3x18 "Course Listing Unavailable" (Goodbye, Greendale Seven)

"Course Listing Unavailable"

Original Airdate: May 3, 2012

Does anyone remember how I opened last week's episode review (without cheating and scrolling down the page)? I noted that Greendale Community College is kind of an absurd place. But it's a place where people oddly find themselves learning life-altering lessons. This week, Jeff describes Greendale a bit differently than I did -- as "a prison." In "Course Listing Unavailable," the study group goes through a mourning phase at their sacred community college. It's not, however, entirely due to the death of their classmate Starburns. It is, in fact, mourning the notion that they are actually AT Greendale -- watch closely and you'll notice that the study group members go through each stage of grief throughout the course of the episode. We'll study them individually as they occur, and I'll highlight what I think they mean. And this episode definitely hinged on the psychological progression of grief -- again, the thing Community does best is taking an episode that is presumably about one thing and flipping it on its head to have it focus on another larger (and often more important) topic or issue or character development.

And it truly WAS interesting to see each character deal with grief in their own way -- the manner in which each of them initially handled Starburns' passing says a lot about the way they view life and death. Abed, for example, seems like the type of character who would remain detached and emotionless in the fact of something like a death. But it's touching to watch him agree to create a video tribute to Starburns. He feels the compelling need to do so without entirely understanding why. And I think that's character growth for him, to be honest. As we saw in "Contemporary Impressionists," when he and Troy argued, Abed always needed to see the bigger picture, to understand the motivations and reasons he should agree to do what Troy told him to do. This time, Abed decides to agree to Starburns' wishes without much hesitation or questioning (and he does, indeed, fulfill those wishes in the end tag). In terms of Jeff as a character, much like "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" or "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons," we realize that Jeff Winger is subtly taught more lessons at Greendale than he realizes. And it, in turn, makes him a better person.

(Before we progress with the review, since I mentioned the writer of the episode last week, I felt I should do similarly this week! "Course Listing Unavailable" was a fantastically written episode, and that is thanks to Tim Saccardo (@timsaccardo). So go throw him some nice tweets if you enjoyed the episode, will you?)

As it is customary for me, we've now come to our plot recap portion of the review: Starburns, as we learned at the end of last week's episode, was killed in a car explosion. "Course Listing Unavailable" opens with Troy, Annie, and Abed watching a video of Starburns' will and testament. And I really do think that it was nice of Starburns to want Abed to be the one to make a video tribute of his life. Clearly Alex (it's his real name!) wasn't a cherished character among the study group, but it's funny because maybe he cherished them a little more than they did. The study group meets in their usual room and it's awkward silence until Annie bridges the gap and insists that they have to discuss the death of their classmate. And, of course, this is in character for Annie. We've seen that she is not the sort of woman to let things go unnoticed. Like I've mentioned before in reviews, it's clear that she views the world in black and white - there are non-complex things and there are complex things. Emotions, to Annie, are not complex at all. And it's difficult at times for her to understand someone like Jeff, who continues to skirt around the notion that he actually HAS feelings and emotions.

Britta siezes (the day!) the opportunity to practice some of her psychology skills on the group, encouraging everyone into a role-playing exercise -- she will be Starburns and the group can say or ask whatever they like to her (as him). And I think that it's endearing that the rest of the group agrees with Troy in asking for Britta with help dealing with their emotions. Sometimes, like I've noted before, the audience forgets what Britta's original role in the group was, in Jeff's mind. In spite of how much he pokes fun of her, she really IS the heart of the group. If nothing else, the rest of the study group tries to include her in some fashion, whether or not they actually believe what she says and does. They love her, even when she's being - in their mind - stupid. But being a friend means caring about what your friends care about, even if you do think it's stupid. Because it's not the object that your affection is placed in; it's the person.

The study group doesn't "do" the exercise right, which frustrates Britta. But this is another great example of how Britta's attempts at being a shrink appear to backfire for her. We laugh her off in this episode as the "wannabe" psychologist who is actually doing everything wrong. But in reality, as we'll see at the end of the episode, the group makes it through all five stages of grief so subtly that none of them notice or credit Britta. But I think it's brilliant how much of an unknown impact Britta is causing on the group. It makes the emotions more genuine and the feelings heartfelt when you realize that she is trying so hard to be good at something and seemingly failing but, ironically, becoming exactly what the group needs.

Security guard Chang confronts the dean with a proposal -- he wants more man-power, new uniforms, and stricter punishment enforced (including pepper spray). And Chang's rise to power is, of course, going to be a large part of the dénouement of this season. Since we haven't really been exposed in full to his eccentricities since "Contemporary Impressionists," it seems fitting that he would return now to wreak havoc on the group. Chang, I believe, is best as a villain when he is in power. The first season, he played a large role in the lives of the study group. He had power over them and abused that power to the extent he was allowed. Last season, I wasn't a huge fan of Chang's arcs. He's not usually my favorite character to begin with, but since he had no power over the group, he seemed a bit more pathetic and flat. I realize now that this was probably to evoke sympathy from the viewers, and there were times where I felt more invested in Chang as a character (when he was calming Shirley down in "Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts," for example). However, we know that there is much more than this to his character -- he is a maniacal, power-hungry psychopath and he is at his best and worst when allowed reign over something. He is the perfect nemesis then, for the group, because he has both been an intra-group enemy as well as an external one.

Dean Pelton denies Chang's security requests, and then his secretary appears with a letter -- the dean has to deliver bad news to the study group soon. Meanwhile, in the study room, Britta's exercises may not be very helpful or correct tactically, but they do examine some interesting character traits (Abed, for example, is not a robot and can connect with people and things -- he's horrified at Britta's puppy exercise). And thus, we enter into the first stage of the episode: denial. Jeff, throughout the episode, denies any sort of emotional attachment to Starburns, but it's more than that -- he denies any sort of emotional investment in Greendale. Remember, Jeff has had a difficult time in the past making peace with being a part of this school ("Football, Feminism, and You"). And I think that, even then, he didn't quite fully come to terms with being at a school that taught him lessons he didn't want to learn (or think he needed to learn). He's in denial, I think, over how much he actually NEEDS this school and would miss it if he lost it. And that's how Jeff views life -- he doesn't wallow, but he also doesn't grieve (and there's a difference). He doesn't allow himself to open up to emotions very often, so he has none to deal with. It's not until reality hits - reality that directly affects HIM (I went through this extensively in "Investigative Journalism") - that Jeff actually concedes to dealing with things.

The dean enters the study room and informs the group that due to Starburns' death and the chaos surrounding it, Professor Kane had quit. That means that the study group now has received an "Incomplete" for the semester and will have to re-take the course in summer school. (And this is where reality directly affects Jeff. Hard.) Just a sidenote: a lot of people seemed appalled at the idea of summer school on my Twitter feed last night. Did... no one else have to take summer classes at the university level? I went to the University of Central Florida for two years (I transferred in my junior year from a private college), and even then, I had to take a summer class to ensure I'd graduate in four years.

At Starburns' wake, the dean asks if anyone would like to give a eulogy or deliver a few words. And here's where the second stage of grief presents itself: anger. The anger that the group feels is not, I think, entirely directed at Greendale or the dean, even. I think their anger is, like Kubler-Ross' model suggests, misplaced. They feel frustrated with their lives and with themselves, so the easiest thing to do is blame something they CAN blame. Most of them feel like their lives have been wasted, but is that the truth? Or, even if it is, is it the WHOLE truth? Haven't they made choices to land themselves at Greendale in the first place? So, then, who is really to blame for heir outrage?

One of the most interesting things to note is the fact that Jeff likens Greendale to a prison -- one they will never escape from. The irony is in the fact that he (and the rest of the group) get the opportunity to do so later on in the episode, but it's forced upon them. Even so, when they receive this chance, they fall into despair. So why does everyone hate Greendale so much? Is it because the school is weird and doesn't make sense? (Kind of like life?) Or is it even more elementary than that -- is it because they view Greendale much like teenagers view living with their parents? I won't be dense and believe everyone had decent parents and living experiences, but for the vast majority of people when you're a teenager, you think that the worst thing ever is to be "trapped" at home. But at home, people love you and take care of you and understand you. When you move out and live on your own (even if it's just to a dorm), there's this weird sensation -- this longing for things that you thought you didn't want because they were familiar. Because they made sense. And maybe, just maybe, that is what the group and Jeff feel.

Jeff, Annie, Shirley, and Pierce all speak at the wake -- each study group member's speeches dissolve into bitterness and anger, so that by the time we reach Pierce, all he yells is: "Let's burn this mother down!" This, of course, incites a riot in the cafeteria, with people throwing trash cans and stools through windows. Dean Pelton is horrified and confronts Chang, who gives the administrator another chance to agree to his demands. Dean Pelton concedes and signs the agreement. Chang's Army is thus mobilized (and the study group is terrified when they realize what they've caused).

Before we hit the following stage of grief, it's interesting to note that - in the infirmary where the group is treated for various cuts and bruises (and pepper spray) - Jeff actually feels some genuine remorse in regards to the riot that the Greendale Seven managed to cause. He hangs his head and I think that it's at this point he realizes that the anger he felt toward Greendale was misdirected. The group shouldn't take all of their rage out on something that can't (until a few moments later, that is) fight back. The group agrees that when they sit in front of the board the following day, they'll blame Chang for inciting the riot. Chang's minions overhear and report back to him so that by the time Dean Pelton reaches his office, Chang is aware of his plan. And the maniacal man has a plan of his own -- replacing the dean with not!Moby from "Contemporary Impressionists" (and How I Met Your Mother).

The next stage, and arguably the most difficult for the group to come to terms with is bargaining. This stage is, of course, clearly seen when the group lands themselves in a hearing in front of the board. They try (or Jeff, rather) to reason their way out of their behavior, which is unsuccessful. As hard as the Greendale Seven attempts to compromise, to blame their actions on Chang, their attempts fail. In this moment, I think Jeff has two distinct revelations: 1) he won't always be able to save the group. Up until now, he has at least been able to salvage the group with a Winger speech. He got back into Professor Kane's class. He stopped the group from things and kick-started them to action in other situations. But now, Jeff Winger is powerless. And that's a position I don't think we've ever seen him in this position before. And 2) as I mentioned earlier, Jeff realizes how much he NEEDS Greendale. Sure, we know that he's realized how much he needs the study group, but he hasn't yet come to grips with how much he needs the school. He's been taught lessons, but he's managed to stay within the protective four walls of Greendale and I think that allows him to feel safe, honestly. With bargaining comes the notion that you are vulnerable. You don't bargain if you aren't desperate.

