Okay, I have to issue a disclaimer: Community is one of my most favorite fandoms. I’m obsessed and pretty unbelievably happy that my little show that could refuses to die. So forgive if I gush in this review, season six kicked off with an amazing two episode start and I really couldn’t find any legitimate cons.
Episode 1: Ladders
Pros:
I’m as high as hell and you’re about to get shot: I know it sounds insane, especially considering the lyrics, but this song has had a somewhat poignant role in Community. It played in the first episode, right before the Dean made his welcome speech and it played at the very end of the last episode of season four (after Leonard’s review of Let’s potato chips as a “buy”) when none of us thought we’d see a season five. Playing that weird song, whatever it is because I cannot find it online, was a nice homage to Community’s amazing ability to survive.
Montages, montages, montages: We got an Abed cleaning up Greendale montage, Abed emailing Diane montage (my personal favorite), a getting drunk at the speakeasy montage, a everyone getting as drunk as they want montage, and an apology montage. They were all hilarious, fantastic, and a delightful little Meta-Abed touch.
The Butcher and the Baker: Yvette Nicole Brown will be sorely missed this season. The core cast is dwindling, and she was the only one to not leave because they were either a total dick or went kind of crazy there for a minute. First of all, the story that they gave her character for her exit was fantastic (moved to Georgia to take care of her father and became the personal chef for a brilliant but disturbed detective) and then actually turning it into a spinoff show was downright brilliant. It was a sweet and funny way to give Shirley a little bit of love this season. Also, the noose moving by itself at the end of the clip, WHAT?!
Shut up Leonard: “Shut up Leonard! I mistook six people for you at a pharmacy!” – Britta. That’s all, I just love “Shut up Leonard” moments.
We didn’t miss a beat: Overall, this episode was a seamless transition from last season. You would never have guessed that since you last saw it Community had been cancelled by one network, picked up by another, lost two more key cast members, and has been off the air for 11 months. The episode was so well written it felt just like the Community I’ve always known and loved. The writers and actors adapted with grace and humor and truthfully I am impressed and ecstatic.
Cons:
The Dean didn’t wear a costume?: This is not a legitimate con, I honestly have no complaints with this episode.
Predictions:
A Garrett and Leonard Team Up: I don’t know, this might happen. Clearly Garrett is kind of evil and harboring some bad blood towards the group, what with the staring and shaking with clenched fists while ominous music played. But then Leonard was watching him the whole time, was their eye contact like a knowing “let’s get ‘em” thing or did Leonard chase Garrett away? I kind of have no idea, but a team up between the two of them would be hilarious. Hell, even Garrett going all vigilante on his own would be hilarious, but if I’m being honest with myself, and I know Community, nothing will ever come of whatever the hell that moment was.
Episode 2: Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care
Pros:
Watching the Dean move through virtual reality in actual reality: Once again, the Dean donned no costume but this was somehow better. He spent basically the entire episode in Lawnmower Man gear making the most absurd movements to move files and become a god in his virtual reality filing system. The only hard part was the kind of disturbing scene when he drowned the serial number file. Oh and let’s not forget his continuous shouting of “And Jesus wept because there were no more worlds to conquer!”
Holy sh*t, Britta IS crazy: I mean, we all knew she was the worst but my god she is kind of insane isn’t she? She eventually came around, but it’s almost as if she and Chang switched personalities for this episode. She was paranoid, irrational, accusatory and apparently has a history of arson. While it was funny, I have to admit this is kind of out of nowhere.
Frankie: I, much like Abed, don’t really like change and I especially hate placeholder characters. I was a little afraid of what they would do with the empty female spot and I was especially alarmed when it seemed like they would use Frankie as a villain within the group. I must say she has turned out to be really funny and a great fit. She’s awkward and quirky and her “boring” persona so far plays really well with the group. In the first two episodes she’s actually had some of the funniest lines. For example, in response to Britta hiding in the back of her car because she had nowhere else to go, Frankie yelled “Nowhere else but my car?! Do you know how big the planet is?!” All I can really say is Frankie, welcome to the family.
Hard Drive and the Wing Man: Please tell me that every episode will now feature a fake spinoff. Seriously, that might be the only thing that can fill the hole in my heart left by Troy and Abed in the Morning not existing anymore.
Keith David: Yes, yes a thousand times yes. I am beyond excited for Keith David to be a part of the cast. It was awesome enough when he narrated the Pillow/Blanket Fort documentary and Jeff called him out for being in The Cape, but I am just so excited about him being the new token old guy.
Joelno-Alto Prejuizo Moral: Translation: Knee High Mischief. AKA the Portuguese version of Gremlins Annie and Abed try to watch with Britta. I didn’t quite pay attention to it until the episode ended with the trailer for the movie. I have to say, it looks both amazing and terrifying and I’m pretty sad it’s not a real thing. You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBkA2kdowEc
Predictions:
This season will continue to make NBC rue the day they cancelled Community: Suck it NBC. In the last two years they have cancelled basically all of my favorite comedies, The Office, Parks and Recreation and Community. Oh, and 30 Rock although I think they chose to end on their own. Either way, for whatever reason Community never quite found its audience and even when it did they were not strong enough to stand up to corporate ignorance and greed. Man, did I just sound like Britta or what? Anyway, I don’t know if it was over people’s heads or below their brows, but I’ve never understood why Community wasn’t being recognized for what it was: one of the funniest, most genuine and creative shows to hit TV in a long time. I’m so happy Yahoo! recognized its greatness and that I’ll get to continue watching. However, I’m aware this is the sixth season so I damn well better get my movie.
Hush Comics “Ladders” and “Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care” an A for not missing a step in the transition and introducing new and dynamic characters.
Hush Comics 