Jeff.
Standout moments from the first two seasons:
Stacia: I loved the montage of Jeff's motivational speeches in the most dissonant settings ever from the faux flashback episode, "Paradigms of Human Memory."
Monica: When Troy and Abed had to race through a tent city in the dorm hallways in "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design."
Sean: In "Basic Genealogy," when Britta self righteousness gets put to the test as she gets spanked by Troy's nana while he looks on crying.
Isabelle: I love "Troy and Abed in the Morning." (I'm totally going to get the mug.) Also, The Barenaked Ladies argument in "Early 21st Century Romanticism" is the funniest two minutes on television ever.
What are you hoping for this season?:
Monica: I'm really hoping the show's producers don't get too caught up with making fun of different genres, and remember to keep it grounded in the characters.
Stacia: I've heard they're circling back to realism this year, and I really think that's wise. I hope they don't lose the fantastical aspects of the show altogether, but after Claymation, you gotta rein it in for a while, no?
Sean: Less Chang (Ken Jeong) --- and if they can't figure out how to make Pierce work in stories, less of him too.
Isabelle: They're probably going to need a more traditional narrative thread to keep the ratings consistent and attract more viewers, but I hope the show keeps taking risks. I'm curious about the new baby and Shirley's storyline. The pregnancy was her story last season, but I'd like to see episodes that feature her and don't entirely revolve around her being a mom.
Cindy: More of Annie's Boobs and I can't wait for Michael K. Williams ( The Wire, Boardwalk Empire) as the study group's new biology professor.