The board sides with Chang (and a false testimony from not!Moby) and the Greendale Seven are expelled from their community college. And now we turn to one of our final stages (and the darkest one): depression. You'd think that the group would be thrilled, no? After all of their speeches and their anger, one would be inclined to believe that the Greendale Seven would want nothing more do to with their community college, after everything it put them through -- all of the absurd hoops they had to jump through to get there and to survive. And yet there is something tragic, to them, about the fact that Greendale isn't their home anymore.

As the group sits around the table in Casa de Trobed (nearly the same, if not identical, positions they were in during "Remedial Chaos Theory"), it would be easy, then, to turn back to that episode -- to, like Abed, wish you had the chance at a do-over; to go back one more time and fix something; to alter your course. It'd be simple to slink into the familiarity of despair. That's how each of these individuals started off at Greendale. They ended up there because life chucked them onto the school's doorstep. But they've evolved since then. Do you know what one of my favorite moments in How I Met Your Mother history is? It's when Ted is explaining to Robin the concept behind doppelgangers. He tells her: “Look we've all been searching for the five doppelgangers, right? But eventually, over time, we all become our own doppelgangers, you know – these completely different people who just happen to look like us.” And I feel like that is EXACTLY what Greendale has done for the study group members.

The group hits bottom -- Jeff and Britta both admit they're the worst, and Shirley seems resigned to fighting. Annie pulls out some scotch and shot glasses (wonder where her new found love of scotch came from...). They all begin to take a step that would lead them into one or more of the darkest timelines from "Remedial Chaos Theory" -- Shirley picks up a shot glass with scotch in it, Abed looks at the die, Britta smiles at the pizza guy (Kyle!). But it's Troy, not Jeff (and note this very carefully, remembering what happened in "Remedial Chaos Theory" with the role of leadership) who fixes the group. He reminds them that they're all alive and fine and that they're going to get through this rough time together.

This moment seems to careen around a corner, pick up "Remedial Chaos Theory" and wind it around itself. It's the notion that you can't live in any place except the one you find yourself in now. You can't start becoming the person you need to be until you recognize where you're at. And that, friends, is our final stage: acceptance.


Additional de-lovely aspects about the episode:
-  “If we rub that, will he come out and do celebrity impressions?”
-  “As a psychologist –” “– student.”  “– I hereby offer my licensed –” “– unlicensed –” “– services as a grief counselor.” “Grief causer.” “If anyone needs to talk, the doctor –” “– not even close –” “– is in.”
- “…you seemed smarter than me when I met you.”
- I think that Jim Rash deserves all of the awards ever for his rendition of “Come on Eileen.”
- “Name any other stage.” “What are you, my final?” There was some witty Jeff/Britta banter and I absolutely loved it! Kudos, Tim!
- I literally think I died from listening to Garrett sing “Ave Maria.”
-  “Get some sugar to go with that spice.” Sugar/Spice, for the win.
- “Well, check harder. It’s not like I’m crying because I was being chased by a gang of scary twelve-year olds!”
- I love how Pierce has his arm around Shirley, Jeff has his around Annie, and Abed and Britta have their arms linked together. It shows that the group is in this together… all except Troy, and I don’t think it was necessarily on purpose (perhaps because they didn’t know how to have Troy linked with Pierce or Jeff), but it is interesting to note, given what spoilers are to come for the season finale episodes.
- Stuff like this is why I love the show.
-  “And Britta, you’re not the worst. You’re the best.” This line as well as all of the looks that follow, made me cry. There. I said it.

We're winding down, folks. Technically we only have TWO Thursdays left to celebrate Community. Next week the sequel to last year's clip show - "Curriculum Unavailable" - will air, in which Abed brings the group to therapy. Then on Thursday night, May 17th, don't make ANY plans! Community will air in its normal time slot, followed by an episode of "30 Rock." After that - starting at 9PM - the final two episodes for this season will air back-to-back!

Until next week, folks... Edison OUT! ;)

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3x17 "Basic Lupine Urology" (Or: Things You Learn At Greendale)

"Basic Lupine Urology"

Original Airdate: April 26, 2012

Greendale Community College is kind of an absurd place. But the beauty is that, within the absurdity, there's something tangible -- there are lessons that are integral to life outside the four walls of the school. There are people there who will forever change the lives of one another, for better or for worse. And in a place that's so full of wacky shenanigans, paintball wars, space buses, and legal trials over a Biology project, there's still this question lingering: what IS crazy? Is craziness defined by how many dances your school holds? Or how often the dean bursts into your study room wearing a ridiculous outfit? Because, if so, Greendale is the most insane place on Earth. But what if... what if that's not what it means to be crazy? What if Greendale is actually sane? (This might be a stretch for some of you to agree to, so let's backpedal and ask this question instead: what if there were a place where students needed to go to in order to learn about themselves and others, while under the guise of NOT learning?) Sometimes it's easy to forget that, for all of these characters, Greendale has changed them. Not because it's anything special, necessarily. It doesn't have magical powers. It's simply WHAT they need. It's where they need to be. It's where they belong.

This episode opens with the narration: "Greendale Community College is represented by two separate but equally important types of people: the goofballs that run around stirring up trouble and the eggheads that make a big deal out of it." I love this opening for reasons that are two-fold. First, it is - of course - an homage to the opening of Law & Order (which I will discuss momentarily). But also, this is a clear representation of Greendale as a whole and the people within it. Even within a study group, we get the distinction between the two types of people mentioned. And I think that for a lot of students who attend the school, Greendale is a place they need to be because the world outside is scary. And somehow, going through blanket fort wars and stolen pens makes life bearable because it gives them a break from thinking about things that weigh on their minds all day, every day. It's a place that does, however, teach lessons. We're about to learn how Greendale has changed Jeff as a character, and how Professor Kane has changed Greendale.

Now, I'll be completely honest with you -- I was never a Law & Order girl. I think that I have watched every other crime show on television except for the one that truly started it all (it's a shameful fact that I need to remedy, especially after watching this episode). However, the fact that I have not really watched the show doesn't mean that I appreciated or enjoyed this episode any less. Sometimes parodies or homages seem heavier than they are. And what I mean is that they can very easily weigh down the plot of an episode -- if you focus too hard on creating an homage, you may lose the importance of the plot. And thus, the homage itself could be completely flawless, but at the sacrifice of good writing or cohesiveness. I am very proud to say that this is, hands down, my favorite homage episode to date on the show (or any other show). Megan Ganz - the fabulous writer of the episode - worked the homage around the plot, not vice versa. (Or at least, that's how it felt.) If you loved the episode and are on Twitter, go and write her some nice things: @meganganz. As such, this blog-review is basically a love letter to her for writing a hilarious and flawless episode.

So, you're probably waiting for me to recap the plot of the episode. And since I always aim to please, here goes: this episode centers around Biology class (remember that the study group actually does go to class... at some point) and their final project -- growing a yam. It opens with two janitors (hello, janitor-who-tried-to-recruit-Troy-and-whose-name-I-don't-know!) discovering a smashed project on the floor. As it turns out, it's the study group's yam. Around midnight, Jeff and Professor Kane are alerted by Annie to come to the study room, and the rest of the group shortly follows. The entire episode becomes a Law & Order-style homage to try and discover who ruined their science project.

I quite enjoyed the return of Professor Kane, and his presence throughout the episode. Here's why -- when we first meet the professor in "Biology 101," he's from the 'outside' world. He's the first character who means something to the group and has an impact on them but has not been within the walls of Greendale for years on end. He brings a new perspective on life and makes the study group think about (and suffer for) their actions. Jeff, never one to be taught a lesson willingly, instantly believes that Professor Kane has it out for him. And I've said this numerous times, but the study group -  our study group - thinks of themselves as the wheel and spokes that Greendale turns on. This isn't true, and Professor Kane is meant to bring them back to reality in his first appearance of the season. And he manages to do so quite well. This episode is intriguing though because we get to examine him more as a character -- as someone who genuinely cares about the study group now, but who is also just and fair. A lot of the characters we have seen throughout the seasons seemingly care about the study group, but often not enough to help them grow and become better people. I don't think a professor has actually TAUGHT them anything substantial about life... until now.

Shirley gets a chance to shine in this episode, as she immediately takes on the role of the "chief" in the crime-show homage. She explains that she's watched a lot of television and knows how to handle herself in this situation, so she appoints Troy and Abed as her detectives. And I love that Shirley gets this role (it's a nice reversal from "The Science of Illusion" where she was basically a rookie cop with Annie). For Annie and Shirley, however, the characters that they channel throughout the episode are very telling in regards to each woman's personality. Shirley has always been a character that others fail to take seriously. And it's not for the same reason that people fail to take Troy seriously. She's not as young as Annie or Britta, but people often forget that she can command and demand just as much respect and attention as anyone else in the group. So there's this part of her that she channels for the role (as well as the cop she played in "The Science of Illusion"), where she places herself in a position of authority and exudes confidence in giving orders. And Troy and Abed (whether because they are "in character" too or just being themselves) respect her and follow her instructions. Shirley is a strong, independent female character and I think that sometimes she loses that about herself and needs to be reminded.

Annie is different because (as Abed notes in "Remedial Chaos Theory") Annie will always be driven. She's a person who, ironically, is just as manipulative and selfish sometimes as Jeff is, except that she is able to mask it behind Disney eyes and cardigans. But when Jeff notices, later in the episode, that she cares more about winning than she does about respecting the people around her, he steps in. Because sometimes Annie lets her ambitions drive her to do things that are against her character. And she needs Jeff -- remember "Investigative Journalism"? Or "Intro to Political Science"? -- to remind her when she's stepped into dangerous territories.

Troy and Abed, as detectives, scour the campus to question potential suspects. They begin with Pierce, who  quickly points them to Todd. And this episode marks the return of our favorite scapegoat. It's easy for the study group to blame all of their problems on an outsider - someone with whom they have no connection. And I have a theory, so bear with me, that up until "Cooperative Calligraphy" (oh look! Another Megan Ganz episode!), the group might have been apt to pinpoint each other as culprits (not just in this yam scenario, mind you). But when Jeff makes the comment to Abed about not being able to trust anyone within the group again if they step outside of the study room without finding Annie's pen, it seems to be a hinge -- from that moment forth, they begin to function as a "group" rather than a set of individuals who study together. In "Early 21st Century Romanticism," it's the entire study group that he texts to declare his love... together. Just something to ponder or mull over.

