This week’s episode of Community educated us on the serious reality of what it’s like to live with changnesia—you know, that made up/totally legitimate neurological issue that Kevin/Chang has going on? I know, my head’s spinning too.
The gears start turning when Abed decides to film a documentary in Greendale’s effort to plea to the MacGuffin Neurological Institute for a grant to fight changnesia. Does this mean viewers finally got some answers regarding the Kevin/Chang plot line? Five things from this week:
1) “What are you having?” “None of this!”
This week threw a lot of Chang/Kevin and Jeff stand-offs our way and each one succeeded in delivered in terms of providing hilarious confrontations. From witty word play (“Welcome to Shirley’s Sandwiches where the sandwiches are Kevin-ly!”) down to Chang pulling a Rain Man and reciting a conversation Jeff and Shirley had within earshot verbatim to prove a point. The writing this week in general was pretty fantastic and everyone from the writers to the cast brought their comedic A-game.
Honourable mentions:
“We got ‘em; hook, line and Winger!”
“This needs to be the Hoop Dreams of things people care about!”
2) DAMN IT, BRITTA!
She really does manage to ruin everything. Actually though. The camera stops rolling and fades to black. The scene we see is Shirley in tears, admitting she had “never told that story to anyone before”, asks if the “song was too much” and then walks away, announcing she was dead for three minutes. I’m sorry… WHAT?! Back up!
Britta was supposed to be filming the scene the whole time, but she Britta’ed it up and forced us to miss what could have been one of the best Shirley moments in Community history. To be fair, choosing not to show the scene could really be what makes it so funny; it’s just something about Britta that makes me blame her for everything anyway. That and I’d kill to see literally everything Yvette Nicole Brown said occurred when the camera wasn’t rolling.
3) Partner and Hoolihan.
On this week’s episode, the gang got weird.
It was a milestone for the series as the study group spent Thanksgiving with the family. Jeff finally meets with his father (with Britta tagging along, of course) while the rest of the group spent the holiday at Shirley’s. It was an episode that would have made more sense if it had aired on the scheduled October date and which felt like the darker timeline Abed predicted back in season three.
This week’s guest stars alone may just be what it took to turn the season’s record of disappointing episodes, but even the writing was remarkably better. The slight nod to the Shawshank Redemption was subtle enough to bring us back to seasons one and two style writing and served as a reminder of just how great the show is at doing this kind of thing. Well boys, it looks like we’re finally getting back in the Community groove!
Here are five things from this week, Shawshank style:
1. James Brolin.
Finally, FINALLY the show utilizes the talent that comes to them in a celebrity guest star as Brolin joins the cast as Jeff’s father. Though he has some entertaining lines, his character had a more serious tone. Having a character/actor keep an appropriate tone for the story line isn’t something we’re used to seeing from the show (even with more serious plot lines) and it was refreshing and extremely well done. Brolin’s ability to keep a straight face while informing Jeff that he had nothing to worry about in the bedroom when he got older made him the perfect Papa Winger. It’s safe to say that this week’s guest appearance was a home run for the series.
2. “He’ a Schwarzenegger; I’m a DeVito! I get it!” Read more…
Ladies and gentlemen, may I proudly remind you that asides from being February 7th, it is also October 19th, a.k.a. the return of Community.
Contrary to my own beliefs, Community is not the most popular sitcom on television ratings-wise but neither was Tina Fey’s brain child 30 Rock and 30 Rock went on to win multiple awards before it ended its run in January.
While Community did not get the accolades it deserves, it does have a small and loyal fan base that revels in the show’s absurdity, meta-ness and sharp writing. I’d even like to argue that the balance between the weird, intelligence and heart is what makes the show so great. Case in point: using a campus-wide pillow war to illustrate a low point between two friends.
The show’s creator, Dan Harmon, might’ve been ousted unceremoniously last summer but us hardcore Community fans hope that the show’s longtime writers can stay true to the show’s roots. Just judging from the teasers they’ve thrown out so far, it seems like it has.
But just in case you’re still not convinced to tune in, here are just some exceptional reasons as to start watching Community:
1. The cast
Everyone in this cast is funny in their own right but they’re also very good at playing off at each other. The chemistry that exists between all the characters has resulted in the show’s family-like dynamic. I should also mention that Dean Pelton, a.k.a. Jim Rash, is an Oscar winner and the first to jump on the Angelina Jolie leg-bomb phenomena, and Troy Barnes is indeed Donald Glover a.k.a. Childish Gambino.
2. Pop culture references
While it’s definitely possible to watch the show without having to understand all the references, it does help to enhance the experience. In fact, some of the best episodes have stemmed from these pop cultural references. I mean, what other TV show would use Dungeons and Dragons to drive the whole plot? Or have a Quentin Tarantino-esque paint ball episode in the first season? The answer: no one.
And if that doesn’t compel you, tonight’s episode is called “The Hunger Dean.” Interested now? Go watch.
