by Graham Osborne
After last week’s comparatively weak episode, Community has found its feet once again, with a fantastically absurd set of stories that bring the wackiness back to the show. The jokes fly thick and fast as yet more catastrophes flock to Greendale like a student with no other option in their education.
After last week’s comparatively weak episode, Community has found its feet once again, with a fantastically absurd set of stories that bring the wackiness back to the show. The jokes fly thick and fast as yet more catastrophes flock to Greendale like a student with no other option in their education.
Chang and the Dean take centre stage in this episode, the former auditioning for a role in Greendale’s school production of The Karate Kid and the latter debating whether or not to come out of the closet, albeit in a diminished capacity. Flowing between the two stories is a sub-plot of Abed and Elroy as they try to protect a bird’s nest that has been constructed on the college’s wifi router.
The standout story of this week is certainly Chang and Annie’s rehearsing for the school play, featuring a director who is a PG-rated combination of Malcolm Tucker, Terence Fletcher and Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the treatment of his lead actor. Ken Jeong has always been great as the psychotically deranged Chang, and the past couple of seasons have shown him mature as a character, moving away from the man with a Napoleon Complex, and making a much more sensitive, if dim-witted, man. This change has created a much better, more enjoyable person, although it would be nice to see the maniacal dictator from Season Three return, if only for an episode.
The standout story of this week is certainly Chang and Annie’s rehearsing for the school play, featuring a director who is a PG-rated combination of Malcolm Tucker, Terence Fletcher and Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the treatment of his lead actor. Ken Jeong has always been great as the psychotically deranged Chang, and the past couple of seasons have shown him mature as a character, moving away from the man with a Napoleon Complex, and making a much more sensitive, if dim-witted, man. This change has created a much better, more enjoyable person, although it would be nice to see the maniacal dictator from Season Three return, if only for an episode.
Compared to Chang’s storyline, the Dean’s plot feels a little lost in the maelstrom. It is the debate about whether or not to come entirely clean about his sexual orientation that promotes the thrust of the jokes, and it is performed ably by Jim Rash. The revelation over the Dean’s true sexuality is left in the dark, leaving plenty of speculation over the final four sevenths (once you’ve subtracted Dalmatians and Jeff as well). Whilst it paled in comparison to other events in the episode, it still managed to entertain.
Overall, there is still something missing. Maybe it’s the inevitable slump that all series encounter eventually, or maybe it’s me. Regardless, it’s still one of the best sitcoms out there right now.
Overall, there is still something missing. Maybe it’s the inevitable slump that all series encounter eventually, or maybe it’s me. Regardless, it’s still one of the best sitcoms out there right now.
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