Intro to Felt Surrogacy (Season 4, Ep 9)

This Felt a Bit Forced

You can watch the episode Here

Ok, let me get this out of the way. I think this was not a good episode. If there was an episode that reflected the departure of Dan Harmon and the drop in quality for season four, it was this episode. I come from a childhood where I watched every Muppet movie (Muppet's Take Manhattan, Great Muppet Caper, etc), I grew up on Sesame Street, and watched the Muppet Show at night with my family. And because of my love for our felty friends, this episode was cute, but beyond this one trick pony, there wasn't much else to it. Compare this episode to the claymation episode and you see a stark difference. The claymation Christmas episode was funny and true to the genre but more importantly there was a good reason and it moved the overall plot along.

The gang are all sitting in the study room, but no one is talking to each other and everyone seems tense. The dean comes into the room and states that this awkward silence has been going on for days. He suggests that they use puppets to talk about what happened so they can clear the air. "What ever happened to us is between us and Jesus, and Jesus don’t snitch." -Shirley. This made me think that they did some horrible thing together like kill someone, but we later find out that this is a bunch of hoopla for nothing. So while the Gang is in the study room with their well made puppets, they are remembering this faithful day as though they were professionally made puppets (like Avenue Q).(Mind you, the dean seems to be over exaggerating they entire episode. No fault to Jim Rash but because he was in that stupid Pinocchio costume the whole time, feeling up Jeff, etc)

"Awwwww"

Flash back to a few days prior, the gang is sitting around studying. Troy and Abed are playing bingo but instead of numbers, they mark a corresponding box based off of what people say. Abed explains that since they've been friends for so long, they know each other well enough to predict what the others will say. The Dean arrives with a tour of perspective students and tells them that the Gang is a regular piece of Greendale. After they leave, the Gang tries to shake up their routine by "Going on an Adventure." They break into song and decide to go for a balloon ride. Still caught up in their musical number, they accidentally launch the hot air balloon without their guide without a way to get down. Pierce makes things worse by sending them higher into some stormy clouds. They eventually land and run into George Costanza, I mean, a mountain man. George explains that he used to go to Greendale but then decided to live in the woods where you can be anything you want. Cue next musical number. Before George leaves he gives them some psychedelic berries.

Hours later, the gang is sitting around a fire still under the effects of the berries. Shirley then tells the gang something that has been weighing on her for a while. Basically, she leaves her kids at the store because she was trying to follow a man who she thought was her husband. She feels horrible but no one remembers them telling them that. They all shared something that they are now wish they hadn't. But this is ridiculous. They had opened this story by stating how they were all best friends. How they knew each other so well. They have been through so much YET as soon as they tell something to their best friends that has been bothering them, they cloister up thinking that they will judge them? It's ridiculous. Jeff left a girl friend because she had a son (thus abandoning him like his father abandoned Jeff), Troy started a forest fire by burning a ant hill, Britta doesn't vote.

But Annie has a story that really has to be dealt with. She got the answers to a history test after she let their history teacher rub her feet. SUPER CREEPY. And she reveals this to the Dean! Will nothing be done!? Yes, Greendale Professors are horrible (as shown in one of my early blog posts), but they don't have sexual relations with their students. But everyone looks past this and agrees that they are all best friends again! hooray! Nothing has changed! Accept Annie was touched by a professor. And all she is worried about is that the Gang will thing that she is "a big slut." Priorities.

Sans Annie's creepy interaction, this episode would have been better for the first or second season. This way, the group's friendship would not be as strong or well tested. The conflict revolves around them worrying about what they thing of each other even though they have all grown so close. Bit of a disconnect.


Any way... Here's Danny Pudi (who plays Abed) praising the shows ability produce shows such as this episode. I think he's giving a very different perspective on the episode.

Well, hopefully, this week's episode will be better. Here are some pictures from the next episode. Seems Christmas really snuck up on us.


Let me know if you have any comments/ have a different opinion. Otherwise I'm going to assume that you think I hit the nail on the head.

See you all soon,
Tom B.

PS. best part of the episode...

Herstory of Dance (Season 4, Ep 8)

You Can Watch the Episode Here

The Greendale 8??

Character Development, as far as the eye can see! Abed, how far you have come and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we are all thrilled for his romance with Rachel. This dramatic developed was brought together by the Dean's most recent dance. In classic form, the Dean announces this dance to the Gang while dressed like a 1950's housewife. After the Dean tells that group that it will be a Sadie Hawkins Dance, Britta decides to make her own dance in protest. She starts to "britta" the situation by calling it a Sophie B Hawkins dance instead of  Susan B Anthony dance. Not backing down from her mistake, she promises Jeff that Sophie B Hawkins (a singer from the 90's) will be at the dance. Annie and Shirley both decided that they can find a date for Abed.