(As a sidenote, @TweetingKerry mentioned this during the episode, but I truly admire, appreciate, and applaud Megan Ganz for delivering an episode that was an homage but was also chock full of the one-liners and zingers that make Community what it is, at its comedic heart.)

It seems that Troy and Abed aren't making headway with their investigation. The biology lab was locked, Todd points out, and he had to take a picture from outside of the door of his project. This leads the group to discover that Magnitude had a key to the lab the night that the study group's yam was destroyed. Magnitude assures them that his backpack was stolen, with the key inside of it. This leads Troy and Abed to the discovery that Starburns stole the backpack with the key to the classroom in it. And I love that this week, like last, we are returning to a solid Troy and Abed friendship. However... it could be me, but I still sense some disturbances in the force. Two caught my attention. At the beginning of the episode, Abed notes that only one of them can do the zinger, and Troy concedes this to his friend. When the pair do the "Why do they always run?" gag, Troy concedes to Abed again. Again: just throwing out things to ponder and mull over!

Starburns is interrogated by Troy and Abed, but won't admit to squishing their science project. So the pair approach Jeff and Annie (who act as lawyers throughout the episode). And there's this theme throughout the remainder of the episode with Jeff and Annie and ethics. Or, what Jeff likes to call, "softness." Remember that Jeff once actually WAS a lawyer. And from what we gather, he wasn't ethical and he wasn't the type of person who cared if he was or not. But Annie isn't like Jeff and he's shown before that he doesn't want her to become that way. Here's the thing, though: we, the audience, are about to learn that Jeff actually IS a good guy and not the same person he was when he arrived at Greendale. By caring more about Annie forgoing her ethics to win, he proves that he's not the same hotshot ex-lawyer who stepped into Greendale, demanding that Duncan help him cheat his way through college. He's evolved. And the problem is that Jeff is so hard on himself for his mistakes. He spends time trying to make sure other people don't end up like him, but he needs to stop defining himself by who he WAS and who he actually has become, thanks to Greendale and six lovable misfits.

Jeff, slipping into old habits, instructs Troy and Abed to "get justice" by finding out some dirt on Starburns, rather than building up a case. Starburns explains to Troy and Abed why he was in the lab - he was stealing beakers - and makes them promise not to give up his alibi. Instead, he mentions, he noticed that someone else was in there. He heard a smashing sound and noticed that the culprit had cut his hand on glass -- Todd, he insists, is the one who likely did it.

Annie and Jeff are about to convict Todd in front of Professor Kane until Todd's military uncle steps in and takes a hold of the situation. He, as it turns out, is an actual attorney and accuses the group of harassing his nephew. The entire case gets brought to Dean Pelton. And, furthering my theory that Jeff really is harder on himself than he needs to be is the fact that he never gave up Starburns alibi to the dean. This is Starburns, a character who Jeff has never clearly liked nor cared about in the least bit. Jeff has learned integrity, though, and Greendale has taught him that loyalty and trust are more important than winning. He's going to have to remember that, because he'll teach it to Annie later on.

Professor Kane sticks up for the study group and for his students in front of Todd, his uncle, the dean, and Jeff. We see, now, a teacher who genuinely cares in this episode and is only hard on his students because he wants them to reach their full potential. Sure, he may have conversations at Greendale that don't make any sense. And yes, absurd things happen. But he has taken the knowledge he has learned outside of Greendale and hasn't let it embitter him or cause him to become jaded (like our group). He didn't run to Greendale to escape the outside world -- he came to prepare those within it FOR the world outside. He's a just and fair and fantastic teacher.

Jeff and Annie pore over their information in the study room. And, just as it seems like they have an open-and-shut case, Troy and Abed enter to inform them that Starburns was threatened by Todd's uncle and thus, his statement is useless. When Annie is threatened, however, her automatic instinct to win kicks in. Remember "Geography of Global Conflict"? Annie's desire to overpower and overshadow often cloud her judgement, so she needs someone to push her back from the edge. The next day, the case is brought to the Biology class that the study group is a part of. Professor Kane has decided to let his class make the ruling on what grade the study group gets. And Annie, for wanting to be a Health Care Administrator, makes an excellent carbon copy of lawyer!Jeff. She's sweet but crafty and I think that this is what genuinely begins to scare Jeff. Not because she's good (which she is), but because she's like him (or how he used to be, rather). And if there is one thing to note, it's that Jeff is very critical of himself. This is often played for laughs with his vanity and ego, but in an episode like this, it's evident that he doesn't think of himself too highly as a person. (Sidenote: this is part of the reason I believe Jeff/Annie hasn't happened yet.) 

As soon as Annie uses her Disney eyes and a line with "the American citizen," you can see Jeff's face begin to get contemplative and uncomfortable -- Annie is a fast learner and very good at what she does. But it's giving Jeff an outside glimpse into who he used to be, and he can't watch Annie win something at the cost of sacrificing her integrity and goodness. He's already tainted and tarnished, but he wants to do all he can to protect her from that (callback to "A Fistful of Paintballs"). So, when Annie intimidates Todd and gets a confession out of him on the "stand," she celebrates. But Jeff requests a sidebar.

Inside of Kane's office, Jeff explains to Annie that they should just all take a C+ for the project, rather than fail Todd just so they can feel better about themselves. He tells her: "A man's got to have a code." And I love that Kane perks up at this because he makes it very clear that Jeff is not his favorite person. But I think that this is the moment Kane starts to respect him -- clearly Jeff paid attention when the professor made that comment in the dean's office. But, more than that, the words had an actual impact on Jeff and his conscience. And it caused him to do something that he could have just as easily chosen not to do. That's why I love Jeff -- because he doesn't realize how good he actually is. He keeps thinking of himself as that guy we met in the pilot episode, but he's not. And Annie recognizes these words for what they are. It takes her a while, but usually when her actions impact Jeff, she comes to the realization that she was wrong and owns up to it. He reminds her of her morals and values.

Back in the "courtroom," Jeff stares at the yams, wheels in his head clearly turning, before he makes closing remarks. And I love the fact that "Jeff Winger never learns"... is not true. Because he's learned enough in Biology class to know that something is wrong with the yams. As it turns out, all of the projects, when dropped, smash easily. Except for one: Vicki's. It turns out that Neil wanted Vicki's project to do well, so he placed boiling water into the other projects, causing everyone's yams to be compromised.

And then, as Dean Pelton, Annie, Jeff, and Professor Kane are celebrating with scotch in the dean's office, the room is hit with dramatic news -- Starburns was rear-ended, and a meth lab in the trunk of his car exploded. He died.

We don't get very many serious moments, but this was one and I think it left many people in the state that Jeff and Annie were -- looking at one another, merely thinking "what happens now?"

Additional de-lovely aspects about the episode:

- "If it's any consolation, she got me here on a very misleading text message." "Jeff, technically you are about to be screwed in the Biology room because our final project has been destroyed."

- How did I miss Abed's Inspector Spacetime pin? I need that in my life now.

- "I fell asleep in a sunbeam." "Likely story." "Actually, it is. I used to live with him. It's kind of adorable."

- Britta Perry may have only been in one scene, but she STOLE it: "And as you can see, with a few adjustments, I can make the entire image... Old West color!"

- I love when Community foreshadows things. Last week, in the images of "things Abed doesn't know" (among tipping at restaurants and tying shoes), there was an image of a clock. This week, it was revealed that Abed can't tell time.

- "Hey! Knock much?"

- "Objection: that's not a real objection." "Objection: I hate the both of you."

- "We're all fully grown adults failing a Kindergarten project." "Can I object?" "I'll allow it." "Sustained."

- "Holy crap! We are definitely dissecting pine cones next year!"

- The tag had me in stitches.

Next week we are set to watch an episode titled "Course Listing Unavailable" in which Britta counsels her study group in the aftermath of Starburns' death. Until then, folks! :)

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3x16 "Virtual Systems Analysis" (The Psychology of Control)

"Virtual Systems Analysis"

Original Airdate: April 19, 2012

Hi. My name is Jennifer, and I am a control freak. I'll be the first to admit that I like control. A lot. In middle and high school (and even, on the rare occasions during college), we used to get group projects assigned. And I usually enjoyed these to an extent. However, the one thing that always worried me about them was when someone - other than me - was assigned an integral task to do. If they, say, had to hand something in to the teacher or professor, I would squirm. Because the bottom line is that I loved to be the one who would do the important tasks. How else would they get done RIGHT if I didn't do them? Yes, that may sound insane to some of you (to those of you who were the type of person who benefited from my personality, this may be the case) but it's my life. I hate change. It's something that I am cognizant of, at least and that I am attempting to improve. But you weren't really looking for a case study about my life when you clicked whatever link that brought you here, were you? So let's talk about "Virtual Systems Analysis" then. This episode, much like Inception, was multi-layered. I read a lot of comments on Twitter, and some of them hailed this to be one of the more far-fetched episodes of the series. To me, it is the most real. If you want to know, at their cores, who Annie and Abed are, don't watch "For a Few More" or "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design." While those episodes give us glimpses into each of them as characters, they're merely representing pieces of a whole messy puzzle (yes, these two are messy characters... but the beauty is that so are all of the others). Honestly, I could not have been more pleased with how this episode turned out. 

(Also, just a fair warning: this blog-review is VERY long. Kudos if you make it all the way to the end!)

The plot of the episode (in case you were too busy psychoanalyzing everything like I was) is fairly simple: the group is in their study room, attempting to cram for a biology exam that they have. The Dean, however, announces that Professor Kane is ill, which means their exam has been cancelled. The group and the audience celebrate -- I guess they'll have to learn to study some other time! Jeff decides that this is the perfect opportunity to take a three-hour lunch, and the callback to "Anthropology?"/"Intervention?" from seasons 1 and 2 is flawless. As we noticed in last week's episode, Troy may have a thing for Britta, and Britta has just realized this. And Annie has just realized that she can play matchmaker for the two. Instead of Troy's original plan (which Abed decided for them both) to take the lunch hour and play in the Dreamatorium, Annie decides to send Britta and Troy to lunch and volunteers to spend time with Abed instead. 

