series rewatch discussion post: s03e14 - s03e17
Season 3, Episode 14 - Pillows and BlanketsThe epic battle of Pillowtown vs. Blanketsburg continues at Greendale. The group is forced to take sides, while Jeff tries to form a compromise between Troy and Abed.
Season 3, Episode 15 - Origins of Vampire Mythology
While Annie, Troy and Abed try to help Britta stay away from an old ex, Jeff and Shirley attempt to find out who he is. Elsewhere, Vice Dean Laybourne turns to Dean Pelton for help with his campaign to get Troy to join the Air Conditioning Repair School.
Season 3, Episode 16 - Virtual Systems Analysis
Annie and Abed spend some quality time together in the Dreamatorium for a simulation of "Inspector Spacetime". The game soon transforms into an examination of not only the study group, but also a deeper look into Abed's mind and personality.
Season 3, Episode 17 - Basic Lupine Urology
When the group's science project is destroyed, they decide to hold a trial to find the criminal, which a reluctant Professor Kane (Michael K. Williams) presides. While Troy and Abed believe they have discovers the perpetrator, Jeff soon realizes there's much more to the story than is believed.
Reminder: No bashing of other characters, ships or fans. Gifs, graphics, recs and other fan creations in relation to these episodes are encouraged in the comments. Be civil and respectful in all discussions and have fun!
Pillows and Blankets
I think even the first time I watched this episode, I knew just from that opening sequence that I would love it. Bearing that in mind, this may be a bit of a gushy discussion. First on the agenda of things I babble about? Keith David. The man is a fairly well-known voice actor so maybe it's no surprise how excellently he narrates the episode but damn. Did you notice how he got the inflection just right when quoting Troy? The man is a master at voice acting and if you're interested in hearing about his work, the AV Club did a Random Roles interview with him earlier this year that was great. It's also a great nod to the Ken Burns-style docu-drama style that they managed to swing Keith David for this role. I haven't actually seen a ton of Ken Burns' documentaries (or any?) but I recogize his style (that's how ubiquitous it is) enough to realise what a lovely homage this episode is.
This was also the culmination of a long-coming and necessary, I think, conflict in Troy and Abed's friendship. Troy (and Abed) were manipulated by Vice Dean Laybourne but the seeds were already there. It's flat out announced in Contemporary Impressionists that not all is right but I assume little things like Troy being unable to tell Abed what's going in his life in Advanced Gay and Troy and Britta's long hug in Documentary Filmmaking Redux (which Abed noticed) layer into it as well. Are there little things throughout the season that you noticed with Troy and Abed's friendship?
The show does sequels really well, doesn't it? As a blanketfort sequel, it's only vaguely similar, really, to S2's blanketfort episode. Thematically and stylistically, it's completely different. So, actually, I guess what I'm saying is that it's not really a sequel at all. But in reusing the concept, building an episode around blanketforts, the show did spectacularly well. They managed to do something that was original in both execution and content each time and I don't think that's something a lot of shows can say. The same could be argued about their paintball and documentary style episodes (of which, this episode makes three, technically?) and it makes me feel comfortable and, in fact, excited about them reusing concepts I loved the first time around. Although, yeah, if they wanted to retire paintball forevermore, I doubt anyone would complain at this point.
The office scene with Jeff "negotiating" stood out to me for one reason and that's because the Dean, of all people, is playing the straight man (I mean that in the most surface way possible) in that he's the one being taken aback at the absurdity and gosh, but it works. Even Jeff, with his cynicism and douchery is more heightened but the Dean is right there on the 'oh come on!' and 'does anyone even go to classes here?' train. It's great because it plays against type but it also demonstrates that the Dean, while mostly outlandish and probably half-mythical creature, is still grounded somewhere in reality. I think that nuance was largely, and often, abandoned through the latter half of S3 and most, if not all, of S4.
