Community: This Is The Darkest Timeline

[Moonlit_Angel]

I think I'm the one that keeps mentioning this, but it felt like there was a good moment between Shirley and Pierce as he helped her with her public speaking in early Season 1. Business wise I liked the idea of him having *some* superficial interpersonal competence, instead of going with the hapless idiot route it went for here.

But at least bringing up her business plans again gives Shirley some character direction beyond being a uterus.

Well said on all of this . It'd definitely be great to delve a little deeper into Shirley's character as a whole.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Too much weirdness in tonight's that didn't go anywhere....Pierce not being recognized for Burt Reynolds, but then was...obvious Michael Jackson jokes...the Cheng stuff that was just off-the-wall and didn't even make me crack a smile...the wtf? ending with Abed alone on the ship (could be a good setup for later conflict though if he withdraws from the others).

Loved Jeff going all Hulk on everybody, I guess. Might have been the worst episode of the season.

 

[mobvok]

I remember thinking at the start that I really loved where they've developed Britta's character to. Overwhelmed psych major suits her well.

And then they turned her into a giant nag, and Seacrest Hulk and bluh? Those were sloooooooow visual gags breaking the show's style, for little payoff.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

ending with Abed alone on the ship (could be a good setup for later conflict though if he withdraws from the others).

Yeah, I kinda liked what they did with that, it was intriguing.

I thought this episode was hilarious . Troy and Britta playing two versions of Michael Jackson was particularly amusing. And who was playing Bono? That's what I want to know .

As for certain other things? Hm. Yeah .

 

[mobvok]

Oh man I totally forgot about the Dean's reaction to Jeff's aviators. Jim Rash deserves an Oscar.

That's a good point, with Evil Abed. I've read AV Club recaps this season praising some of Harmon's efforts to tie the season together but I haven't quite seen it until now. I'm interested to see where it develops, with John Goodman lurking in the background.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Yeah, and I've also heard about how these last couple episodes were filmed around the time of the hiatus and such, so I don't know if that has anything to do with people's reactions to them so far-seeing them "out of order" or so far removed from the episodes before the hiatus or whatever.

That whole bit with Troy and Abed at the end was pretty intense. When Troy went to do their little signature thing and Abed just walked away...yeouch. They talked about these guys' friendship being affected, but I thought it'd be sort of a more lighthearted, "Oh, we're mad for a few moments but we get over it" thing or something. This is a bit more serious. So how that's going to continue on will be interesting to see.

And the whole bit with Abed in the Drematorium after Britta told Jeff that Abed would be more worth studying could be telling, too, I think.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I thought Britta was saying she'd rather analyze Abed because it would be much easier than analyzing Jeff. The joke is that Abed's so weird, so you'd expect him to be trickiest, yet Jeff has personal issues that are deeper seated.

Kind of weird that Abed would be so mad with Troy. I mean, dude clearly has a problem if he's getting himself in debt in order to re-enact Patch friggin' Adams.

Anyway, the show pulled a 1.7 last night despite no Big Bang Theory competition. Part of the drop from last week's insane numbers was assured simply because a lot of people tuned in live to support the show (and because they hadn't seen a new one in an eternity). Still, it managed better numbers than the other three new comedy episodes on NBC last night. 100% assured renewal at this point as long as the numbers don't just plummet in the last month for no reason (which is what happened to My Name Is Earl). Given NBC's woes, they're going to hold their cards close to their chest and not make renewal decisions until right before the upfronts, I imagine. I mean, they did just renew Smash, but that's their number one scripted series and something that has a much longer production time.

More awesomeness to help make us all comfortable:

"Community was NBC’s highest rated show last night… so there’s a bright spot. Also the M18-49 demo (2.1) beat Idol and Missing (1.7 and 1.0 respectively I think)."


Men in the 18-49 demographic are the most valuable viewers there are (although men 18-34 is even more valuable if you want to split hairs). They're a hard audience to nab because a lot of them play video games instead and have loyalties to only a few shows. But when they do become loyal (Office, South Park, Simpsons, Daily Show, Sunny in Philadelphia, etc.), they pretty much never leave. Anyway, that's more great news for Community.