And here's where Annie's first decision begins to impact Abed. The whole point of the episode seemingly is to understand Abed better. The irony is that, in doing so, we understand Annie better. That's what's so brilliant about the show - it sets out to seemingly accomplish one thing and ends up accomplishing another. We learn that Annie and Abed's view of relationships is fundamentally different but practically similar. Abed, as we have witnessed this season, is intent on controlling circumstances. His main focus is himself, which causes dissension between him and Troy during the construction of the blanket forts. Annie is used to viewing relationships in a very... romantic light, I believe. She clings to the idea that friendship means thinking about other people over yourself. And essentially, neither of these views is inherently wrong, but it's harder to relate to Abed because it's harder to admit to the part of us that IS like him -- the part that would much rather see others catering to our whims than vice versa. (Think about it: in the last 24 hours, when have you refused to do something for someone because it was inconvenient or didn't fit into YOUR will?) It's much easier to accept Annie's view of the world as truth. It sounds wonderful. But the bottom line is that Annie has often romanticized her relationships to the point where she starts to see people only the way she wants to see them. This creates a disconnect when the people in her life are NOT who she wants them to be, and instead are flawed human beings. Annie's instinct then is "fix" -- to fix the people around her so they are more or less how she wants them to be. And this is never more evident than with Jeff. But more on that later on.

Abed's fear is that he is not needed in the group. And it's a legitimate fear - each group member, I assume, has often wondered whether or not the group could function successfully without them. We've seen that, even the person we are meant to consider the "leader" can be absent and the group carries on ("Remedial Chaos Theory"). Do Abed's fears justify his actions? By no means, of course, is controlling someone the right way to respond to your insecurities. And while it doesn't make Abed's actions right, it does make them a bit more understandable and perhaps even relatable.

Abed and Annie play in the Dreamatorium, except that - to Abed - Annie isn't playing "right" or up to par. The real reason he is upset with her, however, is because she set Britta and Troy up on a date. And I think it's interesting that Annie is called out by Abed for tampering with "the fabric of the group." It's interesting mainly in its irony. Annie is not the type of person who traditionally meddles in other peoples' lives, necessarily. But she IS the person who cares about the well-being and stability of others, and perhaps the only person in the group who plans life just as much as Abed does. Abed would never call himself out on tampering with the fabric of the group but... isn't that what keeping Troy to himself is? Isn't he, in doing so, preventing Troy from making deeper connections within the study group? Abed is, at his core, selfish because he CAN be (having a disability often causes people to overlook some of your slights, or - in the very least - downplay or excuse them). No one stops him in the group. But his manipulation is inconspicuous, unlike how he views Annie's.

And here's the thing -- selfish people usually always start out with good intentions. Abed doesn't want to prevent Troy from ever having fun or cause him to forgo every other relationship in his life. But Abed sees the world like a set of scales. After everything that the group has gone through, he presumes that they have finally reached an equilibrium -- a balance, if you will. He knows though that one extra weight on either side could tip the scales. And once a scale tips, he can no longer control it. And that's what scares Abed, deep down. Because if his calculations are wrong and he has invested all of his time and energy into preserving them and developing scenarios and running through scenes... what is there that he has left? What good is he to the group if he can't be "in control"? Because that's the thing with control -- it's an illusion. No one ever REALLY has control over anything. Think about this morning: did you have control over what you would wear? You seemed to, right? But you didn't really -- you could only choose from what you had in your closet or available closest to you. And even if you went out and bought clothes, you didn't have control over those. You could only buy what was in the store, at the price that the store said it would be, etc. Control is an illusion that we love so much and cling to. It's the feeling that somehow our lives are run by us and that gives us comfort in an unsettling world -- in a world we can't understand.

Abed mimics a simulation, explaining to Annie that Britta and Troy's date will not go well (which, at the end of the episode, we realize is not true -- they actually have a good date). I think that the idea that Abed views the group objectively is interesting as well. Clearly this isn't the case, unless Abed truly IS a robot (maybe that is how Dan Harmon will end the series! Gasp!). What he doesn't realize (and what Annie actually does, to a dangerous extent) is the impact of relationships on lives. Abed thinks that he can take a step away from a relationship and view it without any obstruction. This is impossible, however, because once you have an emotional or relational tie to something, no matter how insignificant, that tie exists (i.e. the pencil example that Jeff gave in the pilot episode, which Abed reacted to). The idea that we can be completely logical and lack emotion is one extreme. The other extreme - where Annie usually lies - is using emotions primarily as a guiding force in relationships. Again, neither is inherently wrong, but an excess of either is dangerous.

Troy calls Annie and asks how Abed is doing. Annie, frustrated by how Abed is treating her explains: "He's fine. He always will be. People bend over backwards to cater to him." Once Annie re-enters the Dreamatorium, she decides that she is going to teach Abed to not be robotic and logical, but empathetic. The catalyst then, for the rest of the events is the idea that (as I stated before) Annie believes emotions and relationships are primarily about thinking of other people more than you think about yourself. It's not bad, but it has the potential to be when implemented in someone who ONLY thinks logically. A complete shift in personality can be jarring and detrimental.

Annie, however, breaks Abed by causing him to only think of other people. Immediately, in this new "role," Abed assumes the character of Jeff. And I think that it's interesting that Abed imitates Jeff and decides that this is the best person to imitate when he awakes in Annie's emotional/empathetic world. But it's even more telling that he assumes (later on) that Annie only wants Jeff and nothing else out of the group. It's a brash and bold statement to make, and one that Annie dismisses. Abed-as-Jeff reveals that, in Annie's dream world (remember how she wanted to go to a world that she knew, early on? We are now in it.), Abed doesn't exist because nobody needs him.

And it's quite sad that Abed feels like nobody needs him... that the group would continue to exist, perhaps better, if he was absent. There's this notion, this almost-jealousy that asserts its prevalence in the Dreamatorium world, from which Abed narrates. And I feel like this is why he has the characters he is imitating act the way that they do. There's an idea there that everyone has needs and functions but that if his (logic and calculations) are taken away from him, he'll be left with nothing more to offer. The fact that he believes Annie does what she does in the group and acts the way that she does (because he thinks she loves Jeff) is also telling -- Abed nearly equates love with selfishness at this point. He thinks that love only works when people do things for you, or when you "get" as much as you can from a relationship. When Annie asks him to get the files, he does so only because she promises something to him-as-Jeff in return. And that intrigues me, because it means that Abed thinks Jeff and Annie's relationship (or any relationship with love) is just a constant game of "who owes whom" -- that it's not about wanting to do something for someone without asking for much in return. It's the idea that love can only be love (in Abed's mind) if one party is always doing something to gain the other's affection or obedience.

Annie insists that she finds Abed in this weird, hospital world. So she pleas: "Enough games. Just take me where I want to go." And here we begin the fun portion of my diatribe: Annie! One of the most wonderful, endearing things about Annie to me is that I can relate to her. She's like me. She was born and raised in a world that was less-than-perfect. This is a woman who battled addiction and a broken family. And so there is this hope that she clings onto in her relationships -- the the naive hope that if you care about people, they will love you back and not hurt you. And maybe that's why Annie believes she doesn't love Jeff - because (she has made it very clear in the past few episodes) Jeff hurt her. It's interesting that she goes back to "Pascal's Triangle Revisited" in this episode, after subtly mentioning her bitterness in "Digital Exploration of Interior Design." Why would she go back to a moment that Jeff has ignored? Perhaps because (like she later states), she keeps replaying the moment in her mind and expecting different results. That, by the way, is the definition of insanity. And it's not this idea that Jeff can never love or that Annie can never love anyone. But it's better to view the world, sometimes, the way you want to rather than the way it actually is. But that is dangerous, too, because the world doesn't operate according to your or my standards or practices. For Annie, she wants clarity - we've seen that in "Asian Population Studies" and again through simulated!Jeff. She wants answers that the real Jeff either doesn't have or has and is not willing or able to give. And that frustrates her. Because how can she plan and control if she doesn't know what to plan and control for?

And it's interesting that Abed believes that with him gone, there would be nothing to stop Britta/Troy and Jeff/Annie from happening -- and he believes that this is exactly what Annie WANTS. That her quest for empathy is really a desire to serve her OWN needs. Because that is how Abed operates, no? But Abed's beliefs are subverted by Annie's next statement: "You are NOT Jeff. Because Jeff CARES about Abed." Annie then refuses to stay in the "Pascal's Triangle Revisited" moment. I think this speaks more volumes about her than anything else -- she's learned that she can't stay in that moment forever. She can't live in a past moment because emotions, while beneficial, cannot be handled the way she handles them sometimes - she clings to the "magic" of the moment so much so that she doesn't remember to live in the reality of the next.

Annie admits to Abed-as-herself that she doesn't love Jeff. She says: "We're just in love with the idea of BEING loved. And if we can teach a guy like Jeff to do it, we'll never be unloved." To me, this means that Annie wants to feel safe... and in her own admission, she wants to control people in order to make them love her. It's not as outright and manipulative as a lot of other things can be. Nevertheless, she's beginning to become less romanticized with how she views Jeff. She knows that he's flawed and she's come to accept that about him... but only to an extent. Like her story in "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps," we realize that Annie still desires to "fix" Jeff. And I think that she knows that you can try to fix someone all you want, but that doesn't mean they will love you or "work" the way you want them to. People aren't toys or robots. But Annie is hung-up on the notion that if she can teach or "train" Jeff to love her, then she can never feel unloved again. But is that real love? I think that Annie's admission is her coming to accept that people have to find love on their own. And while it seems like she's given up on Jeff coming to that realization on his own as it pertains to her, I think it's refreshing for her to acknowledge that she needs to stop trying to force emotions on people or get them to act a certain way.

And then, we come to the heartbreaking realization in the Dreamatorium that Abed believes if his friends put him anywhere in their lives, they'd put him in a locker, chained to the wall. And while part of me is apprehensive to fall too much into pitying him (only because of his selfishness and manipulation this season), it's hard to not feel bad. But Annie explains to him what I did earlier -- Abed's calculations are like science fiction, brilliant and wonderful but not accurate. Abed is a self-defeatist, determined to be bound to a locker, not because anyone puts him there, but because that is where he THINKS people will put him. At some point. He's just beating them to the punch. And honestly, it's hard to not love Annie who (in spite of her own insecurities, and actually because of them) comforts her friend with the notion that he will never be alone. (Cue A Very Potter Musical's "Not Alone.")