How'd you feel about how the allies broke down? Shirley took Troy's side out of... Solidarity? It's not entirely clear why Troy is her boy considering that, at this point, she'd had more storylines with Abed than with Troy. But Abed, as has been indicated in numerous episode prior, is difficult to connect to for anyone besides Troy (and sometimes Jeff). Pierce's defection isn't really surprising and given how much is between those two (see: Paradigm's parody video), it actually makes sense. Jeff, Annie, and Britta's neutrality is pretty standard. But they each took on interesting roles in their neutrality - Britta as attempted photographer, making sure to try to capture memories and experiences of the war, Jeff as ruthless and morally-ambiguous rabble rouser, and Annie as medical aid provider. I feel like those particular roles speak to their personalities and goals in life, in general, yes/no?
Okay, so their text message conversation? Great or the greatest? It's so very Jeff and Annie, with Annie believing Jeff is good, Jeff taking credit he doesn't deserve, Annie calling him out, Jeff admitting and accepting his douchery and... Them moving on. I thought it was really cute and it's inclusion was cute though largely unnecessary to the plot. Well, actually, given that their text conversationg "continues" and leads to Jeff confronting (and being called out, again, in person) Annie, I suppose it is somewhat necessary. I can't help but think big scenes like this which propel the plot but include a lot of fluff are why Dan Harmon was maybe okay with progressing Jeff/Annie? I mean, I don't think he really was - I think he was torn on it and uncomfortable with it in turns, but you can't tell me that he absolutely thought their was no shippy subtext in that entire little side plot?
Leaving that aside, I found Jeff just a touch condescending when he told Annie how words and conversations worked and then, subsequently, asked her if she'd like him again if he wrote in a Hello Kitty diary. I was so very pleased when Annie basically rolled her eyes and left him sitting there because it was the least he deserved. It's funny because before this rewatch, and being forced to articulate my thoughts and feelings and notice things in the episode, I wouldn't have considered Annie my favourite character. I would've said Britta, Troy, maybe Jeff, occasionally Abed, occasionally Shirley, once in a blue moon Pierce, and you know, sometimes Annie. But man, has that switched around a lot. It's now, pretty unequivocally, Britta or Annie. Do you have a favourite character? Has that changed over the course of watching or rewatching the show?
That e-mail was cold, eh? It was detached in a way that is so characteristic of Abed. I thought Troy's return message was, in a way, more harsh. I really doubt that Abed's intention was to hurt Troy's feelings although intentions don't matter so much as actual impact. But Troy's was designed very obviously and clearly to hurt Abed's feelings (which do exist) so... I mean, Jeff was right - it went from something that was mostly silly and immature to a very real conflict in which they were intentionally hurting each other's feelings. It's kind of amazing how Community took something with, in theory, very low stakes and made it feel so big and scary. But Troy and Abed's friendship, as much as I sometimes decry its cost of Troy and Abed as individuals, is a cornerstone of the show. I'm not sure i loved the easy resolution but it's something I've complained about before, so I'll let it pass this time. Your thoughts?
In ending, it's amazing that Jeff still managed to make it about him at the end, right?
Origins of Vampire Mythology
Okay, so, this episode also opens pretty brilliantly. I mean, it's Britta at her finest. Yes, they're technically laughing at her and the idea that Britta has dated a carnival worker (there's some classism there, if I'm not mistaken) is hilarious because, apparently, it's so utterly expected but actually, I loved that Britta was unashamed and that she has so few hang ups that she would unironically date a carnival worker. Britta's not great at practicing what she preaches but when she nails it, she really nails it (yeah, that was a good pun, right?). Britta's unabashed enjoyment of sex and sexual relaionships is one of the things I'm most fond of about her because it's rare to see that on TV without any kind of shaming. And despite Shirley's digs and judgement, Britta has never backed down on it.
