Creators:
Dan HarmonComposer:
Ludwig GöranssonCast:
Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Chevy Chase, Ken Jeong, Jim Rash, Shelby Rabara, Twink Caplan (more)VOD (2)
Seasons(6) / Episodes(110)
Plots(1)
'Community' is a smart, exuberant comedy that is consistently ranked as one of the most inventive and original half-hours on television. This ensemble comedy centers on a tight-knit group of friends who all met at what is possibly the world's worst educational institution - Greendale Community College. At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, 'The Soup'), a fast-talking lawyer who was caught with a phony college degree. Disbarred until he could earn a legitimate degree, Winger chose Greendale, thinking he could breeze through the mediocre school without a hitch. However, he soon found himself the reluctant leader of a disparate group of misfits, all stuck at Greendale for different reasons. The study group includes Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), who dropped out of high school to 'change the world' and soon found herself in her thirties with no marketable skills; Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), a religious housewife who landed at Greendale after a messy divorce and is now blossoming into a headstrong entrepreneur; Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), a socially awkward, but well-meaning, pop culture savant; Annie Edison (Alison Brie), a high-strung perfectionist; Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), a former high school football star still trying to find his way; and, Ben Chang (Ken Jeong ), a former Spanish teacher who is either insane or an evil genius, or both. (Sony Pictures)
(more)Reviews of this series by the user Necrotongue (117)
Documentary Filmmaking: Redux (2011) (S03E08)
At the beginning, this episode didn't really grab me because Abed had already dabbled in documentaries before, and it felt like the creators could use some fresh ideas. However, as the plot unfolded, the episode began to entertain me. Let's be clear; the script and execution weren't mind-blowing, but I still found some humor that made me laugh, and I didn't feel bored or annoyed. / Lesson learned: It was the last straw that broke the camel's back.
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Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism (2011) (S03E09)
The last couple of episodes had me hooked, but this time around, I was disappointed. Well, at least partially. Abed, though, nailed Batman, so I didn't go so low with my rating. However, all the foosball shenanigans didn't do much for me, and I wasn't thrilled about how they sidelined the rest of the study group characters. / Lesson learned: Don't let childhood demons catch up with you.
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Regional Holiday Music (2011) (S03E10)
I'm clueless about why the creators decide to ruin every Christmas episode. Is Dan Harmon secretly a Jehovah's Witness or something? If any sitcom creators want their hard work to go down the drain, all they need to do is ditch the humor, start rhyming in the dialogues, and transform the whole shebang into a musical. And just when I thought the cancellation of the Glee club promised a good time. What a letdown. / Lesson learned: Want to get on my nerves? Start singing.
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Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts (2012) (S03E11)
This review could be a direct follow-up to the last one. The creators irked me with a musical in the previous episode, barely giving me a breather, and now, they almost succeeded in offing me with a wedding. A wedding at a school. Humor was in short supply here (or at least the kind I could detect), and the sole amusing moment came courtesy of Pierce's camera, expertly distinguishing between friends and intruders. / Lesson learned: Rivers are not the only things that shouldn't be stepped into twice.
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Contemporary Impressionists (2012) (S03E12)
Not even the second half of the season works very well for me. The episodes based on Abed's quirkiness wouldn't be bad if the creators didn't use it to excess. The twelfth episode was off the mark as a whole and originally I considered giving it only one star, but I'll admit that some jokes did amuse me. / Lesson learned: Don't be obsessed with yourself. Actually, don't be obsessed, period.
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Digital Exploration of Interior Design (2012) (S03E13)
Yet another one of those not-so-remarkable episodes from the third season. The issue here was that most of the storyline failed to pique my interest, leaving me pretty bored. The romantic affair was a major annoyance, but there were still a few moments that managed to entertain me. / Lesson learned: Stay focused on your task.
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Pillows and Blankets (2012) (S03E14)
Not bad at all, but given its already crazy premise, I wouldn't have minded it going even crazier. The episode managed to pull the third season out of its slump, although I'm skeptical about how long it'll last. The documentary about the pillow fight had all the elements that such documentaries should have, especially if you're part of the emotional audience that gets moved by the right choice of background music and a fitting delivery. / Lesson learned: Watching this episode felt like being at a Turkish market.
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Origins of Vampire Mythology (2012) (S03E15)
As I suspected, the streak didn't hold up. The fifteenth episode turned out to be quite uneventful. Despite introducing multiple plotlines involving all the main characters, it failed to capture my interest. Unfortunately, it felt like a rehash, especially those songs about friendship. / Lesson learned: Pilgrimages just aren't my thing.