Because as long as you have friends, Jeff explained a while ago, you have family. Families are messy and weird and they hurt each other all of the time. They don't always understand one another, and sometimes they fight... but they're always bound by something bigger than their differences: their similarities.

Additional de-lovely aspects about the episode included:

- I transcribed the entire "truth serum" monologue Troy said. I regret absolutely nothing.

- "Guys, we don't have to cram last minute anymore! Last minute got moved to tomorrow!"

- I have said this in weeks past, but I absolutely LOVE reading the white boards behind the characters. This week's gems included: "Help. I'm being bound in a book factory" and the joke "If the opposite of pro is con, what is the opposite of progress?"

- "Damn our two foot height disparity!"

- "We both need to be more comfortable with winging it."

- "In the montage of things Abed doesn't know, tying his shoes is in there.

- Troy and Abed in the morning!

If you've made it to the bottom of the page... I applaud you. Sincerely. Thank you so much for reading! Next week we get a highly-anticipated episode written by the wonderful and talented Megan Ganz -- "Basic Lupine Urology." It's the Law & Order parody episode, so I am very much excited for this. Until then, folks! :)

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3x15 "Origins of Vampire Mythology" (You're Toxic, I'm Slipping Under)

"Origins of Vampire Mythology"

Original Airdate: April 12, 2012

A very wise secondary character once said, of the Greendale study group: "Your love is weird and toxic. And it destroys everything it touches." For the most part, I feel like we - as audience members - brush aside comments like that. "Oh, he's such a Todd," we reason. But it's something to really contemplate when it comes to our relationships with individuals. When does a relationship grow from needing someone to needing someone in an unhealthy way? I think that, if boiled down, this episode is all about the potential for toxicity in relationships - relationships between friends, people we have feelings for, and even ourselves. (Hence the Britney Spears lyrics in today's title.) It's also about how the people who are the closest to you can ironically be the most dangerous people FOR you, if you allow them to be. The fact of the matter is that anything (as I discussed in my "Contemporary Impressionists" review) in excess, can be toxic. Even the best relationships can go awry if we allow them to, especially if you depend on someone to the point of toxicity. "Origins of Vampire Mythology" really allows you to think about these characters and their identities both inside and outside of relationships. We get to see a very vulnerable and desperate side of Britta - one that we are not used to seeing. Pierce, too, is highlighted as the outsider once more. And we get a very interesting glance into Jeff's relationship with himself (and how that unconsciously is affecting his relationship with people around him.)

So, since I usually like to give you all a brief summary of the plot, why not start there? After our two-part pillow and blanket fort war, we're back to a positively established Troy/Abed relationship. And since those episodes already established how their relationship can be toxic, it's refreshing to see the pair back on solid ground throughout the episode. Jeff, too, seems relieved by this. As he watches Troy and Abed do a handshake, he genuinely says: "I never thought I'd miss it." Because, truth be told, he's softening up quite a bit this season, as a character. In terms of emotional growth and development, he has definitely become more in tune with his feelings. However, this episode (as well as with all of the post-hiatus episodes, it seems) highlights Jeff's insecurities and his ego as well.

The Dean enters the room to announce that the carnival is coming to town, which causes Britta to pay attention. As it turns out, she used to date a carnie named Blade (yes, the entire group does make fun of her for that) and he turned out to be the worst thing that ever happened to her... which is why she wants to see him so badly. Honestly, Gillian Jacobs won this entire episode for me. First of all, on a shallow note, she looked absolutely gorgeous. Second, like I mentioned earlier, I enjoy seeing a different, very vulnerable side of Britta. We get some sense as to why she was the way that she was with Jeff - what a desperate character Blade turned her into. And it's interesting, because everyone has someone like that in their life: a person you just can't shake, even when they hurt you. It's an addiction, as Annie says. There are only two real ways to rid yourself of the habit. You can: a) cut that person out of your life for good, or b) confront that relationship and either mend, salvage, or grow from it.

And there are two interesting moments regarding Jeff in the opening scene of the episode, which I think are important later on. First of all, Pierce calls Britta out on having the "King Arthur of bad taste in men," to which Jeff makes a face. Jeff prides himself (literally) on how wonderful he is as a person. Therefore, when someone cuts him down or takes something away from him, or is better at something than he is, he can't deal. Jeff doesn't like being thought of as anything other than wonderful. And as my friend Jaime and I were discussing last night (follow her on Twitter if you don't: @elspunko), it's clear that Britta is only attracted to men who are damaged (we discover later that Blade is quite literally and figuratively so). Thus, it stands to reason that Jeff MUST be damaged in some way, shape, or form in order for Britta to have been attracted to him in the first place. And this is what kills me about Jeff - the sheer irony is the fact that the very thing he thinks makes him so appealing (his vanity), is actually what makes him damaged.

The second interesting moment is when Shirley and Britta inform Annie that some day she'll experience the same thing that they did with a man - that she'll have someone in her life who she constantly runs back to, even though they're toxic for her. But what they don't realize (and what I think Jeff must slightly realize when he says "What does that mean?") is that she already does: Jeff. Something always pulls one or both of them back to the other. The reason that their relationship is so complex and damaged at this point is because they haven't actually resolved whatever is between them. So in order to attempt to resolve this (rather than discussing it), they fight whatever feelings they have and place distance between each other. But they're drawn to each other anyway, so that doesn't work -- they end up right where they started and continue a cycle of this. And (pardon me for jumping ahead momentarily), I think that Jeff realizes that he is Annie's "Blade" toward the end of the episode (and perhaps in the beginning a little bit as well - he looks away when Shirley discusses not being able to shake someone from your system.)

After the study group, Jeff and Annie are hanging outside of his locker, and he performs his mid-afternoon wardrobe change in front of her (stripping off his shirt). And, unbeknownst to him, Jeff's wardrobe change is not helping Annie become the type of person who can shake him from her system (and my argument is that she doesn't want to shake Jeff). But this is the kind of stuff that Jeff does that doesn't help Annie. So really, Jeff has two options: if he wants to help Annie, he can let her go or force HER to let him go (which I don't think he wants to do), or develop their relationship and move it forward (which I don't think he is ready to do).

Britta approaches the pair and begs Annie to help her keep away from Blade. If he calls, she insists, she'll end up running to him. Britta also asks to stay with her, Troy, and Abed for the weekend in order to prevent herself from furthering her addiction to Blade. And, to be honest, it's been way too long since we have had a decent Annie/Britta storyline. I lament the fact that either of them hooked up with Jeff because it ruined their friendship. In season 1, they seemed to be the kind of women who were not super close but COULD be eventually. The opening of season 2, however, seemingly ruined all chances of that occurring. But I love t hat this season seems to redeveloping their friendship into one that resembles a sisterly bond more than anything else. They genuinely do care about one another, even though they pick on each other. My sister and I are seven years apart, which I presume is a little less than the age gap between Annie and Britta. Nevertheless, their bond does slightly remind me of the bond I have with my little sister - we both are polar opposites in nearly every way, and we pick on each other and spat and complain about the other. But at the end of the day, if I ever needed her or vice versa, she's STILL my sister.

And I love that this episode shifted the balance - we see how Annie is the one to help Britta out with her love life. It seems appropriate, given Annie's past (because we sometimes forget that even though she's young, she's gone through a lot more in life than we give her credit for), she knows exactly how Britta will respond to addiction.

While Annie is spending the episode keeping Britta away from Blade, Jeff is curious to get a glimpse of Britta's ex-boyfriend (one who caused her to become so jaded), so he takes Shirley to the carnival with him. The segments between the two of them are interesting because they're meant to give us light into Jeff's train of thought. The only way, he reasons, for Britta to be so affected by someone that isn't him (remember, Jeff's ego is the size of Canada) is if that person has something that Jeff doesn't. In Jeff's mind, it's the only logical explanation - not that Britta is attracted to damaged men, but that she is attracted to something that Jeff didn't have, and he has to know what that is. Because if there's one thing that we've learned Jeff can't stand, it's the idea that someone out there can do something that he cannot (hence why Jeff visits Rich at the end of "Asian Population Studies.")

At the carnival, there is also a Pierce/Chang storyline. I am admittedly not the biggest fan of either of them, to be honest. But this episode really shows how much Chang has evolved (he's no longer dependent on the study group this year) and how much Pierce hasn't (he's still just as insecure as he was last year). So Pierce decides to look outside of the study group for a best friend. And together, I have decided, Chang and Pierce could rule a very scary world.

Back at La casa de Trobed, Britta is beginning to crumble under her addiction. I think that, as much as it was for show in order to get her phone back, Britta does come to appreciate Annie a bit more toward the end of the episode. Annie's plan to get Britta un-addicted to Blade was to hide Britta's cell phone (which the blonde willingly gave to her at the beginning of the episode) and not give it to her. In the midst of this, though, Annie - being the crafty jackrabbit that she is - knows how Britta will react and that she'll crumble. So when the brunette hands the phone back over to her friend, she explains to Troy, Abed, and the dean (who is visiting in order to try and recruit Troy to the Air Conditioning School Repair Annex) that she switched Blade's number in Britta's phone with her own.

Jeff and Shirley are at the carnival and are attempting to discover what exactly it is about Blade that drew Britta in. And Jeff is so consumed with being the best at something, that he wants to be the best at being everything. He accentuates his flaws because (in light of Blade's), he looks better. And that causes him to feel better. I've heard it said that comparison is the enemy of contentment, and I think no one exemplifies this better than Jeff. He's the type of guy who cannot let anyone be more admired or fawned over than him. And even though it's terrible, he has to know what the flaws are in people who others admire more than him (like Rich) AND, in an interesting turn of events here, he wants to know what Blade's secret is in order to make a woman crazy. He can't stand the idea that someone out there has some secret knowledge of the universe that he doesn't possess - be it good or bad.

Shirley is fed up with Jeff's shenanigans, and leaves to go find Pierce. And I honestly felt bad for Pierce - no one, inside of the group or out, will remain his best friend. It's so bittersweet though because, just a moment before Chang and Pierce had their first "fight," Shirley announces that she's going to go find him.