Now, the second thing I wanted to discuss is the very obvious and very distinct subtext that Jeff is Annie's Blade. The first time I watched this, I wasn't 100% certain that the study room table scene meant that Jeff was Annie's Blade and I'm still not sure - when Britta and Shirley said that Annie would understand eventually and Jeff protested, it sounded like it could be jealousy or protectiveness rather than Jeff recognising himself as Annie's Blade. But the scene by the lockers (where Britta gets the BEST lines?) seems to read as Annie starting to recognise Jeff as her Blade. Did any of that make sense? How did you guys read those scenes and the subtext there?
That apartment scene, if you suspend disbelief and ignore all that awful ways they speak about addictions, is hilarious. It's so rare that we get to see Annie and Britta share a plot together that it's easy to forget how well they play off of each other. Annie is golden in that scene regardless. She's genuine in both her empathy with Britta and her derision with Troy, in the way only roommates can be. As a side note, that lock was one Annie installed because she knew Britta would need to be, literally, locked down. It's little hints like these that make me wonder about Annie's backstory and experience with substance use, treatment and recovery. What do you headcanon about those times and experiences for Annie?
The scene with Dean Pelton and Vice Dean Laybourne wasn't anything that really stood out to me (although, Jim Rash, excellent as per usual) but it led to the Dean showing up at Apartment 303 and in his pjs for a boys' night so I will never complain about it. A scene I will complain about? Pierce and Chang/Shirley and Jeff at the carnival. It's not really a complaint, though. Dan Harmon admitted in interviews after the fact that he wasn't pleased with Pierce/Chang subplot, saying it felt forced and like they were leftovers that had to be used. It came across that way on screen, too, I think, because their plot was so detached from everyone else's. It seems like every season, there's at least on character that they struggle to write for and mostly, it seems like that role vacillates between Shirley, Chang, and Pierce. Any thoughts on why? Or what you would have liked to see for any of those three?
Did it come across to anyone else, even at that early point, that Shirley agreed to accompany Jeff to the carnival because she thought he was checking out his competition for Britta's affection? The show always walked this fine line (often, walked it badly) where they tried to balance Jeff/Annie and Jeff/Britta. Although I was always a Jeff/Annie shipper, I don't think I would really mind if they stopped teasing Jeff/Annie if they agreed to drop the Jeff/Britta stuff. I feel like, even in S3, it was past it's sell-by date and yet, it was never abandoned. They got more action all the way into S5. This episode was interesting on that front because Shirley makes assumptions about Jeff's intentions but it seems like Jeff never even thought about Britta except as an after-thought, a by-product of what he was really interested in, which was power over women. Which says something gross about Jeff. His ego and insecurity, at least, if you're being generous.
I remember seeing a lot of complaints about the scene between Annie and Britta but you know, I kind of feel like that one was a little more on the nose. Britta, in this loose and rather ridiculous parallel to addiction, is lying (or stretching the truth) to get what she wants. I feel for Annie, I do, but considering she knew that Britta was trying to trick her the first time (with the banana), I'm not solely on her side in this scene. She knew Britta might be lying but it's definitely a function of the story that Annie gives her the phone in the first place. It's few and far between who can overcome an addiction (and I use that term because it's what the show has employed) in a few hours, okay? As a result, yeah, I don't really have sympathy for Annie who suspected Britta was lying anyway. Yeah, Britta was a jerk but, again, she was explicit about her addiction and the issues and lengths she would go to in order to satisfy it. How did that whole exchange make you feel?
I thought it was interesting that Troy, Abed, and the Dean all knew it was a bad idea to send "Leave me alone" from "Blade" to Britta but Annie didn't. Also, I'm not sure if that was a willful misinterpretation of the Dean's "Britta like unavailable men." but I assumed he meant emotionally unavailable where Annie, apparently, did not. Is it weird that Annie is more naive than all three of the men in the apartment? I don't know, I just thought it was odd that she has such a minimal understanding of psychology and relationships and Britta where those three... Don't? I'm open to differing interpretations because I'm literally just typing my thoughts as I watch/listen to the episode.
