Community: "Asian Population Studies"

Hey, everybody, Community's back! Man, I missed this show. A review coming up after the jump... 

Tonight's episode dealt with one story whose two parts essentially fold back into one another, creating a richly textured half-hour. You could probably break down the stories even further, but for review purposes, it will be easier to break it into two parts.

First, we have Annie and her potential relationship with perpetually awesome guy Rich. Trying to get closer to him, Annie suggest he joins the study group, which bugs Jeff because a) he hates the guy and b) he (probably) still has feelings for Annie. And so a mixer is thrown (complete with Skittles and mouthwash) so the group can elect a new member. All goes over well, especially Rich's kettle corn, and he seems poised to earn membership, until Jeff uses his good old lawyer skills to get Change inducted. Which....well, let's back up for a second

Shirley has decided to forgive her ex-husband, and is trying to rekindle the relationship. Troy, unable to keep the thoughts in his head from spilling out his mouth (“my brain needs its own brain”) lets it slip to Peirce that Shirley and Chang slept together on Halloween. Britta is doubtful of Shirley's actions, saying she's seen too many guys promising soft serve, or Chili Peppers tickets, or a bag full nickels. Shirley defends her actions, letting the rest of the group she knows she's pregnant, which cause Troy and Pierce put together that maybe the baby is Chang's. While Troy tries to figure who the father is (so he can possibly spare Shirley the knowledge that she slept with Chang, something she was lucky to not remember), Pierce falls in man-love with Rich and his kettle corn. So when it comes time for the membership vote, Shirley can't decide, but when Pierces threatens to “destroy her world” if she doesn't vote for Rich, she votes Change out of spite.

This leads Pierce to spill the beans, and marks the shift in this episode from the comedic to the emotional, a welcome change as the episode prior to this did not live up to its own (admittedly high) comedic expectations. The emotional side, however, lived up to the best Community has offered in the past. Shirley is devastated, and her ex-husband walks off. Annie confronts Jeff in the bathroom, calling him out on his bull shit. Britta then asks Jeff to talk to Shirley's ex-husband realizing though she may not like it, its what Shirley needs. Jeff does, and Jeff comes upon a realization...

I would like to take a moment to commend Joel McHale in the above two scenes. It was beautifully understated work, in which he is able to show us the confused emotional side hiding underneath the snark. Also, if all of the above sounded like a busy episode it didn't come off that way. This episode managed to pull everything off breezily, having one plot point segue into the next with the greatest of ease.

The problem with this episode, and the scene which will essentially determined viewer reaction to this episode, were the final minutes. Jeff has apparently reached a realization: that in order to get what he wants, he must act like the nicest guy in the world. Super douchey, right? My problem with this is that it doesn't fit into the Jeff we know now; this sound more like the Jeff from the pilot. Plus, this scene didn't play as funny, so I found little enjoyment in it. However, when you consider that many character arcs this episode kicked off, maybe this will go somewhere interesting. Maybe.

Please feel free to post dissenting opinions below.


Additional Thoughts: 

“Black Micheal Chicklis?” “White George Foreman?” “You're talking about the same guy. He's biracial.”

“He keeps turning his name into a pun. It makes me so Changry.”

“I agree with brown Jamie Lee Curtis.”

“30 something, I would imagine. He has a landline, and he uses the word 'album'.”

“Nature's Viagra, right?”

“Guilty as Changed.”

“I wish I could give you answer that makes sense, but relationships are complicated, and we're in the men's room.”

“Nice sweater.” “My dad gave it to me.” HA! Get it?

Jeff bakes muffin tops. Even that guys hates the nub