Community 3.19 "Curriculum Unavailable" 5/10/12

[SenorBeef]

The other thread with the renewed/cancelled stuff wasn't really suitable for episode discussion.

I don't have too much to say about this one, but I wanted to get an episode thread up. So here are some scattered thoughts:

I worry that when this show becomes too self referential it's too alienating to new viewers. When they revealed the mental asylum scenes, I actually briefly considered that since we were at the end of a season with an uncertain future, if they were actually legitimately going in that direction.

But concern about self referential circle jerks aside, I do like how they lampooned themselves with the discussion about how crazy the show has become, being a 2 year community college, etc.

I was dissapointed that they seemed to indicate that there wouldn't be a paintball episode this year. They could have 6 seasons and a movie of paintball and that'd be alright with me. Especially since they could turn the Chang conflict into paintball somehow.

There's been too much "Abed is crazy" rather than "crazy Abed is funny" this season. As a clip show, it wasn't as funny as last year's.

In any case, you should leave the thread in pairs. Rape is up 8%.

[SenorBeef]

Oh, and a heads up. We get 3 episodes on Thursday apparently. Usually that's worrying when they just try to dump the rest of a season in one day, but it's sweeps (I think), so that's maybe a good thing? Not sure how to interpret it. In any case, we get episode 3.22 at 8, 3.20 at 9, 3.21 at 9:30. No idea what's going on with that, but we get a big dose of community.

[CyclopticXander]

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

Oh, and a heads up. We get 3 episodes on Thursday apparently. Usually that's worrying when they just try to dump the rest of a season in one day, but it's sweeps (I think), so that's maybe a good thing? Not sure how to interpret it. In any case, we get episode 3.22 at 8, 3.20 at 9, 3.21 at 9:30. No idea what's going on with that, but we get a big dose of community.

Was that a mistake or are they really airing the finale first?

[Carmady]

Good episode, but not as good as other recent episodes have been. Some of it they were covering old ground, but not in a new, funny way.

The mental asylum, the psychiatrist, and the cop were all hilarious though.

[RandMcnally]

Like I said in the other thread, I loved how Annie went in to full crush mode when Abed did his Madmen impression. She's insane.

One thing I didn't like was Chang taking suggestions from his army about Plan B. I actually like Chang this season and was hoping that he would have this elaborate plan with many fail-safes.

[Dewey Finn]

Originally Posted by CyclopticXander

Was that a mistake or are they really airing the finale first?

That weird order is how my cable system's program lists the episodes for Thursday night; the sequel to 3.19 airs second.

As for the "Curriculum Unavailable" episode, I liked it a lot. I thought it was hilarious.

[Shoeless]

The asylum scene was hilarious. Especially with Dean Pelton and Garrett (speaking in a normal voice) observing.

Dean: Should we increase their lithium?

Garrett: Not yet. First I want to see what happens when we confiscate one of their pens.

[SenorBeef]

Originally Posted by CyclopticXander

Was that a mistake or are they really airing the finale first?

Not sure, but that's how IMDB lists them.

[Munch]

Any time we can get John Hodgeman on prime time, the better. I think we can give up on new viewers to the show, and just enjoy the ride. This episode was fantastic - the mental asylum alternate version is hysterical (the line about taking the pen made me lose it). Could there be a three-episode paint ball arc coming up?

[Max the Immortal]

This is probably the only show ever to get people to think, "Another clip show? Awesome!"

So much good stuff in this episode. I may want to watch it a third time to see if I pick up on any more Easter eggs. When Annie does "Troy and Abed and Annie in the Morning", you can see Annie's Boobs in the air conditioning vent behind her. Also, I'm not sure, but I think Abed solves all of the puzzles on the fake psychiatrist's coffee table.

[RealityChuck]

When a dramatic show makes references to events in the lives of the characters from previous shows, it's called "continuity" and everyone admires it.

When a comedy makes references to the lives of the characters from previous shows, it's called "self-referential" and people sneer.

How does that make any sense?

[TBG]

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

Not sure, but that's how IMDB lists them.

Networks air stuff out of order quite often. The last few years of Scrubs on NBC suffered from this quite a bit (quite noticeable because Cox shaved his head at one point, yet he kept going back and forth to having hair and not) and another recent example is The Finder on Fox (one character mentioned finally getting to meet another character, even though they'd had plenty of interaction before). And of course, Firefly is one of the premiere examples of this nonsense, where they actually aired the first episode last.

As for this Community episode, wow, everytime I think I couldn't love the show more, the prove me wrong. That asylum bit made me pause the DVR so I didn't miss anything from cracking up too much. And the return of Baby Boomer Santa! YES!

[Frylock]

Originally Posted by RealityChuck

When a comedy makes references to the lives of the characters from previous shows, it's called "self-referential" and people sneer.

How does that make any sense?

This is not at all what people are talking about when they call this show self-referential. (BTW you do know, right, that the bits from "previous shows" in this epsisode were not from previous shows? And that's one way in which the show is self referential--creating fake clips for a clip show is the show saying something about the kind of show it is, namely, a sitcom.)

There was a joke about how they've been in community college for three years. Jeff then begins arguing that this is normal. This is self-reference--it's the show justifying itself against a common (lighthearted) criticism.

Etc.

[JSexton]

Originally Posted by TBG

another recent example is The Finder on Fox (one character mentioned finally getting to meet another character, even though they'd had plenty of interaction before).