The whole thing with Jeff wanting to know Blade's secret actually grew old for me pretty quickly. I don't find Shirley and Jeff as alluring a pairing as some so I didn't find anything particularly riveting in their scenes. It didn't reveal information or new stuff about the characters, the jokes (for me) weren't that funny, and because it was intercut with Pierce and Chang, which felt shoehorned, the entire thing dragged a bit. The dynamic scenes were centred at the apartment so I was glad to see Jeff return. Was there anything to the fact that Britta was rushing out to see Blade and Jeff is the one who stops her? I don't think so, but I'm just throwing it out there, as potential subtext.
Hey, you know who else is bad at practicing what they preach? Jeff!
Virtual Systems Analysis
Let's jump right in. What do you think of Annie's matchmaking? Troy and Britta has been hinted at through all of S3 and there's no doubt that Abed has noticed and doesn't like it. This is the first explicit confirmation we get of either of those things, though, and Abed insists that he doesn't like it not becaues he'd lose Troy ("I'm not petty, Annie.") but because he's run the scenarios and it messes with the group. Now, I have to give Abed kudos for consistency. He didn't seem to care for Jeff/Britta either. It poisoned thr group according to him and he was the one who called them out/explained why they were boring back in S1. So, you know, Abed is just not a fan of romance in the group. People often headcanon Abed as being a shipper (whichever ship they route for) and I tend to disagree. I think Abed, on occasion, overlooks his personal (or impersonal) analysis and encourages whatever will make for either the best story or whatever is best for the person he likes (so, offers comfort to Annie because they're friends and roommates, for instance a la S5). How did you see Abed's feelings around Troy and Britta's lunch and/or his shipping tendencies?
This episode is one in a long line (neither the last, nor the first, that is) of examinations of Abed; how he thinks, what he thinks, why and how he functions. I found it weird and kind of irritating that, given Contemporary Impressionists and Pillows and Blankets, Troy is yet again calling home to check on Abed and borderline berating Annie for not kowtowing to Abed and his needs. Troy in S1 and S2 treated Abed with respect and kindness (as did most other group members, except maybe Pierce) but in S3, Troy is his playmate who protects him from any and all consequences. I'm not sure if the show meant to do that but I find it really aggravating to watch and made Abed a character that I appreciated less and connected to less in S3. How did you feel about his writing this season?
The reality is that, while it's never actually confirmed, Abed is likely neuro-atypical. In other words, he's somewhere on the autism spectrum. This is never explicitly stated on the show but it's something that a lot of fans seem to headcanon (and it's well-documented in articles and pop culture blogs, too). I love that someone who is differently abled (as Abed does say) is being depicted in pop culture but I hate that Troy constantly bends over backward for Abed despite expressing frustration with having to do so. It's not that Abed doesn't need or deserve different and willingly-given considerations from his friends, but the idea that Abed should be coddled or never told no isn't helpful, yet the show often takes that route in S3. The plot, of course, evolves from this point. How did you feel about the first half of the episode and did you think Abed was in character?
Let's talk about the entire fantasy sequence. First off, it's hilarious the entire time they're in the Greendale Hospital School. Annie is good at improvising and she really carries it well. The cast does some phenomenal acting throughout and I really liked the effects in having Abed's voice fade in to others'. Annie is slowly but surely figuring out that Abed feels like he's unneeded if everyone pairs up or has someone else to have fun with because he can't fulfill their emotional needs the same way. It's a dead giveaway once simulated!Shirley says that Abed is unneeded and you can see the realisation in Annie's face. Were there details or lines that you read differently or offered more meaning?
The scene that really needs to be unpacked, for me, is the recreation of the season one finale. Here, Abed essentially accuses Annie of wanting Troy and Britta together in order to free up Jeff's attention and remove Britta from competition. He literally sees no other reason why Annie might want Troy and Britta together and I'm not sure if Abed was just trying to hit her where it hurt or if he actually thinks that lowly of Annie. It was never really clarified in that moment. Annie admits that leaving her and Jeff together would've been a bonus but, as I'm sure Annie knows, there's never a guarantee that Jeff's attentions would automatically shift into romance. So I mostly found Abed's suggestion that she cared for nothing beyond her own goals fairly cold.
