Summary
The hit sitcomCommunityhad plenty of hilarious moments and engaging storylines, but it also had some disappointing moments that made viewers quit the show entirely.The cast ofCommunityincluded huge names like Donald Glover as Troy Barnes and Joel McHale as Jeff Winger and kept audiences entertained for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. Amazingly, as Abed (Danny Pudi) predicted, the show will fulfill its “#sixseasonsandamovie” storyline set up in theupcomingCommunitymovie.
Community’s brilliantly funny stories and characters continued to keep many entertained long after the show’s end. Troy and Abed’s end tags inCommunitywere particularly notable, bringing each episode to an end with a quirky and hysterical beat. However,not every moment in the show was met with a positive reception.Sadly, like many otherlong-running TV shows,Communitywas the victim of instances so frustrating, nonsensical, or out-of-character that audiences turned it off.
10Shirley Discovering Chang Might Be Her Baby’s Father
Season 2, Episode 12 - “Asian Population Studies”
The first shocking moment inCommunitythat discouraged many from returning to the show involved Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and her third pregnancy. When Shirley was first introduced in the pilot, she was newly split from her husband, with whom she shared two sons. However, in theCommunityHalloween episode"Epidemiology," the entire party had been drugged, andShirley had sex with Ben Chang (Ken Jeon) but didn’t remember it the next day.So when Shirey announced that she’d reunited with Andre (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) and was expecting again, bells started ringing in Troy and Pierce’s (Chevy Chase) ears.
It was wild that Shirley was walking around, pregnant, but had no clue that her unstable ex-professor was possibly her child’s father. What made this moment worse was Pierce’s reaction to the situation. He and Troy knew that this would break Shirley and that it should be handled gently. Although Chang was also drugged and didn’t remember it, there was technically no consent from either party.Rather than asking somebody mature to tell Shirley, Pierce blurted out the news to be pettyabout the vote over the newest study group member.
Community: Why Shirley Named Her Baby After Chang
Shirley named her newborn baby after Chang during Community season 2 despite the fact that he wasn’t the father. Here’s why she chose the name.
9Community’s Cringey Glee Club Episode
Season 3, Episode 10 - “Regional Holiday Music”
While still an enjoyable episode, “Regional Holiday Music” was so cringeworthy that it was uncomfortable to watch. Following the success of the TV showGlee,many sitcoms aired an episode that focused on its cast in some form of musical group, andCommunitywas no different.TheCommunityChristmas episodesaw the study group fill in for the Glee club after the former members were hospitalized, but not every musical number was necessarily on stage. There were some songs in the episode that worked, like Troy and Abed’s rap “Christmas Infiltration.” However, others were just awkward, like “Baby Boomer Santa.”
AlthoughTV show musical episodeswere always supposed to be cheesy and over-the-top, it wasn’t the best fit forCommunity.Annie’s (Alison Brie) performance of “Teach Me How To Understand Christmas” was particularly painful,especially when she mounted Jeff’s lap and tried to be seductive. The episode also had one of the show’s most irritating guest characters, Mr. Rad (Taran Killam), whose sudden bond with the study group was nonsensical. While “Regional Holiday Music” wasn’t the worst episode ofCommunity, it was nowhere near the best either.
All 10 Community Christmas Songs, Ranked
Music is featured often during Community’s Christmas episodes, which either serve as jokes or to reflect on character dynamics or a character.
8The Study Group As Celebrity Impersonators
Season 3, Episode 12 - “Contemporary Impressionists”
In “Contemporary Impressionists,” the study group dressed up as various celebrities to help Abed pay off his debts. However,there were a lot of things in this story that made no sense.For example, there were plenty of other ways that Abed’s bill could have been paid. Pierce was incredibly wealthy, and although he was too selfish to offer anything, someone Britta (Gillian Jacobs) could have easily forced his hand. Jeff was always vain and obsessed with his looks, but even by his standards, it was odd that he’d agree to be involved with such an embarrassing scheme.