Would really be intriguing to see the 18-34 male numbers though. I bet it had double what Idol grabbed. I imagine most of the Community numbers in the 18-49 demographic skew younger and Idol skews older.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Oh my god, even his shadow.

LOOK AT HIS SHADOW!

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I thought Britta was saying she'd rather analyze Abed because it would be much easier than analyzing Jeff. The joke is that Abed's so weird, so you'd expect him to be trickiest, yet Jeff has personal issues that are deeper seated.

Oh, yeah, I know that's what they meant. I just meant that given Abed's behavior at the end of the show last night, it'd be interesting to see how that would turn out were they to do something where Britta's analyzing him more.

Kind of weird that Abed would be so mad with Troy. I mean, dude clearly has a problem if he's getting himself in debt in order to re-enact Patch friggin' Adams.

Haha, I was wondering about that, too! Really, of all the movies in the world...

I liked this write-up I saw on last night's show.

The Idiot Box: Community: "Contemporary Impressionists" | Popblerd!!

 

[cobl04]

I liked this episode. There were moments that left me scratching my head, but it was still good. I hope Chang brings the hilarity as security chief, with his little army. His pout was funny.

Britta pulls off Wacko Jacko unbelievably well. Kudos to the prop/dress department.

By far the best moment was the Dean's reaction to Jeff. I thought he overplayed the orgasm a bit, but it was still hilarious.

Also, I can't find a goddam youtube clip of it, but I'm certain the spot where Britta picked Jeff up is the exact same spot that Robin picked Ted up in the season one episode "Milk", when Lily left Ted on the side of the road to go to an interview.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

By far the best moment was the Dean's reaction to Jeff. I thought he overplayed the orgasm a bit, but it was still hilarious.

Oh, lord, yes. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love Dean Pelton.

Spoiler

Plus, his reaction was pretty much mine the whole show, so hey, I can relate !

I loved the constant references to/comparisons of Jeff as Seacrest. Anyone who watches "The Soup" would've gotten that one right away.

Also, I can't find a goddam youtube clip of it, but I'm certain the spot where Britta picked Jeff up is the exact same spot that Robin picked Ted up in the season one episode "Milk", when Lily left Ted on the side of the road to go to an interview.

Oh, really? Hm. I haven't seen that show or episode to say one way or another, but that'd be interesting if it's true. Kinda weird/cool when things like that pop up in multiple shows.

 

[mobvok]

I didn't say this when I first thought it last season, but circa Cooperative Calligraphy-era shows, Jacobs' styling really gave her a white Michael Jackson vibe. Particularly compared to the yellower, curly hair she had to start the series.

 

[monkeyskin]

If Britta is going to be studying Abed, who could be giving into his inner-'Evil Abed', it would be great to see him turn her like Joker turned Harley Quinn. It would play nicely with Abed and Troy moving apart and also the history of Britta wrecking their fun.

The Dreamatorium episode will probably be about Abed detaching further from reality however it plays out. Rescue mission / Uncontrollable Xmas Redux?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

so...new episode was just on?

 

[PhilsFan]

That's saved Garrett?

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Much as I love Britta's chemistry with Jeff and Troy in particular, I gotta say, I rather liked the little romance she had going with Subway guy tonight. Loved the scene where everyone was listening to the tape of the little tryst they had in the fort .

Wonder if the rest of the group is going to start taking sides in the fort wars? Jeff seemed like he was happy to just stay out of the whole thing at the end there, but the others? Will be interesting to see how that plays out next week.

 

[powerhour24]

"I think everyone should be forced to read 1984"

is fighting Annie's explanation of what she had to stay in the sleep lab & her Jane Austen line as my favorite lines tonight.

I don't like what they're doing to Troy & Abed but I have a feeling it'll just make their relationship more mature in the end, and all best friends fight.

"Microphones in lipstick, lipstick in microphones"

"It was called Britta, Unfiltered"
"Oh I get it"
"Get what?"