Abed opens the show by stating that in order to grow as a person he has "been making a conscious effort to get away from filtering everything through a TV." But presented with the opportunity to go to the same dance with two different girls (a classic opportunity for high jinx that was a "once and a life time opportunity") despite his desire for personal growth. He then allows Annie and Shirley to believe that Abed has picked their date. He even brings two sets of clothes tailor (Ha, puns) to each of the dates. Cue my favorite new character.

 

"We're you talking about me?"

Actually, yes we were, Rachel. Abed explains to the Coat Check Girl (Rachel) that he will be coming back to change clothes a few times and lies about not being about to decide which pair of clothes to wear. He goes hangs out with each of his two dates for a little while and then leaves to get punch. When he returns to the coat room, Abed and Rachel have this charming dialogue. (Click on her picture above to see the scene.) In classic romantic comedy style, Abed screws up and misses the person he is supposed to be with (Rachel) while chasing after the other love interests. He makes a public, fiery confession and Rachel comes back to him. Abed makes an apology and they enjoy the rest of the dance together. Through out this episode we see many instances where they click quite well and overall seem to genuinely fancy each other.

Sorry buddy, you did not need a fake mustache to get chips.

This moment wouldn't have been possible without Troy, by which I mean, since Troy couldn't help Abed, Rachel was able to help him. Troy gets roped into helping Britta with her dance but we can see that his desire for malarkey/ antics isn't being satisfied. Troy is disappointed by the banal tasks of gathering ice or getting more potato chips and desperately tries to make it an adventure.

Could this be a possible rift between Troy and Britta? To add to this possible division between those two, Jeff sends Britta a strangely personal text message at the end of the episode, even though they are standing ten feet away from each other. They then share a long gaze, then stand next to each other while Sophie B Hawkins performs. They have a history, and things between Annie and Jeff have been pretty stagnant. 

The last piece of character development felt the most forced. Through out the episode, Pierce is telling Britta to hold her ground against Jeff and continue to through her Sophie B Hawkins dance even though she won't show up. In the end, Pierce is some how able to get her to perform because of his old business connections. He then lectures Jeff about how "he doesn't like how he talks to her." Since when is Pierce a nice guy, especially to Britta. His final monologue felt forced and sappy. Possibly to placate Chevy? Or maybe these last two episodes were making him seem kinder so that he can be a jerk in one of the upcoming episodes (which wouldn't be a good reason, honestly).

Either way, I hope Rachel becomes a regular cast member AND i can't wait for this week's puppet episode. Check out the the clip to "Intro to felt Surrogacy." My favorite part of the clip, That the Jeff puppet has moving eyebrows. lol

See you guys soon,

leave me some comments,

Tom

Economics of Marine Biology (Season 4, Ep 7)

You Can Watch the Episode Here

Whale Wars?

This episode was a Whale of a Fail Tale

We find the Gang, (minus Pierce), being briefed by the Dean on an important mission. The Dean explains that the school is trying to recruit a new student but he has something that the school needs: monay! Archie, the intended target is also highly unmotivated and is a complete buffoon. He scored a zero on his SAT and recently was arrested for trying to sell weed to a cop....in a police station. Since his parents are obscenely rich, if Archie goes to Greendale, he will provide Greendale with a steady stream of income for years to come. The Dean explains that amongst community colleges, he is considered a 'whale' due to this treasure trove of funds.  This is why he is asking the Gang to help convince Archie to come time Greendale. Annie and Britta both agree to help so their clubs can use some of the money, while Jeff decides to join because it requires them to be away from Pierce (this backfires on him). Troy and Shirley have their own plot line in which they attend a Physical Education Education class (not a typo). But more on that later.

What is interesting about this plot line is a single line that Archie drops which causes the Dean to go a little crazy. Archie pulls up to Greendale in a moped which he said City College, the rival and competitor of Greendale, had given to him when he visited their campus. Originally, the Dean didn't want to lie about the school, but now afraid that Archie will go to City College, is willing to do anything to get Archie to attend. The Dean starts to lie about classes, amenities, and throws a raging party to sway him. Annie and eventually the Dean realize that they have gone to far when they cause Magnitude to give up his catch phrase and give it to Archie. Point being, the Dean eventually stands up to Archie who has a magical realization that he just wants to be treated like a normal person instead of the son of a rich guy. Convenient? Yes, but this may be setting up a back lash from City College which would then cause them to activate whatever plan they had with Chang. OR this could just be the weak episode that I thought it was because with out this plot point to tie it with the rest of the season, it doesn't matter when it happened and it has no effect on larger plot lines.