The following scene wherein Annie tells simulated!Annie that "No, we don't, 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. So we keep on running the same scenario over and over, hoping for a different result." I... Don't entirely know what to make of it. I can believe that Annie isn't in love with Jeff and I think it's trying to reiterate the same story that was told (in a slightly similarly convoluted fashion in Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps) that Annie wants to change Jeff. The previous episode cast Annie as kind of naive with regards to men and women and relationships but she's really insightful in this episode and tells Abed that his simulations aren't accurate... I just. I feel like it's contradictory? And I don't think Annie actually tries to change Jeff? Even though the show keeps saying she does? I don't know, guys, this was, I think only my second time ever watching this episode and I know it's divisive in fandom. Please, tell me all your thoughts on it.
Basic Lupine Urology
As a Law and Order fan, I really enjoyed this episode. It was probably the best homage they've done, if we're talking details. I liked the colour, the feel, the dialogue... All of it was so Law and Order but also so Community. It was, in some ways, more of a mash up than an homage. The plot and outlandish developments are all so very Community but the rhythms of the story are Law and Order. The way the characters fall into roles that mimic a crime procedural (like, specifically, Law and Order) is predictable but it's so well done that it's not at all boring. Besides, I don't usually watch crime procedurals because I expect them to defy expectations, you know?
Shirley who is apparently into crime shows and forensics was so good as an authority figure. She would make an excellent police chief and I would like someone to cast Yvette Nicole Brown as such, please and thank you. The first introduction of Britta is also amazing, she picks up on her role and interest in photography from Pillows and Blankets and... That's basically all we see of her in the episode but Gillian Jacobs makes every moment of screentime count and it's why Britta soared her way into my heart around S2. Troy's desire to be the hardnosed veteran cop who cracks wise was... I love Troy. Which I know is what everyone says but he really is adorable, an adjective usually applied to Annie but far more appropriate for Troy, I think. It's technically against type but is it really? Chris Noth and Elliot Stabler were both sensitive, deeply-feeling cops who were also tough on crime, right? Then we have Jeff who reminds me of Ben Stone when he's on the stairs admonishing Annie about finding her softness. Guys, I don't know if it was deliberate but I really, really loved how the characters matched up with these archetypes.
Going back for a second, Annie shuts Jeff down (after manipulating him) and I wonder if that's a direct consequence of VSA? I would assume so, but who knows, right? What were your thoughts on that opening scene? I know there's been a lot of fic written but it's always been hard to pin down for me. It was so casually thrown out there by Jeff as if he didn't care who knew and then we get S4 and it's all washed away... Sheesh. But I'm jumping way too far ahead. Let's pick up at the important part, the reintroduction of Todd. Guys, I know the humour is in the fact that Todd is not the worst at all but I tend to love underdog sadsacks (technically, Todd's not a sad sack, either but work with me), so really, I love him, I love Todd. There, I said it.
Having admitted as such, it's a joy to watch his breakdown. Annie goes after him with the verve and undisguised Glee of a shark and it's hilarious. First off, she uses a similar argument that Jeff used against Rich joining the study group - Todd is too perfect. I feel like there's a message in there somewhere, Mr. Harmon. Anyway, she manipulates him with a slight Disney face and basically wins the case and then gloats. Now, I was previously embarrassed by Annie's gloating dance but in rewatching it, I've decided I enjoy it. I think it's great that Annie celebrates her own achievements and recognises that she won all by herself because it's clear Jeff didn't help her with those arguments (Annie is Jack McCoy, P.S.) and that's awesome. Yes, her dance is obnoxious, but if I was on her team, I'd be applauding. But guys, poor wrongly accused Todd.
To be honest, this episode didn't advance character dynamics or development but it was just flat out fun. If you have dissenting views (or ones that agree), please feel free to share in the comments. See you next week!