Community - Season 5 [US] **Spoilers!!**

MOH

I can't remember the last time I watched the same episode of a show twice the same day. But looking at it again, it's even funnier than I remember it. There's a lot of jokes that you hear first time round but they get buried in the whole craziness of the story.

It's also easy to forget that the whole thing only comes about because for once Jeff is actually considerate enough to remember that Shirley has a regular commitment which rules her out of his dinner.

And there's a ton of background stuff:

- "Forget Planking - Fleaping" is the headline on Hickey's paper. Although he seems more interested in the article on the back page: "The best way to get cocktail stains out of silk, chiffon and lace"

- Chess pcs love checkers jokes; did you know dry-erase board love chalkboard jokes; and there's a load of stuff on the blackboard in the background, though it's just too blurry to be clearly legible. Something about breakfast. Oddly the whiteboard content jumps back and forth between scenes.

- Koogler stars Mitchell D Hurwitz, Dean Pelton, and Annie Edison, and is based on the book "Les desespoir des travailleurs" (The despair of workers)

Watching it again, Jeff's whole comedy routine is brilliant, establishing a running gag based on nothing. All I know is, I sure do love them apples!

Annie seems to agree.

TheFullDuck

where has magnitude been?

Kirby

He got popped.

sumtings

It was the first one I didn't miss Troy. At least until the end.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

9 for 9 this season so far, with only 4 episodes to go... I wonder if they can pull off the perfect season?

Really enjoyed bothe storylines this week. Great to see Pavel back again as well.

Next week is

more Dungeons & Dragons!!!

FunLover18

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

9 for 9 this season so far, with only 4 episodes to go... I wonder if they can pull off the perfect season?

Really enjoyed bothe storylines this week. Great to see Pavel back again as well.

Next week is

more Dungeons & Dragons!!!

When I saw I was like "PAVEL!!", I was glad I was alone.

I really like Brie Larson's character, hope she sticks around.

Next week should be epic, I wonder if Fat Neil will feature again.

sumtings

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

9 for 9 this season so far, with only 4 episodes to go... I wonder if they can pull off the perfect season?

Really enjoyed bothe storylines this week. Great to see Pavel back again as well.

Next week is

more Dungeons & Dragons!!!

I don't know, it was an ok episode but didn't really do anything for me. weakest one since the 1st episode of the series.

FunLover18

sumtings wrote: »

I don't know, it was an ok episode but didn't really do anything for me. weakest one since the 1st episode of the series.

It definitely wasn't my favourite. But this is hilarious!!!

FlyingIrishMan

sumtings wrote: »

I don't know, it was an ok episode but didn't really do anything for me. weakest one since the 1st episode of the series.

Did you watch any of season 4?

FunLover18

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

Did you watch any of season 4?

I think he meant season, not series.

wp_rathead

seemed abit off having another storyline straight after last one where focus was on how Shirley takes control of group - other than that I really enjoyed it..

Loved Spencer (guy who played Annie's brother) in the episode..

He is the dungeon master in Dan's podcast Harmontown - so may not be the last we see of him

sumtings

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

Did you watch any of season 4?

There was a season 4?

FlyingIrishMan

sumtings wrote: »

There was a season 4?

No, not at all. Carry on.

phasers

Annie's brother was kind of weird and random, but overall another brilliant episode. The Dean's rap was one of the funniest things I've seen in ages!

sumtings

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

No, not at all. Carry on.

I was trying to be Gas Leak smart and not dick head smart

Also Starring LeVar Burton

sumtings wrote: »

I was trying to be Gas Leak smart and not dick head smart

Whoa, easy there fella. Simmer Dean. We're all Community fans here; this isn't a West Ham game. No need for potty mouth.

sumtings

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Whoa, easy there fella. Simmer Dean. We're all Community fans here; this isn't a West Ham game. No need for potty mouth.

Sorry , definitely came across wrong there, I thanked flyingirishman's post well in advance of posting the reply but got the tone of the reply wrong, which I was aiming at me and not who I was replying to. So again sorry times 3 rainbows

S.M.B.

Vince Gilligan has such a distinct voice. Never knew what he looked like and I was unaware that he was due an appearance but I knew it was him straight away.

Wait. That was Vince Gilligan? I never knew!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Deleted User wrote: »

Wait. That was Vince Gilligan? I never knew!

Yup. I know what he looks like from interviews, so caught it instantly, and it automatically made the story going on with the chemistry books a million times funnier.

FunLover18

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Yup. I know what he looks like from interviews, so caught it instantly, and it automatically made the story going on with the chemistry books a million times funnier.

I haven't seen Breaking Bad but obviously I got the Chemistry reference, were there many references only those who had watched BB would get? Yes or no will suffice

FlyingIrishMan

FunLover18 wrote: »

I haven't seen Breaking Bad but obviously I got the Chemistry reference, were there many references only those who had watched BB would get? Yes or no will suffice

Not really, it was general enough.

pixelburp

"I don't know what that was, I don't. I don't know what that was."
*runs out the door*

The Dean's rap was surreal but pretty hilarious, and that's coming from someone who generally hated that character over time. And at first I didn't quite like Annie's brother, but thinking about him he kinda makes sense: Annie herself is such an intense personality, quite extroverted in the way she forces herself on others, it stands to reason her brother would be the polar opposite of that.

