If you haven't watched Community [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_(TV_series)] than the latest episode 'Remedial Chaos Theory' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remedial_Chaos_Theory] is an exemplary model of show at it's finest. I highly recommend watching the new episode even if you've never heard of the show before. I will be discussing the episode in some depth, and so there will be a fair amount of spoilers ahead, consider yourself warned.
Why this episode was so damn good...
I don't believe I was the only one whose heart was breaking from the beginning of season 3. While none of the first three episodes were particularly bad, the second I would rate as 'quite good', we couldn't help but be concerned about the longevity of the show. Its ratings were already less than stellar, and with a mostly new writing staff they failed to alleviate any doubts we had about we've been presented with so far. But Community bounced back this week, gloriously. This episode took all the aspects we've come to love, play it out 7 times, and more impressively manage to fit it all in just over 20 minutes. The existence of its quality in any TV show is a phenomenon, even for Community who has brought us jewels such as Modern Warfare [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Warfare_(Community)], Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abed%27s_Uncontrollable_Christmas] and Advanced Dungeon's and Dragons [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1824317/].
To save time being wasted from reading an exposition, I'm just going to assume you've watched it. Firstly this was the first high concept episode of the third season, the convention this time being alternative time lines. We witnessed this device being used before in Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs (props for whoever can name both those episodes), and from a writer's point of view it must be a nightmare to pen, pace and produce. The interesting observation about this episode, was that it was really about anything, there was no real storyline and if you subtract the alternative time lines, the sequence of events post-title only lasted a few minutes.
But that doesn't mean the episode was about nothing. This episode was clever way of exploring the group dynamics, particularly the role of each character through their omission. You learnt more about what each character has to offer by removing them temporarily from the group and then observing the effects of their subtraction. One reason I've always adored Community is for it's ability to 'show not tell', whereas other series tend to fall back on over exaggerated reactions, because it assumes its audience is too stupid to appreciate subtlety, despite Community having a character who explicitly points out nuances and character traits there is always something more to be had.
I could honestly go on and on about the heavy stuff (brevity isn't my strong suit), but I don't want people to forget the episode was also fucking hilarious seriously the Norwegian Troll admist the flames had me in stitches, I had to pause otherwise I would have missed the rest of the episode.
So instead I am opening the floor to you guys. So for the TLDR group here are some questions and I will come in and out of the discussion:
1) Did you like the episode? Did it redeem the previous three?
2) How do you feel about the change in group dynamics since season 1?
3) Did you feel the show handled the concept of alternative timelines?
4) Jeff and Annie?
5) How did it rate against episodes from Season 1 and 2?
Why this episode was so damn good...
I don't believe I was the only one whose heart was breaking from the beginning of season 3. While none of the first three episodes were particularly bad, the second I would rate as 'quite good', we couldn't help but be concerned about the longevity of the show. Its ratings were already less than stellar, and with a mostly new writing staff they failed to alleviate any doubts we had about we've been presented with so far. But Community bounced back this week, gloriously. This episode took all the aspects we've come to love, play it out 7 times, and more impressively manage to fit it all in just over 20 minutes. The existence of its quality in any TV show is a phenomenon, even for Community who has brought us jewels such as Modern Warfare [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Warfare_(Community)], Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abed%27s_Uncontrollable_Christmas] and Advanced Dungeon's and Dragons [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1824317/].
Firstly, there was some concern about the show's lack of high concept episodes. That is a story telling device or convention that is taken and implemented throughout the episode; Modern Warfare was a homage to action movies, Intermediate Documentary Film making [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermediate_Documentary_Filmmaking] employed the same design used by The Office and Co-operative Calligraphy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_Calligraphy] was a spoof of bottle episodes used by other sitcoms. Community is often praised for its often ironic and distant observation of these conventions, and high concept episodes are regarded as some of the show's best material, that isn't to say the low concepts are poor - quite the opposite in fact. Although high concept episodes weren't really seen until the end of Season 1 with Contemporary American Poultry, the first season was a solid comedy, with a genuinely poignant cast. Season 2 manage to sustain the growth and interaction between the characters and mix in outlandish scenarios and off beat humour.