Those Who Can't Teach...

For example, the Troy/Shirley Physical Education Education plot line was pointless. What do we gain from it? That Shirley's mothering experience has made her able to control children, that Troy isn't good at teaching, and the two of them are a bit closer...maybe. These three things along with the fact that there is a class that teaches Greendale students to teach Physical Education will not be relevant ever again in a Community episode. If the Shirley/ Troy friendship does grow, I will be surprised. They are just very different people.

The last plot line, was between Pierce and Jeff. Jeff has to keep Pierce away from campus. The Dean explains that Pierce has been a whale for Greendale and may become jealous of the attention that Archie is getting. So Jeff spends some time with him to get Pierce off campus. They end up going to a classic Italian barber shop to get shaves with straight blades (Think sweeney todd). (I actually have one of these in my home town but they don't serve scotch/ brandy. I'll submit the suggestion). Instead of the disaster of an afternoon Jeff was expecting, he actually enjoys his time with Pierce but things fall apart when he predictably finds out about why they are hanging together. Jeff later apologizes and Piece forgives him, aww, how nice. I think this was just another episode of make Pierce seem nicer and to give Chevy some screen time. If you guys watched the PaleyFest panel for Community from this year. You'll see that they hit that Chevy may not return if there is another season which, in my opinion, make the show better. I know there are those who love him, if you are one of those people please explain to me why you do (in the comments) because I have no clue why you would.

Over all, a fluffy episode, fun to eat (like a Let's Potato Chip) but no nutritional content. Looking forward to the next episode. I think it has something to do with dancing... not sure. I'll leave you guys with one of the minor but hilarious plot lines from this episode where Abed creates the Delta Cubes.

See you all next week,
Tom

Advanced Documentary Filmmaking (Season 4, Ep 6)

Here's a Link to the Episode

Time for a "Chang" of Plot Focus

I felt like this episode had its roots more deeply set in the first three seasons. Mostly from the filming style/ content. Abed is filming a documentary for the Dean which focuses on Chang, now known as Kevin, and his Changnesia. If you click on the picture to the left, it will send you to the opening of the show which explains this tragic disease and some of the plot leading up to this episode. This clip also was a quintessential opening for a documentary, so great job, Abed. The slow fading in and out of the worlds/ title of the documentary, the use of visual dictionary definitions, splices of other interviews which help give setting and background for the subject of the documentary.

 We find out that Greendale is going to apply for a fair amount of grant money from a research society. To win said grant, the Dean asks Abed to direct a documentary to make the board members more sympathetic to 'Kevin.' So Abed and Garret are following the gang around which results in the shaky unfocused content we are watching.

A man on a mission

Conflict? Jeff doesn't believe that 'Kevin' is faking it and can really remember everything. At first he tries to challenge the Dean and his friends but they truly believe that 'Kevin' is telling the truth. Jeff then tells Abed that he is going to find evidence that he is faking and will expose Chang to the whole audience. But to do so, he is going to pretend that he believes in Changnesia and wants to help with the presentation. Jeff recruits Troy and Annie (who don't have many plot lines together) to do an investigation on where 'Kevin' had been for the past few months starting with his appearance. He also ask Pierce to give a speech, which Pierce immediately indicates will be VERY racist. Even if Troy and Annie don't find anything, Pierce's puppet show will drive the board members away.

Now I wasn't the biggest fan of the Troy and Annie cop duo plot line. I think that they did do an excellent job digging up the the information which will definitely come back in an few episode but they have done the Cop show episode before. When the gang's yam will 'murdered' they design the episode after a Law and Order show. It was one of my favorites from the season. But this was clearly just a side plot to add some depth. Not as much chemestry between the two of them. But it got the job done.

The Duo Hard at Work

Jeff ends up going too far in the presentation and Kevin hold his ground. Everyone still believes that he really can't remember and the school gets the grant money (god knows they need it, did you see those study rooms?). Jeff is an outcast until he apologizes to Kevin who then tells him that he is forgiven.

We find out in the last few seconds of this episode what I had suspected for some time; that Kevin is really still Chang!! It would have been too flat of a plot line, and a waste of talent, to keep Chang locked away inside the puerile Kevin. True, the lunch room scene between Kevin, Shirley, and the irate Jeff was one of the better parts of the show, but Chang's anarchist tendencies are too valuable as a conflict for the Gang. More importantly, it seems that some shadowy figure is orchestrating Chang's insertion into Greendale. But who has a reason to infiltrate the community college and the Greendale seven? I would like to put my money on the Dean from City College, Greendale's rival. We have seen that City College has no problem with invading Greendale in the second paintball episode and they have expressed their intention to wipe Greendale off the map. If this is true, then possibly, the gang may some how resolve this threat to the campus either by ameliorating relations or by defeating the other Dean. 