Britta is texting "Blade" (who is really Annie), so Annie decides that she's just going to be mean to Britta (again, acting as "Blade"). Troy and Abed attempt to dissuade her, explaining that Britta is attracted to men who are mean to her. And it kills me that Troy, throughout the episode, cares so much about Britta. Perhaps he has always picked on her because he knows that she likes guys who are mean to her. But I think that - throughout this episode - he realizes he can't treat her like that anymore. Telling someone you care about them can be awful, because it can always backfire. But living a lie every day is so much worse than that because you're only facilitating a toxic relationship. And Troy would never want to be the Blade to Britta - he can't be that guy. And Troy actively decides NOT to be like that at the end of the episode. So when Britta's addiction to Blade finally spirals into levels where Annie cannot help, Troy takes Annie's phone from her and texts something nice to Britta.

(We don't know what he texts, and I don't think we're ever meant to know. But Annie discovers it later by yanking Britta's phone away.)

Back at the carnival, Jeff is driving himself crazy. And he's done that from the beginning of this season, whenever he attempts to "discover" something that is missing in his life. He needs to know how to be the best at everything. He needs to manipulate people so that they will love him. But, if the past two years have taught Jeff anything (and I think they have), it's that you need to be who you are. Because relationships are messy enough as is. When you drag in unrealistic expectations and lies and trying-to-be's, they become toxic.

Jeff actually discovers why Blade is the way that he is and shows up at the apartment after the carnival with the news. Right before this, however, Troy dejectedly walks into the blanket fort (after Britta proclaims that "Blade" was a loser) and Britta, upon learning that she wasn't really texting with Blade at all, decides to run to the carnival to seek him out. Jeff though, explains that the reason Blade is the type of person he is, is because ten years ago, a spare bolt from a Ferris wheel flew off and embedded in his skull. This damaged the part of his brain that felt shame.

Then, Jeff delivers an interesting speech, just as Britta decides to go to the carnival after Blade: "No, woman," he insists. "None of us have to go to anyone. And the idea that we do is a mental illness we contracted from breath mint commercials and Sandra Bullock. We can't keep going to each other until we learn to go to ourselves. Stop making our hatred of ourselves someone else's job and just stop hating ourselves."

And though this speech was intended for Britta, I think Jeff was speaking to himself as well -- I think that this is Jeff's realization that he is like Blade, at least in some way. It sums up the heart of the toxicity of relationships - the fact that people don't deal with what they have going on in their own lives, so they drag their baggage into relationships. There's this moment, after Annie smiles at Jeff, I think he realizes that there IS one woman he's affected in the way that Blade has affected Britta: Annie. And I don't think he wants Annie to ever become like Britta. But the one thing that you can notice, as Jeff adverts his gaze and looks away, is that Jeff and Blade will never be completely alike -- Jeff, in that moment, felt shame.

Additional de-lovely aspects about the episode include:

- Dan Harmon wrote this episode. So  I applaud you, sir. It was a fantastic episode.

- "She'll be comin' around the mount-dean when she comes!"

- "She invoked friendship to undercut the laugh and we're STILL laughing. That's how funny it is!"

- Why don't we have more Pierce/Shirley high-fives? Can someone explain that to me?

- "Uh, Andre much?"

- I need a Dean/Troy/Annie/Abed storyline every week, please.

- "And, left unattended, I WILL end up doing him like a crossword."

- "Annie, subdue your guest."

- "You're the opposites of Batman!" "You don't know what that MEANS!"

- That's a boss Zefron poster in Annie's room.

- "What's wrong, Annie? You came out of the bedroom smiling and then your smile faded as you leaned against the door."

- "She was born in the 80s. She still uses her phone as a PHONE."

- The tag was golden.

Next week, we get to spend a whole lot of time with Annie and Abed in the Dreamatorium in an episode called "Virtual Systems Analysis." Until then, folks!

(And, just as a shameless plug for me personally: my first book is available on Amazon.com for purchase!)

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3x14 "Pillows and Blankets" (All's Fair in Love and Pillow War)

"Pillows and Blankets"

Original Airdate: April 5, 2012

We write our own histories, for better or for worse. We make decisions every day that determine what happens minutes, hours, and even years from now. One decision can alter our circumstances and the circumstances of those around us. Words and actions go hand-in-hand in determining this, of course. But the beauty of life is that people need each other. No matter how far apart we stray from companions in life, we physically need someone beside us in order to survive. People weren't meant to do life alone. We need (pardon the pun) community. Sometimes we forget that - sometimes we need reminders like an epic pillow fight to bring us back to the reality that life is too scary to be alone or to be at odds with the people we genuinely care about. And truthfully, this episode is great in that it's one of Community's finest hours writing-wise, as well as development-wise for Jeff, in particular. Something we forget, often times (and that I try to remind both you and myself of during certain episodes) is that the study group doesn't make up the entire population of Greendale Community College. And I think that - especially during this season - they're beginning to realize that the actions and events that occur within their study group actually impact the people around them outside of the study group as well. Because of Troy and Abed's fight, the entire school is forced to choose sides, being pulled into a war, of sorts. And really, the events that occurred during the previous episode play a key role in the plot of "Pillows and Blankets," not only in the Troy/Abed story, but also in our newest Jeff/Annie story. The lesson that Annie attempted to teach Jeff in "Digital Exploration of Interior Design" was that he uses his words selfishly, expecting that speeches will be spun and utilized to serve his own purposes. And we'll get to this momentarily, but it's refreshing to see Jeff's change of perspective regarding this.

Were you so enthralled with the war documentary style that this episode was in that you completely forgot what the plot was about? Let's take a brief refresher, then! As we know from last week's cliffhanger episode, Troy and Abed are at odds over building a pillow fort or a blanket fort. But really, we have to remember that this isn't actually what their fight is about -- it's centered, instead, on the idea that Abed wants control and Troy wants control, and also is becoming increasingly frustrated with having to always babysit Abed. (Don't forget that this is the heart of their rift, because I'll be coming back to it later on.) We saw, at the end of "Digital Exploration of Interior Design" that Starburns flung a pillow into the air, causing part of Troy's blanket fort to collapse. That began an all-out war between the two sides.

Now, admittedly, I'm not much of a History Channel/PBS buff. I'm the kind of girl who would use that channel as... say... a sleeping aid. History was never much of my passion in high school or college, but that doesn't mean I appreciated this episode any less (in fact, it's now ranked #2 of this season for me, falling behind the untouchable "Remedial Chaos Theory" in my book). The entire episode was modeled after Ken Burns' "Civil War" (and it doesn't take very long for you to catch the historical documentary references). While a lot of Community's homages or parodies may often seem over-the-top to some, I find them refreshing, so long as they have a purpose and aren't used for the sake of having them. This episode really exemplified, to me, how to do an homage/parody effectively. Take notes, other television shows! (And bravo, Andy Bobrow!)

I'm going to momentarily discuss Jeff, as he is confronted by the dean early in the episode to remedy the feud between Troy and Abed, and essentially set rights to everything once more. If Jeff has learned one thing throughout the course of his 2+ years being friends with these individuals, it's that making stuff up off the top of his head seems to appease everyone. Except, as we're beginning to recognize, Jeff's hastily-spun and nearly-only-half-true speeches aren't sitting as well as his friends as they used to. In the pilot, he had the entire group eating out of the palm of his hand (with the exception of Britta). Flash-forward to "Asian Population Studies," in which Jeff manages to only convince half of the group that Chang should join the study group over Rich. Flash-forward even further to "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps," in which Jeff's blatantly sugar-coated "scary story" (meant to appease everyone so that they could all go to the Halloween party) convinced no one. So Annie is right -- Jeff's speeches, a lot of the time, are not heartfelt. Truthfully, he uses them to gloss over problems and get annoying people off his back. However, he will learn that his magical charm (or what he thought he once had) does not work in the Troy/Abed conflict.

Jeff confronts Troy and Abed in Dean Pelton's office, and doesn't manage to solve the rift. "You're children acting like grown-ups," he chastizes. "I mean, that's fine. Just don't pretend it's anything other than that." And see, here's where Jeff makes his first mistake -- he doesn't understand the root cause of Troy and Abed's strain, and perhaps no one apart from the two of them do (that's my argument, at least), and this is what is difficult. Everyone else perceives it as just a pillow fight that goes awry because two goofy guys had a disagreement over the placement of pillows and blankets. But, as we learned last week, the rift between Abed and Troy runs much deeper than that. It's about the fact that Troy constantly has to take care of Abed. And he enjoys doing that, to an extent, because he's his best friend. But Abed cannot understand the fact that he needs to trust Troy - that he NEEDS someone to look out for him. And thus, the heart of their rift.

So basically, Troy secedes from "New Fluffytown" (I love when this show references past episodes), and creates Blanketsburg. Abed then renames his pillow fort Pillowtown. At the end of the conversation with Jeff, nothing is resolved and - instead - Troy declares that Abed must surrender before midnight, which the film student does not agree to. And it appears that war is on everyone's hands. And you all should note closely the division of the study group on Troy/Abed -- Annie, Jeff, and Britta stay "impartial" for the most part. I think that it's hilariously in-character of Pierce to choose Troy over Abed. Though he has had moments with the latter, it seems like (given "Remedial Chaos Theory," at least) Pierce was upset at Abed, and jealous for taking Troy away from him. I think that Pierce genuinely enjoys being around Troy... well, until Shirley gets promoted, in which case, Pierce switches sides. But notice, via Shirley's text message, that it seems like Britta is mostly on Team Troy. And, given Annie's subtle text message to Jeff later on, it seems like she supports Troy. It's intriguing and a bit sad that no one in the study group willingly sided with Abed - Pierce only did so in order to spite Troy.

There are a few major battles that occur throughout the episode, much like during an actual war! There's a six-minute long fight in the library between Blanketsburg and Pillowtown. There is then a Battle of Big Bulletin Board, in which Pierce is physically (and emotionally) injured. Meanwhile, throughout the course of our war, Annie - who is acting as a nurse to the wounded students - and Jeff are texting back and forth. Jeff gives a motivational speech to rally the troops of Blanketsburg... and then gives the exact same speech to Pillowtown. Annie is initially proud of him for taking a stand, until she realizes what he's doing (because he really just wants to get out of class, so he's fine with the war lasting as long as possible). And there's some irony in the fact that, in "Football, Feminism, and You" Jeff uses the phrase "profound, but technically meaningless," which I think sums up the theme of his speeches, no? They rouse people up... so that they can do what? Serve Jeff's agenda? Feel better about themselves without actually changing?

