Community is fundamentally a comedy, but that comedy is rooted in a deeper understanding of our characters; yes, these people are attending a community college and all feel varying levels of unfulfillment. There’s a time in which they all have to stand back and take stock of who they are, and this episode explores that idea in depth.
First off, we have Britta coming face to face with her old anarchist friends, and we can observe how she’s at a time in her life where she has to scramble to decide what exactly she’s doing. Her old group seems to hold up a mirror to her situation, in addition to serving as a comparison of sorts, a standard she can hold herself up to. I’d like to see more exploration from her side–rather than Jeff’s and Duncan’s–of things, though, because more Britta is always welcome.
Speaking of Jeff and Duncan: this episode brings out the nice rapport the two haven’t had in a while, and it’s clear to me that Jeff’s affection for Britta serves primarily as a motivator for Duncan’s pursuit of her (what a sweet scene in the car, too). The quick augmentation of emotions in Jeff at the party serves more as a reminder of the great moments the two shared as friends, not of a sudden outpouring of lust. And hey, let’s face it: these guys all have a little bit of loneliness inside.
That’s most evident with someone like Abed, who’s lost his best friend and is just trying to salvage some type of emotional connection in any way he can. He ends up paired off with Buzz Hickey, an authority figure who isn’t like anyone he’s talked to before; this makes their conversation–in idea, just an exercise in how not to be subtle–very engaging, and in the end, they both seem to have a clearer sense of who they are. It’s not so much that they come to a huge revelation; it’s that they seem to come to terms with their situations.
All in all, this is an episode that focuses more on the melancholy, and it works for the most part. There are certain moments that don’t quite resonate, but the episode shows us that Community can still bring the drama. Now, let’s see something different next week.
GRADE: B+
OTHER THOUGHTS:
-Chang’s subplot is really strange, but it’s the kind of story that’s thrown in there to provide comic relief; also, it’s pretty damn hilarious.
-“And you believed them, a bunch of ghosts?”
-Fantastic end tag between the Dean and Duncan.
-“And now, you’re gonna go pull a Dane Cook in one of those three movies he was in about Dane Cook getting laid by accident. Only, it’s not a Dane Cook movie, Jeff, because this time, someone’s watching. Me. Your friend. Britta’s Jason Biggs.”
-“I’m sorry I punched my landlord, but I’m not getting my deposit back.” I’ll be sad to see Banks go after this season.
Photo credit: NBC, Community
Polar Bears Watch TV 
Pretty much agree with it all.
I think the Duncan quote is “Britain’s Jason Biggs”
Last line by Jim Rash……..brilliant!!!