Talk about Community here

[xRECKONERx]

Oh yeah forgot to say I laughed my ass off at Episode 3

[xRECKONERx]

Holy shit. Episode 4 was fucking INCREDIBLE. It wasn't a high concept episode or anything, which means people may overlook it, but it's the strongest character episode in a very, very long time. The pairings were perfect. Chang was perfect. Elroy & Abed's dynamic was perfect. It had emotion (I actually teared up a bit when

Abed buried the dead birds

). It had actual character growth. It had a really interesting, intricate, intellectual plotline for Pelton.

Wow. Fantastic fucking episode.

[xRECKONERx]

Not quite a classic, but the first one this season that shows that the ceiling for S6 is just as high as the ceiling for any other Harmon-lead season.

[Porochaz]

I really have no idea what you were watching.

They tried to explain something that was better left unexplained with the Dean, which they over-acknowledged. The

bird freeing

was absolutely ridiculous and I just didn't understand the need for it at all. And the Annie/Chang storyline was fucking dumb and a bit mean, albeit from a guest character, but it wasn't the kind of thing I expect from Community.

Oh also the rest of the committees reaction to the play, it all seemed off.

[Porochaz]

Having said that I only just realised who the IT woman was, and had a "oh yeah, thats pretty cool" moment.

[xRECKONERx]

Meh, I think the point of the Dean's storyline was that they DIDN'T explain it. The humor came from how undefined it was. The absurdity of the situation was that he was having to come out as gay, despite only being "2/7ths gay" and "5/7ths whatever the hell else". "I'm curious... intellectually." The Dean's moments were spot on, and actually touching. He didn't want to do it until he saw he was having a positive impact on the gay student body... and it all lead to him killing a baby bird. It interwove the Dean's storyline with Abed/Elroy's storyline.

Regarding the last scene: I think they've finally nailed Abed's character down a little bit. He's just METAMETAMETA MOVIE REFERENCE BOT 3000 anymore. He's a character. He's childlike. Protecting the birds is so stupid... but to Abed, it's incredibly important. It speaks to Elroy's character that he was willing to go along with it, and it speaks to the group's dynamic with Abed that they all rallied around him for the silliness because they knew it was important to him. I mean, for fuck's sake, the bird freeing was "absolutely ridiculous" but this is the show that does over-the-top concept episodes and crazy shit like a Nazi Gardener With A Hidden Trampoline, but a cool, poignant character beat is "absolutely ridiculous"?

Annie/Chang felt disconnected from it all, but it's the first time I've seen Chang's character used in a proper way, in a non obnoxious way, in a way that makes him feel like a character and not a caricature. He had real desires, motivations, and wants in this episode, and we could sympathize. Annie was a bit weaker, with her jealousy and such, but that was my only complaint from the episode.

This episode was a lot heavier than anything else I've seen on Community. It was even darker/heavier than the "Pierce Died" episode, or the camping episode where they all reveal crazy dark secrets. But I still found myself touched, and laughing. God, Jason Mantzoukas as the Whiplash-esque drama coach had me rolling. The "soul-shaped hole" insult was one of the best lines I've ever heard. The meanness wasn't anything new -- look at how the group treated Todd.

I think it's still finding its feet, and I think the first three episodes were a lot of "okay where the fuck are we now" setup. I think, in its own right, this episode shows that this season can hit higher notes. They can do grounded, straightforward episodes. We've had four in a row, and this one, IMO, is exactly how a grounded, Greendale-centric episode should be done. The fucking Gay Dean / Jolene song had me in stitches... and then, it played in the background as my eyes welled up a bit.

I dunno. This isn't the show I used to watch. It's not S1-S3 anymore. But I think on the whole, this season is way better than S4/S5... and I think this episode gave me a glimpse that it could reach S3 levels easily.

[Brandi]

Episode 3 was actually very funny and good
I loved the Dean texting not Jeffery bit and the olives

Also Episode 4 was good too.

I still hate the first two episodes but I don't feel so bad anymore this was nice

[hiplop]

Episode 4 was awesome. The community i know and love <3

Enjoyed all the others too, just not as much (ladders would be #2)

[Chevre]

Hey y'all, just reporting in as someone who is 3/4ths of the way through Season 2.

If the movie was just extended bout of "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons", I'd be overjoyed.

So many Season Two episodes are so strong.

Finally, watching the outtakes I discovered how shocking it was that Yvette Nicole Brown is actually a very serious actor. When a fellow actor is flubbing a line she usually has a very serious face on. It was just kind of shocking.

[Porochaz]

I noticed it as well, it doesn't last.

[xRECKONERx]

Man, Episode 5 was pretty good, but their budget restrictions (?) are starting to show. I dunno it just looks "cheap" compared to the older episodes? Could just be the new set. But like, it used to be that there was hustle & bustle in the background of shots and it made Greendale feel alive. Or the cafeteria would be buzzing. It feels more "dead" now.

I loved the episode, though. Felt a lot like an old episode... Jeff focused, Abed B-Story, Britta learning a lesson. Annie was killer this episode. Elroy is fucking awesome, btw, I'm glad he is shirking the expected stereotypes. And the opening scene was hilarious. "Before you came along, they had TWO! Two... to.... constantly stop themselves..."

[RedCoyote]

Yeah, I have to say, this is the first episode that had me laughing throughout. There were a lot of good lines. Whatever writer came up with the concept of tablets on segways... genius. There were so many gags to be made from that. As absurd as the concept was, it felt more honest and less forced than the whole lawnmower man thing of episode two, for example.

[Chevre]

From what I heard the budget wasn't changed for Season 5?

[AniX]

What did Jeff say that was dubbed over with "steel drums" and for what purpose?

[Porochaz]

I enjoyed that episode more than most, but the steel drums were a let down.

[Porochaz]

That was weird. I didn't hate it. I didn't exactly love it. It was maybe a bit too weird. And the Jeff sub plot was really badly tacked on at the end.

[xRECKONERx]

i liked the episode? It was a little too bizarrely paced

[zoraster]

i liked the episode. I've generally enjoyed the season, but I'm not sure it's really that much better than the much-maligned Season 4... it's just that my expectations are pretty low.

[ChannelDelibird]

Return of paintball was much better than I expected. Loved the Dean's Russo-brothers-in-Winter-Soldier-esque fight in the lift.

[Porochaz]

It was good. I am surprised.

[BBmolla]

After the dog got a degree I haven't really had a drive to watch the show

is it worth coming back to?

[xRECKONERx]

this paintball episode was very worth

[zoraster]

I've thought the season overall has been pretty good.

[xRECKONERx]

yeah it hasn't been s1-s2 levels but id say it's as good as s5

[RedCoyote]

Question, what were the codenames in this episode a reference to? I got the Batman references, but what were the others?