Thursday, March 4, 2010

Jordan's Review: Community, Season 1, Episode 17: Physical Education

Tonight was a weird one for Community. Britta couldn't pronounce bagel, there was a white version of Abed, and Jeff ended the episode playing naked pool with Boy Meets World's Chet Hunter. The moral itself also subverted the norm, starting out as a standard "you shouldn't change youself for others" story, and ending up as a more original, and valid message: its ok to change yourself in certain situations so long as you don't lose sight of who you are.

When the gang finds a book with a drawing of Abed in it, they determine that someone has a crush on him, and decide to help him change so that he can get the girl. Jeff tries to stop them from falling into the cliche, but they are sitcom characters, and nothing can deter them from trying to change Abed. This leads Abed into an excellent Don Draper impression and a really, really strange vampire impression that seems quite like a dinosaur. As Abed gets up his nerve and approaches the girl, it turns out her drawing was of her boyfriend "Joey" who is literally white Abed.

Jeff's story centers around his reluctance to play pool in shorts. This could be a metaphor for how uncomfortable he is in his own skin, or how often he focuses on seeming cool before actually being cool, but really its mostly an excuse to get Jeff naked and have him face off against Chet Hunter in an epic game of pool.

This episode was less about the show's depth, nor about advancing its plot. It was at its heart about just how absurd this cast can get, and how much fun that is to watch. It may not have been a classic episode, but it was a testament to this show's continues ability to be a blast to watch.

Grade: B+

Notes:

-"Its just like the notebook but instead of alzheimers, Abed has...someone who likes him."

-"You guys are going to Can't buy Me Love me." "Oh, he means we're going to Love Don't Cost a Thing him."

-"Shut up Leonard. I talked to your son on family day, and I know all about your gambling problem."

-"Vanity, thy name is...his name."

-"You should be like Calvin. His best friend is a tiger, he always went on adventures, and if anything got in his way, he just peed on it."

-Anyone else see the blatant continuity errors in the pool game?

-"I choose shorts!" "You magnificent son of a bitch!"

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