Can't wait to see the next episode.

See you all soon,

Tom

Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations (Season 4, Ep 5)

Link to this episode Here 

Thanksgiving: Food, Family, and Fighting

We find the gang finishing their studying (in their study room), discussing their plans for Thanksgiving. Shirley informs the group that everyone is invited over to her house to join her and her husbands family for dinner. Everyone is excited except for Jeff who grunts that he already has plans. The Dean then tells everyone that he is actually having dinner with his estranged father. The gang (and I) were all excited to hear this especially Britta (note the picture) who took the credit for their reunion.

Jeff drives over to his Dad's house, only to panic and run away. He then calls Britta and she reveals to him that she is already in Willy Winger's house. Now Jeff has to return. It seems that Britta was really only there to provide comic relief to this plot line. Jeff finally confronting and bonding with his Dad is a bit tense so its understandable. One could argue that the second plot line was also set up so that it would counter balance the heavy themes and dialogue of this section of the show.


"This Ain't No Fairytale, This is Thanksgiving"

The other plot line, which to be honest didn't add much to the overarching plot of the series, took place in Shirley's home.We immediately find out that Shirley's in-laws are rude and overall horrible to be around. Abed, Troy, Annie, and Pierce all retreat into the garage to escape all of the "tension, the back fighting, and judgmental comments."

They declare that they feel like they are in prison and Abed starts to narrate this plot line as though it was a prison movie such as "Shawshank Redemption." Abed becomes 'the guy who can get you things" like Red from "Shawshank," Troy starts to lift, and Shirley is their warden. They tag team taking turns out with the  family as the rest of the Gang waits for dinner in the garage. But the prison theme soon breaks as Shirley figures out that they are trying to escape her house. She tells them that normally the Bennet family makes fun of her all night so she invited her friends over in an attempt to even the odds. So it turns out she is just as much of a prison her has they are.

Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, They love scotch

Jeff’s reunion with his father, played by James Brolin, can be compared with a similar reunion in an episode of "How I Met Your Mother". On that show, Neil Patrick Harris plays the smooth talking, womanizing, fashionable, lawyer named Barney Stinson. Similarly, Jeff was a lawyer for 7 years, is known for his fashion sense and prides himself  in his romantic abilities. But more importantly, both of their characters were raised by their mothers after their fathers left their family. During the reunion with Barney’s father, played by John Lithgow, originally tells his group of friends that his dad was exactly like he was; smooth talking, ladies man, who drank scotch and had a manly job. But we later find out that his father lives in suburbia with another family and makes a living as a driving instructor. He is mild mannered and and upstanding father. When Barney visits his father’s family, he becomes jealous, emotional, then lashes out at his father for leaving him.


            Although Jeff and Barney’s familial and personality situations mirror each other, Jeff’s confrontation occurs in a very different fashion. Jeff’s father is equally manly, has con stories, drinks scotch, and the two get along quite well. But the emotional conflict reveals itself in a different way. Jeff’s father tells him that he is proud of him. Hooray, fatherly acceptance! But Willy Winger goes on to say that Jeff should thank him for leaving him because his leaving him caused Jeff to be an independent, resourceful, self-made man. Jeff's father blames himself for Willy Jr who has turned out to be "softer than wet cheese." After one of his epiphanies, Jeff confronts his dad by telling him that he is also responsible for Jeff’s abandonment, insecurity, and other all relationship issues.

Willy Jr.

 I think the most dramatic and surprisingly serious story was of a young Jeff who lied to a class mate telling him that he got his appendix out. When the classmate asked to see the scar, Jeff went home and made a scar with some scissors. Everyone at school believed him and he got 13 get well soon cards from his class mates. Jeff still keeps those cards today to remind himself that there are people who cared about him. “I am not well adjusted. I’m barely holding it together. I’m constantly testing and there is no one on the other end. I’m afraid that they will see that I am broken.” –Jeff

Heartbreaking! The desperation, the vulnerability, Jeff’s fears of losing his friends. It was an unexpected realization in a normally light comedy. Barney eventually has a sitcom moment with his dad, but Jeff’s new relationship with his father seems more real because we see the damage that the abandonment caused Jeff. Barney is more of a womanizing jester than a three dimensional character. 

