Review of Community Season 5-Part 3

Previously

"Government Issue Jeff"

First, can this episode be considered canonical GI Joe?  I mean they introduced some new characters and a new vehicle and even had a commercial for them.  Second, it was a spot on parody of the 80’s cartoon and actually had a purpose within the context of the show and the characters.  Unfortunately, it was as flat and aging fanboy-wanking as the D&D episode.  I showed part of this episode to a younger co-worker who loves the show.  He’d never seen the old GI Joe cartoon and probably just thought they were being silly. 

I can totally relate to Jeff having a crisis because he’s turning 40, and I’m familiar with the cartoon.  I was right in the wheelhouse of this episode’s target audience, but all I could see was just another wasted opportunity to do something really special.  This might have worked better as a rapid-fire nostalgia trip with GI Joe just being a short segment (definitely keeping the commercials).  If Annie had somehow been along for that kind of trip, it might have been better.  Jeff’s revelation about his age was quite a shock for her, another twist in their relationship.  For that matter, when do we get to see Alison Brie in that "Tight Ship" outfit in reality?  

I really missed Troy and Pierce here.  If this story felt as flat and functionary as the animation, it was because these two weren’t there.  I kept waiting for Troy to pop up and say something funny, or Pierce to say something racist and make a bad situation worse. 

“Basic Story”

The “Save Greendale” Committee has suddenly succeeded in cleaning up Greendale.  As soon as the college is pronounced to have some monetary value, it is immediately sold to a sponsor, err Subway.  By the end of the episode, a possible solution has been in the form of the hidden treasure of the school’s founder.  This was mostly filler to set up the finale.  The only event that made it worthwhile was Jeff’s impulsive proposal to Britta, and her acceptance.  On some level, the whole series sort of lead up to that moment.  Here, at last, is a happy, meaningful change to the Study Group.    

“Basic Sandwich”

Jeff and Britta’s marriage is hand-waved away with a joke.  Yeah, I saw that coming by the end of last week’s show.  We all did.  I’m not a Jeff/Britta-shipper, but I was kind of hoping they’d actually go through with it.  Musing on the possibilities for Season Six, I thought Jeff going out with Annie might be interesting, but not after this tease.  We do however get the impression by the ending that that may be happening next season. 

The group finds the school’s founder (a funny and almost unrecognizable Chris Elliot) hiding in a secret annex and is able to save the school from Subway.  Here’s where I’d like to give an unqualified “thumbs up” for this episode.  It was funny, fast-paced, and ended on a really upbeat, satisfying note.  It’s impossible not to smile at the end as Jeff brings the gavel down on group’s last meeting for the season.  The funniest bit on the show, in contrast to most every other episode this season, was the ending teaser.  It was a fake NBC promo for mid-season replacement shows next year.  I guess this is some sort explanation as to how this low-rated, creatively running dry show is somehow assured of coming back.  That, and their sponsorship-friendly episodes, that pretty much pay for themselves, and syndication is lucrative.

I’d like to recommend it, but I can’t totally.  The group is functionally whittled down to Jeff, the Dean, Britta, Annie, and Abed in this episode.  Worse, Abed’s bits in this were so meta and so forced, they were painful to watch.  He’s not even part of the group anymore.  He’s like some troll-ish Internet blogger sarcastically commenting on the show.  I HATE people like that! 

Greendale has been saved.  Community is coming back.  I find myself sort of dreading watching next season though, but here’s some predictions.  They’ve foreshadowed a “Freeze Tag” episode.  I think they will establish a “new” study group with new characters, probably as a season-long gag.  (Think Paper Chase.  Jeff is a law teacher after all.  He could be sort of a slacker Professor Kingsfield.)  Abed will get a new permanent partner, because his character doesn’t work right by himself.  Troy will return, briefly.  Jeff, Britta, and Annie’s relationship will be the main storyline.  No surprise there, since this will be the last season.  Given that Veronica Mars got a movie, you can expect a Kickstarter campaign to start during the season.  And finally, I predict, in spite of my misgivings, I will be watching.

Here’s a few suggestions.  In spite of the lack of Troy, there needs to be an Inspector Spacetime episode.  This will only be for the purpose of getting Karen Gillan as a guest star.  The Dean only has two jokes.  He’s not cross-dressing anymore, so that’s one.  While the Dean’s Coyote-Roadrunner-like pursuit of Jeff is amusing, it’s also played out.  Do something a little different with him.  Britta’s character has gotten nothing but dumber and dumber, especially in this last season.  Please give her a little more brains, and give Annie a real job.  How about a Rollerball homage?  (Shrugs.  Another John Houseman reference.)  Just a suggestion.        

I hate to say it, but there needs to be a few more subtractions on the show.  Chang is totally played out.  Please phase him out.  You may as well get rid of Shirley if you’re going to keep under-using her.  Hickey is a good character, but he just doesn’t fit in on this show and is a major depressant.  Abed, as he currently is, has got to go.  I’d like to see him somehow get serious as a filmmaker, but I think that it would require him to have some sort of life-changing experience.  With Abed, that could be anything, such as him meeting the director of Kickpuncher, and getting some advice from him.      

Lastly, a question.  

Britta 

or Annie? 

Hmm. 

I don’t think I could choose between the two, not easily anyway.  Very attractive either way.