There was so much going on tonight, & some great moments from Magnitude, Leonard and Garret make it all the better. I'm hoping we get some Vicki next week. "VICKI!!!!"

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I like the Troy/Abed thing, myself. These two have had probably the tightest bond of anyone on the show, and so to see them upset and fighting with each other is quite interesting.

I liked all the stuff about sleeping in the study lab, too. I liked when Leonard and the other people were taking the pillows from that couch Jeff was resting on and he was protesting it.

 

[cobl04]

Who is Kim?

 

[cobl04]

Also, Pierce has been awesome all season. First the ink pens and then "sorry, whorewomanship. I forgot it was the 90s."

 

[PhilsFan]

I was just looking up record lengths of stuff.

 

[powerhour24]

Absolutely, Pierce has quietly been the unsung MVP of this season.

"It's also a mini-flask"

 

[mobvok]

Absolutely, Pierce has quietly been the unsung MVP of this season.

"It's also a mini-flask"

Who also may be leaving the show! Revealed in a spectacularly awkward interview between a huge-fan reporter and Chevy, who doesn't give a shit:

Link

I have creative issues with this show. I always have. With my character, with how far you can take [Joel McHale's] character ... just to give him a long speech about the world at the end of every episode is so reminiscent. It's like being relegated to hell and watching "Howdy Doody" for the rest of your life. It's not particularly necessary, but that's the way they do these things. I think it belies the very pretenses that his character, Jeff, has, that he's giving these talks. They're supposed to, in some way, be a little lesson to people who watch sitcoms ... to that degree, I can't stand sitcoms.

But we all love this show because it's not the typical sitcom.

I'm not really gonna buck you all up a lot and say that this is the one, the one that tells it innovatively. It is what it is. I would like to see it go further. I think, if you know me and my humor over the years, you know that this is certainly not my kind of thing. I probably won't be around that much longer, frankly.

...

What's wrong with sitcoms? As fans, we like getting to spend time with these characters and actors every week.

If what you do in life is perform to open up eyes and minds, to make people laugh, then it better damn well be new! It shouldn't be just a repetitious 'Hey, I'm still here!' For what purpose? You're getting all this exposure -- I've seen too much exposure of too many people who just stink. That's not what it's about. I don't think I'll be back on this show again, frankly, between you and me. Depends on what happens. We'll see. I think I've already given away about as much as I can as this character. This is the only time I've ever had to act every week in the same clothes and as the same character, and I don't find it particularly enlightening. It's not teaching anybody anything. If I can sneak in and get a laugh here or there, I'll do it, but for the most part, I'm sticking to the script, because that's what I've been asked to do.

this is sort of out in the ether right now; apparently Chevy walked off set on the last episode of the season. Dan Harmon responded by calling him out in the season 3 wrap party, and Chevy then left an angry voicemail on Dan's phone, who then played it for Harmontown.

 

[cobl04]

Chevy's like a human fro-yo.

 

[mobvok]

btw, whatever happened to Michael K Williams (Omar)? I didn't think he'd end up being a one-off character.

 

[powerhour24]

Yeah I was disappointed by the lack of MKW this season.

Re: Chevy Chase, yeah go ahead and burn the one success you've had in over 20 years, I'm sure the opportunities are just banging down your door right now.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

btw, whatever happened to Michael K Williams (Omar)? I didn't think he'd end up being a one-off character.

Good question. Wonder if he'll pop back up again?

As for Chevy...so, if he hates sitcoms, and finds this work so bothersome, then why exactly did he take on the role in the first place?

It'd be weird to not have him around to do battle against the group, but at the same time, if he's that unhappy with the job, well... It'd be interesting to see what the show would be like without him.

 

[corianderstem]

The only reason I'd want Chevy/Pierce to stick around is because my fear is that no Pierce would equal more Chang.

 

[cobl04]

Hmm. Without Pierce there'd be lightning everywhere.

 

[powerhour24]

I love all of the Greendale 7, & it'd be weird for any of them to leave at this point.