Overall, the show was alright. Jeff's plot line was the best as we learned so much more about his character and got to see some resolution between him and his father. The Bennet Prison plot line was alright but then even Abed admits that it fell short. But I have high hopes for the next episode, I think its going to focus on Kevin's Changnisa? 

Well, see you all next week. Thanks for reading.

Tweet @TomBrande or leave a comment. 

PS, no clue what this is about, have to search around online to find if there is a clip with the cast as puppets. 

Check out this link, of the cast with their puppets.

Alternative History of the German Invasion (Season 4, Ep 4)

Return of the Germans

This season has had a fair amount of content about history or past events. The first episode with the Ice Cream History class, second episode with Pierce and Jeff's past issues with their father (btw we never found out what happened with his dad after that phone call), and now this episode revolves around the theme of "history is written by the victors." The gang is forced to take a Modern European History type class as the Ice Cream History class is now full. Unlike every other class in Greendale, it appears that this professor has a degree and intends on actually teaching the class. Also attending the class are the three Germans from the Foosball episode in Season 3 (technically the main German is replaced by his brother but its not a major plot point and his replacement adds nothing to the plot, the brother was played by Nick Kroll who now has a show on Comedy Central, was probably too busy to be in this episode).

After the class, the three Germans are sitting at a side table in the Gang's study room. The group eventually agrees to let the Germans stay for the day but the next day the Germans have claimed the room for themselves. The Germans call security who sides with them because they have signed up for the room. Surprisingly, this actually becomes a central plot point.

This Means WAR!

The Greendale Seven attempt to arrive earlier the next day to sign up for the room but, alas, the Germans have beat them to the punch. The gang then has to use a new study room which has a flickering, and as Pierce finds out, electrifying light.

Annoying isn't it?

This repeats several times, with the gang trying to arrive earlier and earlier, only to find the Germans there waiting to laugh in their face. The injustice! And each new study room has something new that is awful about it (all of the chairs crack, dead raccoon in the air vent).

(I literally loled when this happened)

Finally the Gang decides to partake in some cleaver hijinks to rid themselves of this German Occupation. They incite the Germans with a peace offering in the form of an Oktoberfest celebration. The festival is complete with authentic bratwurst, beer, pretzels, and of course, 99 red balloons. Turns out this is all a ruse to frame the Germans into celebrating their own culture which, according to Greendale rules, is forbidden (no culture can celebrate their own culture). This results in the rivals from being banned from the study room.

Hooray! The heroes have prevailed! But what's this? As the group returns to the study room the next day they are met by an angry protest of Greendale students. They tell the Seven that they are sick and tired of them hogging the only good study room on campus. The mob is angry because when someone actually stood up to them after going through the sign up sheet, the Seven crossed the line and got the Germans kicked out.

This is where the history theme reveals itself. We find out that throughout the past 3 years, other people have been trying to use this study room but have been unable because the Gang has been claiming it as their own when others had signed up to use it. This leads the group to realize that "we thought the Germans were the Germans but really we were the Germans." They have dominated a space which was not their birth right while others suffered. They joke about how ridiculous of a comparison this is but it is what it is (namely a ridiculous show so you can't take it too seriously.)

So the group now feeling horrible, decides to give reparations for their past crimes and renovate the horrible study rooms.  They can now return to their room because everyone else now has somewhere else they can go.

"History Can Be Seen From Multiple Vantage Points"
After the Gang declares war on the Germans, I thought the show was trying to make a homage to World War II documentaries/ movies. The soaring music, the typewriter like text noting the setting of the new scene, and most obviously the American/ German rivalry. But as we later learn this episode was trying to show that alternative side to every conflict. Now I in no way am claiming that NBC/ Community was attempting to justify Germany's actions during WWII but one could take this theme further; namely to critique American History. There have been several moments in American history where we have thumped our chests with patriotism, duty, and other ideals to start wars when then are convenient. In the show, the groups thinks they are in the right without considering the others around them.

This is also true for say, our invasion of Grenada. A small, peaceful nation, with the military might equivalent of my hometown was claimed to be planning a full invasion of the USA. They may have been shifting to a Communist government but we saw that as a sign of aggression. USA invades and subdues the nation in three days. Hooray, liberation!

Oh well.

Well Chang's back, now with Changesia (Amnesia). The Dean thinks that he isn't faking it anymore but I still think that he is. He'll most likely be a focus in one of the next few episodes.

Andddd it looks like we're going to have Thanksgiving dinner at Shirley's with JEFF'S DAD

 

Here's a really good interview with Yvette Nicole Brown who plays Shirley

That's all for now, looking forward to some turkey. 

Tweet @TomBrande and let me know what you think OR leave a comment!

See you all soon,

Tom