It was a decent if unspectacular episode anyway, a small bump in an otherwise unblemished season; I still enjoyed it, but it was a weak enough episode when compared with some of the others. The chemistry plotline was low-hanging fruit in terms of beats and how the gags were stacked up, but most of them worked; I never bothered with Breaking Bad past season 2 so presumably with Jonathan Banks & Vince Gilligan around there were plenty of in-jokes to be had (edit, apparently not says FlyingIrishMan )

My only quibble was with Brie Larson's character: she's such an unsubtle example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype, her character may as well call herself Zooey Deschanel V2. Don't get me wrong, I have a ... fondness for Zooey that's probably not healthy (:D), but Larson's character just felt flat and irritated me tbh. That Abed's girlfriend would be a geek's wet dream seems like very lazy writing.

FunLover18

pixelburp wrote: »

My only quibble was with Brie Larson's character: she's such an unsubtle example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype, her character may as well call herself Zooey Deschanel V2. Don't get me wrong, I have a ... fondness for Zooey that's probably not healthy (:D), but Larson's character just felt flat and irritated me tbh. That Abed's girlfriend would be a geek's wet dream seems like very lazy writing.

She's not nearly as in your face as Deschanel (of whom I think we may have differing opinions) so I don't mind her too much. But at least we can blame her on the gas-leak year. Harmon is blameless.

pixelburp

FunLover18 wrote: »

She's not nearly as in your face as Deschanel (of whom I think we may have differing opinions) so I don't mind her too much. But at least we can blame her on the gas-leak year. Harmon is blameless.

Well Harmon brought her back so he's not that blameless; he could have just forgotten about her and moved on Her character didn't ruin the episode or anything, so I don't want to seem obsessed or belabour the point, she just felt like a flat, lazy stereotype and a bit too much of an enabler. The only bum note in an otherwise fun episode.

120_Minutes

FunLover18 wrote: »

It definitely wasn't my favourite. But this is hilarious!!!

I think gillian jacobs broke character at the end of that, the look on her face....

iguana

That was probably my favourite episode ever. Probably because we had one of those VCR games in the 90s and it was the most complicated, bizarre and boring thing ever.

ixoy

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Yup. I know what he looks like from interviews, so caught it instantly, and it automatically made the story going on with the chemistry books a million times funnier.

Even better though was using him in the other storyline so he never even interacted with the chemistry-book-drug plot.

iguana

pixelburp wrote: »

My only quibble was with Brie Larson's character: she's such an unsubtle example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype, her character may as well call herself Zooey Deschanel V2. Don't get me wrong, I have a ... fondness for Zooey that's probably not healthy (:D), but Larson's character just felt flat and irritated me tbh. That Abed's girlfriend would be a geek's wet dream seems like very lazy writing.

I've been thinking about this and I think you have it backwards. There is nothing MPDG about Larson's character, she's just a nerdy, hipster type who has found herself a manic pixie dream BOY. Abed is the slightly insane, completely off beat one who wants to share his different view of the world, not her. Community has done what it always does by taking a trope and twisting it in it's own way.

Zwillinge

Only caught up with this episode - so good! Thinking Perfect Season not far behind

wprathead wrote: »

Loved Spencer (guy who played Annie's brother) in the episode..

He is the dungeon master in Dan's podcast Harmontown - so may not be the last we see of him

I hope it's not!! Was kinda great, they wrote a Spencer part completely for Spencer
Looking forward to hearing what he has to say in Harmontown about it all Any idea when the movie is out??


And next episodes title - can't wait :D

Seren_

Enjoyed episode 9, especially Pile of Bullets. Didn't know that was Vince Gilligan at all!

Annie is really annoying me lately, to the extent where she's kind of ruining any scene she's in... She was grand in episode 9 mostly, but I wanted to smack her in the meow meow beenz episode and I don't really know why!

Omg Koogler was so awesome. And I like Rachel. Her and Abed are good together and I like that their relationship acts as a foundation for stories, rather than the main story itself.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I'm getting a little nervous now. With Parks & Rec officially picked up, as well as most of the dramas and reality shows that they're going to renew, and rookie sitcoms About A Boy and Growing Up Fisher getting relatively good ratings, it's getting to the point where no news is bad news for Community... These could very well be the final 4 episodes...

I've my fingers crossed for sixseasonsandamovie, but I'm preparing for the worst...

FlyingIrishMan

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

I'm getting a little nervous now. With Parks & Rec officially picked up, as well as most of the dramas and reality shows that they're going to renew, and rookie sitcoms About A Boy and Growing Up Fisher getting relatively good ratings, it's getting to the point where no news is bad news for Community... These could very well be the final 4 episodes...

I've my fingers crossed for sixseasonsandamovie, but I'm preparing for the worst...

