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Community: Celebrity Pharmacology

"My school had plenty of shows like this and I think sitting through them drove me to drugs."

She may not respond to anything appropriately, but I know exactly what Britta is talking about. Not that I ever did drugs in school, I was far too much of a wimp to mingle with our school's resident drug dealers (they enjoyed beating me up). However, I did suffer through enough plays like this that I wish I had. I felt the same watching this episode.

This was another duff episode, with little in the way of huge laughs, clever story telling,crazy ideas or heart-warming character moments. Although, to be fair, it did come awfully close on that last one.

Pierce helping out Annie with her rent was probably the most likeable he's been all season. Shame he had to then go and exploit her gratitude by hijacking her drug awareness play to give himself a better part. Pierce has become increasingly unlikeable this season. Not that he was ever that likeable to start off with. The Pierce of season 1 was sexist and racist, but he was essentially nothing more than a bumbling fool. This season he has become mean. He has become increasingly Chevy-ish. The line between actor and character has become more and more blurred.

The thing that annoyed me the most was that, even thought he didn't apologies for his actions, Pierce was still forgiven by Annie without doing anything to earn that forgiveness. I understand that is who Annie is as a person (and that forgiveness is an act of compassion, done not because people deserve it, but because they need it), but Pierce needs to know in no uncertain terms that he screwed up. He came away from this whole experience thinking he did nothing wrong. How is Pierce supposed to grow as a person if his friends (and I use the term loosely) continually let him off the hook for being a jerk?

The other characters aren't used that well. They are given barely anything to do besides loiter around in their costumes. Jeff is the only one given something that sorta resembles a subplot, a load of nonsense about accidentally sending dirty texts to Britta's horny nephew. That kid needs to spend some time in therapy. Fancying your aunt is wrong, dude. Just because she’s as blonde as a Lannister doesn’t mean she’s as kinky as one.

Notes and Quotes

--Jeff and Britta as the cool cats is pretty much perfect casting.

--I find it too much of a stretch that Pierce could competently stalk Annie without being spotted.

--It getting the crap kicked out of him by school kids did bring a smile to my face.

Abed: "Annie, question. Is Pierce Marijuana? And does Marijuana help people work faster? I thought it made them just custom-paint their vans and solve mysteries."

Dean Pelton: "Well that answers my question. Jeff Winger is sexy even in a coffin. Mmm!"

Jeff: "We just created 50 potential meth heads, and the least we can do is hit the reset button and get that number down to the national average."

Two out of four floaters.
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Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011. More Mark Greig.

3 comments:

  1. I think I liked this one better than you did, Mark. I like the interactions between Pierce and Annie and I really like her realization at that end that she needs to stand on her own.

    The play? Loved that Chang saved the day. A great subversion of his usual role in the show.

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  2. I think of this as one of the best filler episodes the show's produced. It's zany. I like zany.

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  3. This episode did have one of my favourite jokes which isn't particular funny on text. It's at the end where Shirley apologizes to Chang for calling him crazy, and Chang says (sincerely) "Oh that's really sweet. Tell you what, why don't I get Chang, and you tell him that yourself?" and his happy expression just fucking freezes right there for a solid few seconds until Shirley stops laughing and lets out like a little "Oh no.."

    It's so good lol

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