Even though he was taking anti-anxiety medication in this episode, it was maddening how quickly his ego ballooned in size. Jeff’s later rampage caused Abed’s debts to be cleared after the party guests believed him to be The Hulk, but this was simply too coincidental for a conclusion and felt manufactured and unbelievable. Sadly,the idea of celebrity impersonators also felt like a way to prove Abed once again as an obsessive cinephile,and the entire plotline established him to be far more naive and disconnected from reality than he actually was.
Community: 5 Best & 5 Worst Episodes Of Season 3 (According To IMDb)
Community put on another stellar outing for its third season. Not every episode was a home run but you can see the best and worst here.
7Annie Pretending To Be “Mrs Winger”
Season 4, Episode 3 - “Conventions Of Space And Time”
“Conventions of Space and Time” was one ofCommunity’s best episodes, which was surprising, given it was a part of the season 4 “gas leak year.” However, one subplot from the episode was disappointing and a little pathetic. Jeff and Annie’s will-they-won’t-they relationship inCommunitywas overly forced throughout the show. Despite many moments in which the pair showed attraction toward one another,the bizarre story arc never struck a chord with viewers because Annie was so young.In this episode, Annie took the opportunity to play “Mrs. Winger.” Initially, Annie did this to take advantage of Jeff’s hotel room.
However, she took the facade to the extreme when she spotted him flirting with an Inspector Spacetime fan. This moment was truly sad for Annie, who was so much better than the man decades older than her she was crushing on. She knew he wasn’t that kind of person, butAnnie allowed herself to slip into this childish fantasy in which she was Jeff’s wife.DespitetheCommunitycharacters' agesbeing so different, Annie was old enough to know and deserve better, and it was a shame that she became so weak for someone with whom she had no chance.
Community’s Gas Leak Year Explained: Why Season 4 Sucked
Here’s why everyone tries to forget about Community’s lousy fourth season, affectionately dubbed “the gas leak year” within the show’s mythology.
6Changnesia
Season 4, Episode 4 - “Alternative History Of The German Invasion”
Ben Chang was the ultimate frenemy inCommunity,and while his storylines were generally fun and endearing,the “Changnesia” plot was simply too far-fetched.Chang mysteriously returned in “Alternative History of the German Invasion” after his dictatorship of Greendale was put to a stop. However, upon his arrival, Chang started referring to himself as “Kevin” and claimed he’d somehow lost his memory after scurrying away from Greendale. Chang was always ridiculous inCommunity,but this was a new level for the character.
This storyline resulted in some strange, out-of-character moments, especially for Dean Pelton (Jim Rash). Chang kidnapped Pelton and replaced him with a lookalike, destroyed his school, and was all-around a terrible person, yet Greendale’s Dean didn’t question “Kevin” or his “Changnesia.”Although he was angry, Pelton accepted that Chang had lost his memorywith little argument. Chang always went to the extreme inCommunityand loved adding his name to puns, so it was baffling that “Changnesia” was attempted, let alone believed.
Community: 5 Reasons Why Fans Were Right To Hate Season 4 (& 5 Why It Was Underrated)
Season 4 of Community is a tricky subject for most fans. There were some good things about it, and some bad things too.
5The Dark Timeline’s Conclusion
Season 4, Episode 13 - “Advanced Introduction To Finality”
The conclusion to The Darkest Timeline in “Advanced Introduction To Finality” was widely considered to be a disappointing end to theCommunitystory arc.The Darkest Timeline inCommunitywas a creation of Abed’s in the episode “Remedial Chaos Theory” and contained an evil interpretation of each of the study group’s members. The evil versions appeared a few times in the show until they finally reached “the prime timeline” in “Advanced Introduction To Finality.” AlthoughCommunitydipped its toes in sci-fi now and then,this episode made The Darkest Timeline overly ridiculous,an impressive feat for the show.
The evil versions of the study group provided a fascinating insight into Abed’s mind and enhanced the other characters’ personalities. However, after an action-packed sequence with the two groups fighting each other,it was revealed that the events of the episode were a dream sequence as Jeff went to roll the die.This was a hugely disappointing moment, and it felt rather cheap, especially as Abed was always vocal aboutthe worst tropes in TV showsand movies. Considering how much effort was put into The Darkest Timeline, it was a shame that its ending wasn’t to the same standard.