I think it's hopeful enough. Ratings are only slightly lower than parks, and they've remained steady. Plus they have nothing else.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

I think it's hopeful enough. Ratings are only slightly lower than parks, and they've remained steady. Plus they have nothing else.

I hope you're right, but if they renew About A Boy and Growing Up Fisher that's 3 returning comedies already. Last year they only renewed 2 (Parks & Rec, Community), plus they have new comedies from Tina Fey (full season order) and Craig Robinson (six episode order) already and that's before you take all the other possible pilots into account. It's the most nerve-wrecking year yet, waiting for word on Community.

phasers

Let's be real, we're going to get a 13 episode pickup in May. With the last 3 to be a made-for-tv movie.

NBC use the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie all the time! They have to renew it! :cool:

FunLover18

phasers wrote: »

Let's be real, we're going to get a 13 episode pickup in May. With the last 3 to be a made-for-tv movie.

NBC use the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie all the time! They have to renew it! :cool:

NBC marketing use the hashtag all the time! To keep the loyal watchers watching and to help boost the cult status which will hopefully boost dvd sales and tv rights. They're only going to use the hashtag #wedontknowifwewillberenewedbutwereallyreallyhopesosokeepwatching

I'm not trying to be cynical, I really want six seasons and a movie and I do think we might just get it but let's not pretend the marketers aren't marketers

phasers

FunLover18 wrote: »

NBC marketing use the hashtag all the time! To keep the loyal watchers watching and to help boost the cult status which will hopefully boost dvd sales and tv rights. They're only going to use the hashtag #wedontknowifwewillberenewedbutwereallyreallyhopesosokeepwatching

I'm not trying to be cynical, I really want six seasons and a movie and I do think we might just get it but let's not pretend the marketers aren't marketers

I was joking, I thought my cool smilie got that across! Let's all just fat dog it until May

FunLover18

phasers wrote: »

I was joking, I thought my cool smilie got that across! Let's all just fat dog it until May

I never know how to interpret the cool smilie, my bad

FlyingIrishMan

Amazing. Didn't think they could make another D&D episode as good as the first, but it was even better in my opinion.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

Amazing. Didn't think they could make another D&D episode as good as the first, but it was even better in my opinion.

Agreed. I felt the same way back in season 2 when I heard they were doing the Paintball Sequels. Didn't think they'd be able to top the original paintball episode, but they pulled it off. Moral of the story - Community does sequels better...

"I'm Hector the Well Endowed again!"

expectationlost

Human Trash!

mrkite77

Oh, Hector the Well-Endowed.. you rascal.

BlitzKrieg

I'd be curious to see if a D&D series (at least maybe as a youtube series) could work using the format of the d&d episodes of community.

FunLover18

I have to watch that again just make sure it was as awesome as it seemed on first viewing

Crumpets & Dragons!!!!

Seren_

I was expecting David Cross to steal the show, but Jim Rash and Danny Pudi just got in there and awesomed it up.

Pang

Jim Rash was fantastic! He really has had some great lines this season.

pixelburp

Oh Dan Harmon, you saucy b*stard; openly talking of sequels often defeating geniuses, then you go and make a sequel to the first D&D episode that's just as good, if not better in places.

Hilarious stuff, extremely enjoyable, and you get the sense Harmon's really enjoying writing for Hickey because he's getting so much mileage out of the character. The announcement of the son was a bit sudden, but it got the set-up out of the way for some decent emotional beats - all through the medium of role-playing at that, ha. Credit also to David Cross, playing a little against type and showing good chemistry between himself and the thus-far impeccable Jonathan Banks.

I also can't believe how much Chang and the Dean now bring to the episodes. Chang's such a better character with his insanity throttled back, and Deans commitment to the role of Joseph-Gordon Diehard was a treat.

At the outset of this season, I hoped it would at least bring the show back up a level from the dross of season 4, that the inevitable cancellation would happen on good terms. IF indeed this is to be the last hurrah, it's going to be a helluvah send-off.

Side note: I'm sure the real thing's not as fun, I've never played myself tbh, but does anyone else find themselves really wanting to play D&D after watching this episode? It looks like a good laugh, played in the right spirit (minus the domestic antagonism)

Seren_

I really hope Jonathan Banks stays on if Community gets renewed. He's been a great addition to the cast. I know it might be difficult due to Better Call Saul, but even just having him in a few episodes would be great.

Also - same handshake!

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Sadly we've no episode next Thursday...

However the following week, we're getting an animated episode called G.I. Jeff!!!

Episode 8: Isn't one of the guys pitching a guy who (along with Saul Goodman) pitched to Raymond in Everybody Loves Raymond?
What an episode, right up with seasons 2 and 3.
Episode 9: That rap was unreal.
"What do you think happens after you die?"
"I don't know."
"You're lucky."
Classic.
Annie's brother was great.
I didn't cop it was Vince Gilligan til the end bit, deadly.
Episode 10: The interrogation of the two goblins was brilliant. Well, just about everything was.