Community: Studies in Modern Movement

“He tweeted it!!!!!”

Hands up who still has Seal's 'Kiss From a Rose' stuck in their head?

This was probably one of the more conventional episodes of the season. No paintball wars, zombie attacks, stop motion animation or trips to alternative timelines. Just our beloved Greendale human beings doing typical sitcom stuff like helping someone move into their new apartment. Take out the dreamatorium and the tribute to Seal and this almost could've been an episode of Friends. That isn't to say that it wasn't funny and I didn't enjoy it, because I did. I laughed out loud several times, in fact, especially during the big musical montage/mash up sequence.

Troy and Abed and Princess Annie

Annie learned this week that there is a big difference between being friends with someone and living with them. She clearly doesn't watch any sitcoms, otherwise she would've known that already. It is one of the genre's most sacred laws. Another is that when two people of the opposite sex start living together, they will eventually have sex. Unless one of them is gay. So I don't think we have to worry about any hanky panky in the bunk beds between Annie and Trobed (and now I apologise for putting that rather disturbing image in everyone's head).

As adorable as their shadow puppet shows are, Troy and Abed are becoming one of those couples that you can easily love in small doses, but would want to smother with a pillow if you had to spend too much time with them. At this point, they exist in their own little bubble wrap universe. A universe where it is acceptable, and not inconsiderate at all, for grown men to turn their spare bedroom into a holodeck while their friend sleeps in a quilt fort in the living room. It might have all worked out well for them in the end, with hugs and kisses and the Ballad of HorseBot 3000 (a tale so moving it even made Jeff Winger cry), but I can't help thinking that there will still be trouble ahead for Annie and her new roommates.

Jeff and Greg and Heidi Klum's Husband

Jeff learned that if you ditch your friends to go shopping, there will be consequences. Oh, and that the Dean uses the Patriot Act to read student emails. Before I proceed, I feel I should point out that there is a difference between two people willingly wearing the same clothes because they think its cute, and the pansexual imp stalker wearing your exact same outfit. One is annoying, the other is likely to end up with you in jail. Which, knowing the Dean, might just be the objective.

I'm really disappointed in Jeff. Of the entire group, Annie is the one he is closest to, and yet instead of helping her move he'd rather spend his day at the mall buying clothes. What The Frak Jeffrey? You know what, you've got no one to blame for your date with the Dean but yourself (and possibly the Patriot Act). Oh, and don't even try to deny that you didn't enjoy your duet together. I saw you, Jeff, you cut loose and enjoyed yourself. You need to do that more often. Preferably with the people who love you.

Shirley and Britta and Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

Britta and Shirley learned that just because you disagree with your friend about some things doesn't mean that you have to disagree about everything. Their belief systems might be very different, but both Shirley and Britta are unwavering in their conviction that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Of course, Shirley is the more passive when it comes to imposing her beliefs on others, a word that is not in Britta's dictionary. She probably doesn't even have a dictionary. She likely Britta'd it when she went to buy one and got Pictionary instead.

Notes and Quotes

-- Call it a dreamatorium all you want, but that doesn't change the fact its a holodeck.

-- Pierce was left on his lonesome this week because he is forever doomed to be the odd one out. His entire storyline felt just like an excuse for Chevy Chase to be Chevy Chase.

-- The real Jesus Christ did indeed love marijuana, after all, he was the original hippie. And as for drinking human blood.... well, I think Jason Stackhouse explained it best: “Maybe Jesus was the first vampire. Man, he rose from the dead too, and he told people, 'Hey y'all, drink my blood, it'll give you special powers.'”

Dean Pelton: “Off-campus I’m just a Craig-ular Joe.”

Annie: “Okay, there may be a slight danger I might end up hating them.”
Britta: “Man, children, can't live with 'em, can't leave them alone with your tape."
Annie: “Britta, don't make jokes, you're bad at it.”

Troy: “Just because we're awesome doesn't mean we're not adults!”

Dean Pelton: “You know this one, Jeff, we’ve sung it a thousand times together, in my mind."

I've got a really horrible cold at the moment, which is only getting worse, so I don't think this review was my best effort. I'm just not in the best state of mind for reviewing right now (I'm sure there are mistakes all the place). And the news that NBC is pulling Community from their mid-season schedule has also left me feeling more down and depressed than I already am (not to mention furiously angry). So I'll end this review on a more positive note with the highlight of this episode, a nice reminder of what is so great about this show and why it is worth saving.



Two and three quarters out of four Seal songs that are now stuck in your head.
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Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011. More Mark Greig.

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