The expectation was that season 3 would be able to combine the best aspects of the first two seasons to create a sort of super hybrid serial, instead the characters devolved into caricatures of themselves. The group dynamic was awkward at best and dislikeable at worse, and we all feared the show would go the way of Firefly, and if the trend continued its eventual euthanasia would have been entirely justified and less painful to bare.
The expectation was that season 3 would be able to combine the best aspects of the first two seasons to create a sort of super hybrid serial, instead the characters devolved into caricatures of themselves. The group dynamic was awkward at best and dislikeable at worse, and we all feared the show would go the way of Firefly, and if the trend continued its eventual euthanasia would have been entirely justified and less painful to bare.
To save time being wasted from reading an exposition, I'm just going to assume you've watched it. Firstly this was the first high concept episode of the third season, the convention this time being alternative time lines. We witnessed this device being used before in Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs (props for whoever can name both those episodes), and from a writer's point of view it must be a nightmare to pen, pace and produce. The interesting observation about this episode, was that it was really about anything, there was no real storyline and if you subtract the alternative time lines, the sequence of events post-title only lasted a few minutes.
But that doesn't mean the episode was about nothing. This episode was clever way of exploring the group dynamics, particularly the role of each character through their omission. You learnt more about what each character has to offer by removing them temporarily from the group and then observing the effects of their subtraction. One reason I've always adored Community is for it's ability to 'show not tell', whereas other series tend to fall back on over exaggerated reactions, because it assumes its audience is too stupid to appreciate subtlety, despite Community having a character who explicitly points out nuances and character traits there is always something more to be had.
The show decided to keep the themes of each character consistent regardless of the alternative timeline; Jeff is detached and consciously keeps himself distant from the group despite his underlying feelings for Annie (which I am secretly rooting for despite the inherent creepiness brought about by the age gap), Pierce is a jealous and lonely old man who lashes out in absurd ways, Abed acts as a filter for the group, Troy is growing as a man and his presence is the least threatening and often most cohesive, Shirley is concerned her being the sole married persons alienates her from the others, Anna is tired of being treated as a child and Britta... well, she got high this episode, but that was actually kind of fun. When each character was removed from the group, the effect they have was most apparent.
But the most salient exclusion had to be Jeff - though he is arguably the lead character, the all round problem solver and the 'brains' of the group, his subtraction had resulted in the best 'timeline' as evident by the characters indulging in a cliché love-in. I actually found it quite revelatory, Jeff has always been something of a father figure to the study group, but his detachment had always seemed conditional to the survival of the group. But now he is the outsider; wishing to embrace his friends but never allowing himself to, being far more comfortable mocking them from a distance. But the group has grown, and they don't need him any more, from the first episode the inverse has occurred, and now his inclusion in his hands.
But the most salient exclusion had to be Jeff - though he is arguably the lead character, the all round problem solver and the 'brains' of the group, his subtraction had resulted in the best 'timeline' as evident by the characters indulging in a cliché love-in. I actually found it quite revelatory, Jeff has always been something of a father figure to the study group, but his detachment had always seemed conditional to the survival of the group. But now he is the outsider; wishing to embrace his friends but never allowing himself to, being far more comfortable mocking them from a distance. But the group has grown, and they don't need him any more, from the first episode the inverse has occurred, and now his inclusion in his hands.
I could honestly go on and on about the heavy stuff (brevity isn't my strong suit), but I don't want people to forget the episode was also fucking hilarious seriously the Norwegian Troll admist the flames had me in stitches, I had to pause otherwise I would have missed the rest of the episode.
So instead I am opening the floor to you guys. So for the TLDR group here are some questions and I will come in and out of the discussion:
1) Did you like the episode? Did it redeem the previous three?
2) How do you feel about the change in group dynamics since season 1?
3) Did you feel the show handled the concept of alternative timelines?
4) Jeff and Annie?
5) How did it rate against episodes from Season 1 and 2?