Jeff then gets compared to Ferris Bueller, and I think there's something to be said about that -- in a way, I am surprised that I haven't thought about this before. In fact, in "Documentary Filmmaking Redux," Jeff claims that he will always go the extra mile to avoid doing something (kind of like how Ferris elaborately feigned illness in order to skip school for a day). And truthfully, Ferris and Jeff are both likable characters who charm their way into the lives of others. It's intriguing to me that I've never actually made this comparison before now.

The war begins to take a turn for the dangerous, as Troy recruits Chang and his child soldiers, who begin to demolish Pillowtown forces. Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Annie has ignored Jeff's text messages after he reveals that, yes, he really just used his speech to stir up both sides. And I love that Jeff genuinely takes an interest in Annie throughout the episode, not that he usually doesn't. But, since last week highlighted the dysfunction in Jeff and his ego, it's endearing to see him actually care about someone other than himself. And it's even more endearing to watch how hard he tries for that petite brunette's affection.

So he confronts her in the infirmary after she's failed to respond to his text messages (he knows she's ignoring him and wants to know why). But it's interesting that he picks up on this -- interesting because he didn't seem to pick up on the subtle hint that she dropped last week about still being upset over their kiss and his dismissal of it (and subsequent lack of apology). And yet, because she ignored his text, he notices and decides to confront her. I think that this kind of exemplifies the idea that maybe Jeff needs more clear-cut signs that someone is unhappy with him. Not responding to his text message causes him to take notice (which is an ironically small thing to take notice of, to be honest).

Annie then explains her reasoning -- "Your words don't mean anything," she claims. "They're just things you say to get what you want." And I think that Annie finally came to the realization during the last episode that Jeff's speeches don't hold very much water. He's the kind of person who can masterfully craft words, but it doesn't mean they fix things. And he can spin lies together, but it doesn't mean that life gets any better or that relationships are resolved. And I think HE realizes this during the episode too. When Jeff claims that all conversations are basically meaningless words, she quips: "Then maybe you should just shut up," which Jeff looks completely taken aback by. Annie is never usually upfront and honest and that direct. He's used to the Annie who will blindly believe the stuff that he's told her for two year. Not this Annie.

The young woman then asks if Jeff keeps a journal -- if he writes things down that aren't meant for anyone else (intriguing because the moment Jeff walks into the infirmary, Annie is writing in her own journal). She wants him to use his words for the sake of using them - not to get anything, not to be noticed, but just for himself.

Jeff then asks: "If I write stuff down in a Hello Kitty book, will you like me again?" (Anyone else find this adorable? Anyone? Bueller?). She rolls her eyes, and walks out of the room. The grin that he gives her and yells: "I'll take that as a yes!" is also adorable.

The war between Troy and Abed's forces is getting intense -- Team Pillowmen has created a secret weapon (Pierce covered in pillows from head-to-toe) to take down Troy's army. The battles are growing more and more intense, and Troy's forces discover an e-mail from Abed, sent to his troops, highlighting the weaknesses in Troy as a leader and a character. And I think that the most heartbreaking thing about the entire episode is how Troy and Abed both know each other so well that they can highlight the weaknesses of one another. Troy's biggest fear as we learn (and really have known for a while) is that he is afraid he isn't smart enough. Another callback to "Remedial Chaos Theory" is the fact that Troy is insecure about himself as a leader because he compares himself to Jeff. He fears that people won't take him seriously. And Abed perceives this (and Troy's emotions) as weakness.

But, for however heartbreaking that was, Troy's text to Abed is even more so. The young athlete goes straight for the jugular -- he calls Abed out on his mental issues, as well as the fact that the only reason Troy claims Abed will never have another friend is because no one else will have the same level of patience Troy had with the film student. And that's so heartbreaking to me, because the fact is that these two individuals love and care for one another and UNDERSTAND one another so much that... there's no one apart from them who could have been able to pinpoint all of that.

Jeff, taking Annie's advice to heart, notices that the war between the best friends is getting out of hand. Rather than just a pillow fight, it has escalated into a battle of hurting one another's feelings. And Jeff is genuinely attempting to resolve things, not for his sake, but for their sake. And he recognizes that it is, for once, not all about him. ... there is a problem with this, however. The issue that Jeff encounters is learning that, when you attempt to assist other people, sometimes your good intentions do not end the way you anticipated they would. When you're not controlling or manipulating the situation, people are free to choose whether they make up or not.

Troy and Abed choose to not make up. In fact, they decide that, come dawn, the two forces will battle. The leader of the losing force will have to move out of the apartment. Dawn comes and the Pillowmen and Blanketeers face off in an epic battle (though she is not used much in the episode, Shirley is perfect. Also, she continues to have her giant purse around her shoulder during the battle.), in which it appears that Troy's forces are winning. However, the battle is interrupted and called to an end by Dean Pelton who announces that the World Record representative will not be coming to Greendale, so there's no reason for the pillow war to continue.

Everyone disperses, apart from Troy and Abed who continue to hit one another with pillows for hours. "The war has no more reason to continue," the narrator announces. "And yet, it does." I will admit that the only thing I was a bit disheartened by in the episode was the resolution of the Troy/Abed conflict. But perhaps it's because Jeff and the rest of the study group doesn't actually know the root cause of their disagreement. No one among the study group members had any idea that Troy and Abed's wounds go much deeper than deciding to build a build a blanket or pillow fort. So I suppose, in a way, their resolution makes sense. Still, the fact that they don't want to stop fighting because they know it's the last thing they'll ever do together is heartbreaking. Abed doesn't actually ask Troy if he is interested in the friendship hats... he says "We might be interested." Which, again, the only quip I have against the episode is that it doesn't seem like Abed has really grown or learned anything -- he's still deciding things for Troy.

Nevertheless, Jeff makes one last attempt to selflessly resolve their conflict and actually goes to the dean's office to retrieve Troy and Abed's "friendship hats." And then, the episode ends with Jeff actually taking Annie's advice to heart. He writes in a journal about what he has learned, and how he realizes he would do anything for his friends. And it displays immense character growth in Jeff as someone who loves and cares about the people in his life, to the extent that he will do anything to help them.

(But there's irony in the fact that Jeff rips the "personal" page out of his notebook to show off to the camera... well, Rome wasn't built in a day. But it's progress!)

Additional de-lovely aspects of the episode include:
- "It was awesome. But also... it wasn't?"
- "If there's one thing I've learned at this place, it's that a film crew means disaster."
- "I'm giving you an all tomato. Meaning, you have to give me the whole tomato. Or else." It's like Joey Tribbiani and his "moo point"!
- "Do people GO to classes?"
- DAYBREAK!
- Somehow, like the dean, Britta manages to steal every scene she is in. But since part 1 was Britta-heavy, I didn't mind her absence as much during the second part of the episode.
- "Just because something is in black and white, doesn't mean it's good."
- "They were later nicknamed the Changlorious Bastards. ... like 'Inglorious Bastards' but with 'Chang' instead of 'in.' ... I don't get it either."
- Birthday cake, birthday cake, unicorn, woman's shoe.
- The tag killed me dead.

Next week we are onto an episode called "Origins of Vampire Mythology" which centers around the gang attempting to keep Britta away from her ex-boyfriend. Until then, folks! :)

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3x13 "Digital Exploration of Interior Design" (Actions Speak Louder Than...)

"Digital Exploration of Interior Design"

Original Airdate: March 29, 2012

Sivanada said: "Life is but an endless series of little details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences, whether good or bad of even the least of them, are far-reaching." And I think that this quote and reflection aptly sums up the theme of the week's episode. Each of our three storylines focused on the actions of a particular character (or characters) and demonstrated how simple actions can have extensive consequences. Because, as we saw last week, it's foolish to think that our actions will have no bearing on those around us (be it good or bad). And truly, this entire season seems to be building toward some kind of confrontation between all of these people we have come to know and love. With the exception of Vice Dean Laybourne, there really hasn't been an external "enemy" for the group to fight this year. Essentially, instead, this season is all about the group dealing with the darkness inside of themselves - learning to openly confront things that they had previously kept buried. All three of these storylines converged at the end, but throughout the course of the episode, some characters managed to come to a greater understanding of themselves (Jeff), while other relationships broke down (Troy/Abed) because of words and actions. Throughout the course of the review, we'll highlight the destruction of the (up until this point) relatively peaceful relationship between Troy and Abed, while also confessing my love for Britta Perry in the episode. Finally, throughout the review, we will also deconstruct the Jeff/Annie storyline (and explain why I think everyone could use a good dose of therapy). Ready? Let's begin!

In case you can't remember what happened in the episode because you were too busy craving Subway sandwiches, let's recap: as we have learned in the episodes post-hiatus, Shirley and Pierce wanted to open a sandwich shop. However, in "Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts," Dean Pelton explains to them that he already agreed to open a Subway within the cafeteria. The episode begins with the grand opening of the little shop, and Shirley's indignation. Pierce notices a clause within the Greendale by-laws, which stated that any restaurant on campus must be at least 51% student-owned. As it turns out, Subway has hired a guy named Rick to act as their corporate mouthpiece - he's a real-life representation of the sandwich shop, and - as such - Subway is legally allowed to keep their place in the Greendale cafeteria. Shirley and Pierce cannot stand for this, and recruit Britta to help take the new "student" down.

Sometimes, if I'm being honest, I forget how amazing Britta Perry is as a character. And I think that a lot of times we (the audience members) do exactly what the study group does - we brush her off as the buzz kill, the one with the pension for severity, or the girl who "Britta's" everything up. We hardly ever think of her in the way that Jeff did during "The Science of Illusion" - as the heart of the group. A lot of us, myself included, forget that Britta really is just a woman striving to be accepted and loved and cared about, no matter how severe she can come across. She admitted to her insecurities in "Romantic Expressionism" (she has feelings and cares about boys liking her, etc.). She's a woman with emotions and needs to feel appreciated. And she deserves that, just as much as Annie or Shirley. And I love that this episode - while, yes, a bit exaggerated in Britta's professions of love, etc. - but truly the Subway/Britta storyline was hilarious and also touching in that it reminds us that maybe Britta needs to find someone to be goofy and happy with. She, like every character, needs someone in life to balance her out. Arguably, each character has at least ONE person within the study group who balances them out in some way, shape, or form. But perhaps the group is beginning to realize that they also need other people to make themselves feel needed.