I wondered if that was happening. Willa's parole officer keeps going back and forth from open hostility to grudging respect, and I couldn't tell if it was sloppy writing or out of sequence episodes.

[Tangent]

Originally Posted by RandMcnally

Like I said in the other thread, I loved how Annie went in to full crush mode when Abed did his Madmen impression. She's insane.

I always forget that Alison Brie is also in Mad Men.

[srm13]

I love how self-referencial the show is, and would feel unsatisfied if they played to new-comers.

Speaking of which, did anyone else feel that when Hodgeman was listing out why they were all committed and Britta cut him off was referring to how Britta's character has changed so much since the first episode? It was also referred to a couple episodes ago when Jeff remarked "when I met you, you seemed smarter than me." Either that or maybe there is a backstory we haven't got on why she ended up at a community college... Either way, the Britta of the pilot episode would have seen right through the fake psychologist.

And finally, why wasn't Pierce at the table for when the Dean gave them pizza? They even went out of their way to have Dean mention there was 6 pieces.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Tangent

I always forget that Alison Brie is also in Mad Men.

I forgot that at the time and thought it was a callback to that time Abed pretended to be Don Draper and Annie almost kissed him. HOW DID I MISS THAT TWICE?

[RealityChuck]

Originally Posted by Frylock

This is not at all what people are talking about when they call this show self-referential. (BTW you do know, right, that the bits from "previous shows" in this epsisode were not from previous shows? And that's one way in which the show is self referential--creating fake clips for a clip show is the show saying something about the kind of show it is, namely, a sitcom.)

There was a joke about how they've been in community college for three years. Jeff then begins arguing that this is normal. This is self-reference--it's the show justifying itself against a common (lighthearted) criticism.

Etc.

But that's on a small portion of the jokes on the show, and it would not even be noted by someone watching fo the first time. I can't imagine how that would make a difference to a new viewer. Same with the fake clips (though I disagree that they are self referential: drama will often show flashbacks of events we never saw before, and that's Family Guy's stock in trade: Peter often refers to events that were never shown previously, and which are then shown in flashback): the fact that they were not clips has no relevance as to whether they're funny or not. At most it's just an extra level of humor.

The scenes worked because they were funny within the context of the show, not that they were never shown previously. In fact, that was utterly irrelevant to the episode. They were just typical flashbacks you see in every show on TV.

[Quimby]

Originally Posted by CyclopticXander

Was that a mistake or are they really airing the finale first?

According to Dan Harmon on Twitter, this is the intended order. That episode had animation so it had the highest production number.

From what I understand (this part is not from Dan Harmon but just general rumors), it's a video game episode.

[Inner Stickler]

This was a great episode of Community in gestalt. It was not a good standalone episode and the fake clips were particularly weak, especially from the viewpoint of a new viewer.

[enalzi]

Originally Posted by Quimby

According to Dan Harmon on Twitter, this is the intended order. That episode had animation so it had the highest production number.

Yeah, the last episode that airs that night is called "Introduction to Finality," so it all makes sense,

[TBG]

Troy and Abed in the Morning! : Nights

[Carmady]

Originally Posted by TBG

That asylum bit made me pause the DVR so I didn't miss anything from cracking up too much. And the return of Baby Boomer Santa! YES!

Oh man... yeah. The asylum really is one of the best things ever on the show.

[emacknight]

I freakin loved the clip scenes of them in the asylum. Troy and Jeff bouncing on the mattress. And when they're sitting around the table discussing what type of episode to do next, "clip show, no bottle episode..."

It gave a very strange image of someone on the outside looking in but not understanding what's going on.

Also loved at the end when Troy and Abed walk in on Anne doing their show and Troy says, "why are there all these cameras?" Even though in previous episodes people have mentioned "there are no cameras."

[Nawth Chucka]

I loved this episode, great lines from Jeff and Britta, and also the cop at the beginning. He must be part of Chang's posse.

[Tangent]

Originally Posted by Nawth Chucka

He must be part of Chang's posse.

Why?

[Nawth Chucka]

Originally Posted by Tangent

Why?

He claimed to be acting on the Dean's orders; isn't Chang running the Dean impersonator?

[Max the Immortal]

Originally Posted by Nawth Chucka

He claimed to be acting on the Dean's orders; isn't Chang running the Dean impersonator?

I thought he just relayed that the (faux) dean wouldn't press charges for trespassing if Abed made an appointment with the (faux) psychiatrist. You don't need to be part of the conspiracy to do that.

[Dewey Finn]

I'm watching the episode again (for the third time, including the original broadcast). I love the bit with the weird classes ("Can I fry it?", "Ladders", etc.) And at one point John Hodgman says, "The Indian kid was right." Someone corrected him to say that Abed was Arabic (and Polish) but the actor is actually Indian (and Polish).

[zeldarae]

How long does peyote last?

[JSexton]

Originally Posted by srm13

And finally, why wasn't Pierce at the table for when the Dean gave them pizza? They even went out of their way to have Dean mention there was 6 pieces.

There were several scenes where Pierce was missing, and then Pierce brought it up after the flash back, "Why do you always do things without me?!?!" or something like that.

[Maus Magill]

Originally Posted by Carmady

Oh man... yeah. The asylum really is one of the best things ever on the show.

I was expecting to hear more about the dangers of ingesting mercury.

[obfusciatrist]

For some reason I thought that was the season finale so when they went to the asylum scenes I was expecting them to end it there so that it would be a good ending if they weren't picked up for another season.

And that would have been brilliant.