4Pierce’s Last Will And Testament
Season 5, Episode 4 - “Cooperative Polygraphy”
Although the season 5 episode “Cooperative Polygraphy” was generally funny, the reading of Pierce’s last will proved just why the character needed to depart. Behind the scenes,the reason why Chevy Chase leftCommunitywas due to his use of inappropriate language during a rant on set, but the character wasn’t killed off until season 5. However,Pierce was never the most likable character, although he was that way by design.Pierce was a bigot - racist, homophobic, misogynistic, and everything else in between. Pierce loved attention and made sure the study group was listening after his death.
From beyond the grave, Pierce ensured to cause one last catastrophic fight between the study group, but Jeff was the only one to see his manipulation. Pierce’s posthumous gifts, canisters of his sperm, were given to everyone except Annie. Although it made sense that Pierce would do something like this,it felt thatCommunitywas making a cheap joke and encouraging a character whose views were harmful.Pierce’s gifts were predictable, but because it was such an obvious ploy, it was hard not to groan at the moment.
Community: Every Major Actor Who Left The Show (& Why)
Not every study group member at the center of Community remained for the duration of the show’s six seasons - here’s who left before season 6.
3The “MeowMeowBeenz” Episode
Season 5, Episode 8 - “App Development and Condiments”
The season 5 episode “App Development and Condiments” was camp, stupidly funny, and ridiculous, but these qualities were so overplayed that it went from good to bad rather quickly.As the “MeowMeowBeenz” app went viral across Greendale, the institution soon started to feel like an episode ofBlack Mirror,with each student becoming increasingly obsessed with their popularity rating. The “Fives,” a group of those with the highest ranking, took over and became an all-mighty power over their peers, but it resulted in some strange character development.
For example, this was one occasion where Shirley’s wholesome and open persona slipped in favor of popularity. Naturally, Abed seemed to be the only one who saw through the facade of the societal system. This wasn’t the first time that aCommunityepisode magically shifted Greendale’s typical daily setup, like with the paintball episodes or Troy and Abed’s game of the floor is lava, but “App Development and Condiments” didn’t create the same impact. At this point in the show,Greendale’s sudden embracement of a school-wide event was overplayed,much like the theme of the dangers of social media.
2Britta Treats Her Parents Awfully
Season 6, Episode 2 - “Lawnmower Maintenance And Postnatal Care”
Despite being considered aTV character ruined by their character development, Britta amazingly made herself even worse in the season 6 episode “Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care.” Britta’s subplot in the episode focused on her confronting her parents, who were secretly financially supporting their daughter. However,Britta was an awful person to her mother and father and didn’t appreciate their help.Rather than trying to discuss it like an adult, Britta was wildly inappropriate, rude, and out of character, even by her standards.
When she tried to storm out of her parent’s home, her car failed to start, so she stole a child’s bike. While this moment was hilarious, it also highlighted how pathetic Britta was being. By the end of the episode, Britta acknowledged that she needed to forgive her parents for their past mistakes. However, the main issue with that wasBritta never really divulged just what they did to her.If there had been more context to her estranged relationship with them, then her actions might have been perceived as more than just sheer pettiness.
Community: Why Britta Seemed Different In Later Seasons
Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) drastically changed as Community went on, and there were several factors to blame for the character’s devolution.
1The Last Paintball Episode
Season 6, Episode 11 - “Modern Espionage”
“Modern Espionage” was the last of theCommunitypaintball episodes, but it was nowhere near as good as the show’s previous attempts. Althoughit made sense thatCommunityseason 6 would try and squeeze in one more paintball episode before the show came to an end,it felt forced. Too many of the original cast had departed, and replacement characters like Frankie (Paget Brewster) andElroy (Keith David)lacked the context of the previous games to understand the situation.
Communitytried to compensate for this with even more action-packed sequences and drama, but the loss of group dynamics and fast-paced humor was too apparent.Community’s most iconic episode, “Modern Warfare,” was a game changer for not just the show but sitcoms overall,but the last try at the concept didn’t have the same charm. It introduced the mystery of “Silverballz,” too. However, it overwhelmed the episode’s storyline too much, which could have been warranted if it received a justifiable and satisfying conclusion.
Community
Cast
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