There's a Jeff and Annie storyline that runs throughout the episode and is very telling. Troy, Annie, and Abed had to leave their apartment for the week, so Annie opts to stay in the sleep lab for the time being. Troy and Abed, meanwhile, decide to build a pillow fort (which is different than a blanket fort, just so we're clear). Jeff requests that Annie help him get into the sleep lab (he could use the 2 credits to, you know, goof off), but she refuses. The pair are standing at Annie's locker and... wait. Have they always had lockers? Jeff comes to this realization and the pair discover that he's had a locker for two and a half years and hasn't even realized it. Jeff and Annie then discover tons of flyers within the locker and one hate-filled note. And this storyline is very enlightening in terms of both Jeff and Annie's characters. We usually think of Annie as the more mature and developed fo the two - or perhaps just the one who has all of her issues relatively in check. However, this isn't quite the case. As the episode wears on, we realize that Annie has some unresolved issues in regards to her relationship with Jeff (ones that he seems completely oblivious to). Ironically, at the end of the episode, it's Jeff who makes progress (well... sort of). Jeff and Annie decide to discover who sent him the hateful note. But, of course, Jeff doesn't go out of his way if there isn't something in it for him.

And I think that last week's episode is a perfect prelude to this week's episode for a few reasons. First, we definitely understand more now about Jeff's egotism. The only reason he decides to figure out who Kim is (the person who sent the note) is because that person insulted him. And Jeff does not take well to the idea that he is anything less than perfect in the eyes of everyone around him. Truthfully, that's why he goes crazy in "Biology 101," gets into the debate with Annie in "Intro to Political Science," and also why he has a mental breakdown in "Contemporary Impressionists." It's also why he needs the group so much - he needs people who need HIM. He's used to being the savior of the group, and also the one who is the most admired and respected. Jeff, then, does not take very well to being displaced from this role.

Elsewhere, Shirley and Piece confront Britta on seducing Subway (the student, remember) in order to take the sandwich franchise out of the cafeteria. Britta storms out of the conversation, however, offended by the notion that she would sell out her gender. And I really enjoyed the fact that Shirley and Pierce teamed up for the episode. I'll expand a little on this later, but they manage to balance one another out quite well.

So as I mentioned earlier, last week's episode was a good set-up for the events that unfolded this week. The Troy and Abed relationship, when we left off, was on the rocks. And I think that in the back of his mind, Troy must wonder sometimes what he gave up for Abed (and if it is worth it for how he's being treated and the lengths that he goes to in order to protect, defend, and rescue his friend). Troy literally gave up the chance of a career in order to stay with his best friend. And, after last week, I didn't have very many warm, fuzzy feelings in regards to Abed's character. This week, I attempted to go into the episode with no preconceived notions or judgments though. Both characters - Troy and Abed - need to realize that friendship is a two-way street. And I think that Troy has an easier time adjusting to this concept than Abed does. He tells Jeff in season 1, I believe (forgive me, because I've forgotten which episode it is) that people always assume that he needs their help, but really, he doesn't. People just need to understand him. And I think that Abed wants to be the kind of person who simply exists in a slightly-detached state. He wants to live in a world where he can do what he wants to and say what he wants to without long-lasting consequences (that's how TV operates, no?). But, demonstrated by the quote that I opened the entry with, even the tiniest of actions has a consequence.

Both Troy and Abed allow Vice Dean Laybourne's voice to intrude upon their thoughts, and therefore affect their actions. So who then, is the better of the two? The Vice Dean attempts to destroy the relationship between Troy and Abed, and we boil down to an Adam and Eve-like scenario. Laybourne appeals to Troy's vanity - to the athlete's desire to prove himself to the world and take charge of his life. Troy, as we have seen from the end of last season until now, wants others to think of him as an alpha male. Laybourne then appeals to Abed's misconception of relationships - to either his selfishness or naivete and encourages Abed to not compromise. The Vice Dean is extremely apt at appealing to the creative side of Abed - to the filmmaker who is suffering for his art, even though he doesn't understand WHY. So, then, Abed wonders why he should compromise in a relationship in the first place. And I've really tried to wrap my head around this characterization of Abed as someone who subtly manipulates people and situations, rather than being a completely detached third party. We see and know how he affects the other study group members, and therefore have to assume that he is at least slightly aware of this notion. Nevertheless, we have discovered that Abed is uncomfortable with a lack of control - the fact is that perhaps, buried underneath everything, when Abed doesn't have control, he wonders if people will leave him.

We then return to our Jeff/Annie storyline where we learn that Annie has a lot of pent up bitterness and anger toward Jeff. We've seen glimpses of this throughout the seasons (most noticeably, of course, in "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" where Annie goes "off-book," lets Jeff know how much he hurt her, and then... fake shoots him. Therapeutic, no?) but this episode was definitely an eye-opener as to how much Jeff actually continues to hurt Annie by refusing to apologize for making out with her and then ignoring her.

Britta actually finds herself becoming attracted to Subway who is - for all intents and purposes - her perfect match. And what's even more adorable is how terrible Shirley is as a manipulator - she is genuinely excited for Britta, and that he smiled at the blonde.

I think that in every relationship, there's a trigger, whether or not is a natural-occurring one, or one manipulated by... say, the Vice Dean. Abed and Troy are in the process of building a pillow fort, even though Troy really wants to expand it to make it a world-recorded fort. At Laybourne's subtle prompting, Troy abandons Abed's pillow fort in order to build a blanket fort. An insignificant moment for anyone else, for Troy, becomes the last straw. Because it seemed like Abed was about to respect Troy - to see him as an equal. And instead, Abed displaced Troy's ideas. Perhaps this derives from the desire to maintain "order," or from the idea that last week Troy had control, and this week Abed wants control. Whatever the case, Troy decides that he can't be a part of Abed's "master plan" anymore, if he's only seen as a sidekick and not an equal.

In our Jeff and Annie storyline, the pair are told by a guy standing in front of Kim's locker that Kim died two weeks earlier. Jeff is wracked with guilt... but his motives aren't entirely pure. He is the kind of person who believes apologies are designed so that they will make HIM feel better, not because he wants to learn or grow. And there's this great role-reversal from "Geography of Global Conflict" with Jeff lying on the couch and Annie approaching him. And Annie calls Jeff out on what apologies actually are - not a "Winger band-aid" that's meant to fluff up a situation and make it slightly-less-worse than before. Apologies come from places of humility and understanding that it doesn't matter how you feel or if the other person receives it - they're so a relationship can be mended.

As a sidenote, I adore that Annie and Jeff have constant parallels within their lives - the couch thing, for one. The fact that Annie seems to always know where to find him (i.e. "Intro to Political Science," "Asian Population Studies") and the fact that she knows, in her heart, what HE knows he should do ("Basic Genealogy") and never patronizes, just prompts.

Britta continues a relationship with Subway, and there's an awesome Pierce/Shirley balance too - both are business-driven individuals but obviously Shirley is the more compassionate of the two. She provides them both with a reality check - "look at what we're becoming!" - and encourages Britta that she doesn't have to sabotage Subway (the shop) anymore. Pierce, however, insists that the woman has one more assignment left to complete.

In returning once more to our Jeff/Annie story, I think it's endearing that Jeff buys flowers and actually follows through with approaching Kim's locker and apologizing. It's a step in the right direction for Jeff. No, he's not a flawless human being, but Annie helped him take the next right step in correcting his past mistakes. Unfortunately for Jeff, he doesn't realize that - right in front of him - is someone who was hurt by one of those mistakes. And perhaps she wants him to realize how to apologize so that he will apologize to HER for things that she has clearly bottled up. And that's the biggest issue with Annie - Jeff doesn't read subtext (...by Calvin Klein. Catch the reference and you win!) very well. The reason that he is affected by Kim is because h (yes, he) left a note calling Jeff out on his behavior. Annie, meanwhile, has only subtly hinted at how much he hurt her... and for that, I have to fault Annie. In light of the episode, it seems that the only way to get Jeff to own up to the fact that he's hurt you is to directly tell him. And it's hilarious that Annie masks her outrage by blaming it on "defending her gender" when it's really about the fact that it took Jeff less than a day to apologize genuinely to someone and make up with them (even though he barely knows them), and yet, he has not done the same thing with a person who he's known for three years and has a much deeper relationship with.

The episode comes to a head with Britta's tryst with Subway being revealed (thanks to a bug that was planted on her by Pierce), and the young man being hauled out and away from Britta. Meanwhile, Annie apologizes to Jeff for her behavior earlier. The episode ends with Troy vs. Abed - the friends have parted ways, with the former setting up his blanket fort, attempting to set the world record. The Dean insists that the fighting between the two sides stop, and that Abed's blanket fort will be torn down. Starburns cannot stand for this, and throws a pillow... which lands on Troy's blanket fort and collapses part of it. And suddenly, war breaks out. There's this mutual horror, perhaps not even a real understanding yet of why the war occurred or what they should do about it, but Troy and Abed share a look with one another. And you can palpably feel the tension, as well as the rising question of: "Is this the end?"

... but it's not, because Abed then says: "To be continued!"

Additional de-lovely aspects about the episode:
- "I don't recall seeing Subway in my Pre-Menopausal Post-Feministic Experiential Marketing Class."
- "What other animals travel in herds? I want to say snakes." Oh, Pierce. Never change.
- "I totally predicted this in my high school newspaper column, 'Britta Unfiltered.'" Go home, everyone. Britta Perry just won all of the awards.
- "I am not a whore! And, not that I've done the math, but if I were, I'd be the classy kind that gets flown to Dubai to stay in an underwater hotel."
- "Annie, that's what you think of me? I don't make out with forgettable women."
- "Who do you think I am? I lived in New York!"
- "Put it in a letter, Jane Austen!"
- Oh! I spotted who (I think is) the female writer who was in the sketch comedy troupe in season 1. She's on Team Troy, by the way.
- The music during the war scene is EPIC.
- I love that as soon as war breaks out, Jeff immediately backs up and starts texting.

Next week, we come to our exciting conclusion of the blanket fort-pillow fort war in an episode called "Pillows and Blankets." Until then, folks! :)

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