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Virtual Systems Analysis (2012) (S03E16)
Given the letdown of the previous episode, it seems the creators wanted to go for the knockout punch by delving into Abed's mind in the sixteenth episode. Fortunately, they spared us the claymation this time. Still, the lack of humor persisted, overshadowed by pseudo-profound musings and more moralizing. Lesson learned: When faced with the choice between lunch and daydreaming, choose lunch.
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Basic Lupine Urology (2012) (S03E17)
The creators hit the spot this time and I thoroughly enjoyed this episode, so it has once again proven that even though the third season is quite mediocre, there is still some laugh-out-loud material. The blend of investigation and courtroom drama was spot-on. I didn't give it five stars only because there was some unnecessary moralizing thrown in. / Lesson learned: Find the root of the problem.
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Course Listing Unavailable (2012) (S03E18)
I can't help it, I don't enjoy episodes like these, even though I can tell what events they're referencing. This episode seamlessly blended in with the other weak episodes of the third season because, much like them, it was mainly marked by a lack of humor. And to top it off, the creators revisited Chang's power-hungry ambitions. / Lesson learned: If you're plotting a riot, start building barricades.
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Curriculum Unavailable (2012) (S03E19)
What a rollercoaster! I came close to giving up on the previous episode, and this one nearly earned a perfect score from me. The episode's major strengths were the abundance of humor, more than usual, and finally, a well-crafted plot. Once again, it's a bummer that such episodes aren't the standard for the series. I'd love to have this much fun more often. / Lesson learned: Watch out for psychiatrists, especially the fake ones.
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Digital Estate Planning (2012) (S03E20)
I couldn't rate it differently because similar games played a significant role in forming my positive relationship with video games, which has lasted until now and has never turned into an addiction (at least not long-term). Unlike the claymation episode, this pixelated one thoroughly entertained me, and Abed's control over the made-up world was perfect. / Lesson learned: Childhood experiences can come in handy at unexpected moments in life.
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The First Chang Dynasty (2012) (S03E21)
Surprisingly, I had a good time with this episode, despite Chang's constant presence. The creators nailed the parody of the heist genre in this episode. Watching the intricately planned scheme fall apart, only to discover it was part of the plan all along, with explanations for the mentally challenged, made me burst out laughing. / Lesson learned: Always have a plan ready to save the plan that was supposed to save the plan.
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Introduction to Finality (2012) (S03E22)
While the three episodes before were a blast, the last one didn't quite hit the mark for me. It failed to keep the bar high. Looks like the creators bit off more than they could chew, and moralizing took up way more space than humor this time. / Lesson learned: The dark side sometimes gets to win, you need to accept that.
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Season 4 (2013) (S04)
The season might have been shorter with only half the episodes, but the plot, for the most part, left me uninterested and bored to the point where it felt like it would never end. The show's creators heavily recycled old ideas, meddled with the characters' personalities and dished out an excessive dose of morals and supposed universal values, all the while forgetting a tiny detail – humor. / Lesson learned: Even if something officially takes less time, it can still feel endless.
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History 101 (2013) (S04E01)
Hmm, this one didn't do it for me. The opening episode brought us another glimpse into Abed's inner world, and I'm getting the feeling that the show is turning into a series within a series with episodes like this. I'm still struggling to accept that the same team behind the fun episodes also made this one. / Lesson learned: Don't try to fix what can't be fixed; it saves you from unnecessary frustration.
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Paranormal Parentage (2013) (S04E02)
I'm used to Christmas episodes being meh, but the second episode in the fourth season ruined even Halloween, which was usually a guarantee for some good laughs. Sure, there were a couple of decent moments (like Annie's costume), but they couldn't make up for the weak overall plot and the major letdown I felt. / Lesson learned: A haunted house on Halloween? Well, suit yourself :-)
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Conventions of Space and Time (2013) (S04E03)
For the first time in the fourth season, I had a feeling that I was quite enjoying myself. I don't want to say that the third episode was exceptionally funny, but compared to the previous two episodes, it was definitely a significant improvement. Plus, I was pleased that the creators did not incorporate Chang into the plot and instead invited Andy Pip... sorry, Matt Lucas. / Lesson learned: Watch out for Blorgons!
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Alternative History of the German Invasion (2013) (S04E04)
When creators run out of ideas, they resort to recycling their own material, sacrificing quality along the way. The fourth episode lacked the humor of previous seasons, replaced by awkward jokes and heavy moralizing, so I wasn't particularly enthusiastic in my evaluation.
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