3. Classes we wished were real Read more…
The world has fallen in love with Tardar Sauce the grumpy cat (you might know him as Tard), but according to The Soup’s Joel McHale (who actually speaks cat fluently) Tard has a message for the Redditors who made him famous: “I’m not pretty happy, my name is Tardar Sauce. Would yo be happy if you were named after a dipping sauce for fish or named after any sauce for that matter? My life is a joke. F*ck you Reddit.”
So there you go Reddit, straight from the cat. Is Tard’s angry stare the result of adorable bone structure or a deeper existential crisis?
Watch it here
Joel McHale and Rob Riggle enlightened us with the BEST handshake in the entire world last night at the ESPY awards. We were expecting them to do the old manly bro shake but instead they premiered a choreographed number that isn’t the most efficient in terms of time but it’s definitely more fun than the traditional business greeting. They both have so much to teach us about coolness. 
Here it is broken down:
1. From a distance of 1.5 feet away, grab each other’s right hands and shake back and forth.
2. While firmly keeping hold of your right hands, walk in a circle once while lengthening out your left arms out and dazzling with jazz fingers.
3. Release your grip and face each other. Bend down and extend your right foot out behind you. Grab the other person’s right foot and shake it.
4. Return to a standing up position. Sit on an imaginary teeter totter and take turns going up and down. The key is to show your excitement.
After the handshake is done you can exchange your verbal greetings (hello, good day, ahoy) and go about your business.
By Galen Simmons
For your consideration, I submit to you seven ex-Greendale Community College students: Jeff, Britta, Shirley, Annie, Pierce, Troy, and Abed. They found out last night that the school they attended for the past three years (13 in Pierce’s case) only existed in their minds. Greendale is actually the name of the mental institution they were all patients in, up until their recent release.
But all is not what it seems. Were the Greendale Seven really patients at a mental hospital, or was this part of some dastardly plot by the school’s head of security to keep them from uncovering the dean’s disappearance and subsequent replacement?
Oddly enough, it’s the latter of the two, even though the mental hospital’s explanation makes a lot more sense and would explain some of the people who attended Greendale as their classmates / fellow patients.
With that in mind, here are five things I learned from last night’s episode, “Curriculum Unavailable.”
1) John Hodgman makes a very convincing fake psychiatrist. For most of the episode, he had me convinced that all three seasons of Community were just delusions of seven mental patients. OK, fine, maybe I wasn’t completely convinced, but is it so wrong to want to believe your favourite show would end with exactly the same twist as Shutter Island (movie-spoiler if you haven’t seen it, but if you haven’t, I’m very disappointed)?
2) Pierce is becoming senile. Even a fake psychiatrist could see that. He’s slow to react, rude, and forgetful, and that was all before the senility began to sink in. Now it seems like Pierce has the potential to forget he was talking to someone in mid-conversation or even in mid-sentence. But I guess everyone is little crazy-town-banana-pants sometimes. Read more…
In this subtle subliminal Nintendo ad, Joel McHale astutely kicks an intern in the groin and brings in a team of bikini-clad models because he knows violence and sex are the keys to making a video go viral. He should know, being the host of The Soup and all. Joel was so pro-Nintendo at his recent meeting at the head office that they decided to load it directly onto YouTube. Way to save money. I’m also officially obsessed with Joel McHale and he kind of makes me want to play Nintendo right now.
I’ve always marvelled at Taylor Swift’s ability to remain constantly shocked and amazed at the world, like a kid seeing bubbles for the first time.This is how she looks 90 percent of the time:
That’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s pretty charming that she’s managed to stay humble despite all her success. Still, it’s definitely parody-worthy behaviour. In Swift’s unofficial new video for “Who Me” featuring The Soup’s Joel McHale, she goes crazy for everything. She can’t believe her luck when she runs into full rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom and gets Tootsie Rolls at Halloween.McHale even buys her a bunch of appletinis, which apparently make her feel pretty. Watch to see whether McHale is a gentleman and holds her hair back when she gets sick. [Source]
Watch the parody below: Read more…
Community’s Joel McHale gets drunk with the ladies of The Today Show and trash-talks them, MIA feuds with Anderson Cooper on Twitter and a kid watches bubbles for the first time.
The ladies of the Today Show finally got their chance to face Joel McHale, who makes part of his living making fun of people like them on his show The Soup. Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb seemed genuinely annoyed by McHale, who was there to promote tonight’s new episode of Community.
The ladies called him out by rolling the very clips in which he makes jabs at their drinking. McHale even came prepared with a bottle of wine for them.
I don’t know if they were expecting and apology, but McHale firmly stood by his decision to mock their “drunken” antics while the ladies pretend to laugh with pained smiles on their face. Even if they’re secretly hurt, the ladies take it in stride.
After all, it’s all in good fun and it’s free publicity for their show… As for McHale, I think he really wanted to talk about Community but instead he was on the defensive for part of the interview.
Your WORST nightmare has come true. Joel McHale revealed in an interview with TV Guide that a character from community — thankfully not one of the main ones — will die this season. He said it’s “someone you’ve seen a lot. And he dies in the mid-afternoon.” That’s very important: note that he will die, not she.
Is there anyone on the show that you would be happy to see go? Place your bets here, but please note, we can only offer the victor bragging rights.
