Community, the tv show

I need to start watching this show now that I know abt the hilarity of Inspector Spacetime!!

Apparently the Inspector(dressed like Insp. Gadget, no less) is causing some consternation online, as folks wonder why Abed didn't know about the show, does Doctor Who also exist, etc. My attitude is just that they keep the British tv commentary jokes coming.

the little checkout of annie when she walks out after the jeff/annie couch bit was p lol

It's nice of Community to acknowledge the universal comic truth that the name 'Boutros Boutros Ghali' is inherently funny.

Really enjoyed the UN strand of this. Garrett cracks me up - 'CRISIS ALERT!'

Britte and Chang subplot was less funny I think - they're making Britte a bit TOO self-parodic now. Maybe it felt a bit weird because Britte has never really interacted with Chang before, actually Chang doesn't really have any onscreen relationships with anyone other than Jeff, Shirley and other staff members. You never really just see him in a scene with Pierce or Troy or whoever.

Part of the humour in Community is just watching the faces of the characters in the background when something's going on - cf Annie's face when Jeff was repping for her, and Jeff clearly not giving a shit and actually being slightly amused when Britte got tasered.

Also surely we all knew what was coming when Jeff got Uruguay and Pierce didn't disappoint. Open goal deftly taken.

That joke was actually one of the few disappointments for me in this episode because of the precedent set by
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLVJm7QW3dA

Maybe it felt a bit weird because Britte has never really interacted with Chang before

they have, though, that's why the other day i quoted my post from over the summer about their dynamic being hilarious to me -- there were at least a couple moments in season 2 of them just displaying total loathing for each other

There were still plenty of great jokes in these two episodes, but I'm hoping the whole season isn't this streamlined and simplified. I know Harmon said his goal for season 3 was to be more accessible, so while I'm not bailing or anything, I'm starting to worry that S3 might abandon a lot of what I loved about the first two.

alternate universe UN episode felt very of a piece with season 2 imo

conceptually, yeah, i just felt the jokes weren't as smart as they could have been - a bunch of floating heads followed by a big fart scene on stage. "Hello" played over and over and over

I mean you can say "but in s2 this episode was just a stupid thing followed by a stupid thing" and my sense of this may be just an overreaction after really admiring last season, but it really does feel like they're trying to keep things frothy in a thinner way

this is seriously nitpicky, but just as an example - I feel like the "Operation" button would have been a little subtler before, like maybe chevy wouldn't have said "STOP PLAYING OPERATION ON ME!" but just "I'M NOT A BOARD GAME" and then reached for the spare ribs silently without saying "YOU DIDN'T GET MY SPARE RIBS." They would have assumed we know the game Operation and not announced what was going on.

on first watch i would've agreed that the jokes seemed...lesser?...but on second watch it all came together for me and i enjoyed it a lot more. however the endless playing of "hello" killed me both times, i enjoyed that entire subplot. also britta looked really really really pretty.

Fake UN desn't feel like intentional dumbing down to me.

Also lol at the black guy representing Germany with the huge Bavarian whiskers.

reminded me very much of a first season episode. if this season repeats the '3rd season is slightly lesser than amazing for the ages 2nd season but this only helps you accept cancellation more' precedent set by arrested development i can live with that.

totally

That joke was actually one of the few disappointments for me in this episode because of the precedent set by

parks and rec did a simpsons joke too: "in a way, you're both winners. but in another, more accurate way, barney is the winner."

i am fartacus

jaxon r u high

also omg at the britta n-word bit.

I was beside myself, that was hilarious

i don't remember what that was?

Britta: Oh goodie, a new path! Is it lined with credit cards and flat-screen TVs? Does it go by IKEA? Maybe I don’t want a new path - or any path. Maybe my path is a warpath that leads to the Terror Dome, N-words! … OK, maybe I went too far! Maybe I don’t want to offend my African American friends! But the larger point is maybe I’m not done raging against the machine!

oh yeah

Britta has become my favorite.

the only part of the episode that strained credibility for me was the idea that anyone would let Chang carry a taser, but then I remembered we'd already passed that event horizon when they made Chang into a security guard

i am fartacus

Britte and Chang subplot was less funny I think - they're making Britte a bit TOO self-parodic now.

OTM

Also, da croupier OTM but pretty much anything would be a disappointment for me after s2 tbh.

the only part of the episode that strained credibility for me was the idea that anyone would let Chang carry a taser, but then I remembered we'd already passed that event horizon when they made Chang into a security guard

lol @ this, I mean that is where you draw the line re: credibility?

I have found Chang much less funny since he stopped being a teacher. Also seems like a self-parody to me.

yea, he was best as a teacher because he was almost completely in control. when his desperation is at the front of his character he's way less dangerous and less funny.

considering that the s2 finale was basically a cliffhanger about pierce leaving the group, i took it as a given that they'd have to address that in the premiere. if we get three or four episodes into the season and the group dynamic stuff is still dominating the stories, then i'll complain.

― some dude, Saturday, September 24, 2011 8:51 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark

gripe gripe -- but no this was a good ep

omar's legos tangent was wonderful

YES.

I have that as an internal monologue once a week, I think.

i said after the first episode i didn't want them to fight anymore, but i didn't have a problem with this. the whole thing had a comfortable season 1 feel to it and i liked it the best of the three so far.

omar's legos tangent was wonderful

he was otm but LEGO IS PLURAL FFS AARGH

not in america tho!

surprisingly polarized reactions to this episode are showing up in the avclub/sepinwall comments sections -- a few people going so far as to say it's the worst community episode yet. i was like "that's ludicrous" but then i realized i don't really have a "worst episode" previously picked out. maybe the wine tasting episode where pierce almost gets remarried?

oh that one was terrible. pretty sure in the Harmon season breakdown on avclub he outright apologized for thy one.

yea, he was best as a teacher because he was almost completely in control. when his desperation is at the front of his character he's way less dangerous and less funny.

This is why there's such potential in Chang as the security guard. Not seen the newest one though.

the writers seem to think Chang is best used as a total insane maniac

I think we need to see a lot less of him if this is to be the case.

also, poor Magnitude

i thought Chang was hilarious this last episode

man i didnt laugh once at chang's storyline, just didnt feel right at all, kind of laborious high-school-sketch-comics setup

i died, absolutely DIED laughing at "while he was spying i found a turtle!"

Definitely hope Todd returns.

things i lol'd at re chang: veronica the leg, the matchbook conspiracy, the saxophone playing (was hilarious), the scene when he is voiceover laughing evilly, "this conspiracy goes to the very top of Arizona" -- not as amazing a psychotic break as Charlie Day's Pepe Silvio but still full of lulz.

the Todd-bashing was really great, yeah

poor Todd

I did laugh at Chang's fire but that was about it

The Arizona backwards is Arizona killed me. Also, loved the takedown of Magnitude. Great use of him.

ha yes, I forgot that Arizona joke

the veronica the leg thing was funny.

Honestly the Chang stuff was the only part of the ep that almost got a chuckle out of me.

I liked Todd, poor guy.

Omar killed it, once again.

I like Chang as a psychopath but wish they keep it on the dl from now on. It's p much all they've done this season.

lol at the britta needs penis gag.