Community is very good at high-concept episodes like “Modern Warfare” or this season’s “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics,” but it’s nice to see them do something a little more straightforward. Well, straightforward to a point; let’s remember what show we’re talking about. And it’s a testament to how well-run the show is that it can juggle three storylines and bring them all to a conclusion in twenty-two minutes.
“Analysis of Cork-Based Networking” is a perfect example. The main storyline involves Annie and Professor Hickey trying to get the bulletin board re-hung in the cafeteria, and dealing with all the red tape and favor-granting that goes on behind the scenes. At the same time, Britta is determined to spoil the plot of Bloodlines and Conquest, Abed’s beloved HBO fantasy series; and Jeff, Chang, Duncan, and Shirley are in charge of decorating the cafeteria for the evening’s midterm dance. That’s a lot of characters and goings-on to keep track of, but Community handles it with aplomb.
(A small digression: I love the addition of the Save Greendale Committee to the show. It’s a great way to get everyone around the study table at the beginning of each episode, and it explains why professors like Jeff, Duncan, and Hickey would be spending so much time with students.)
Annie and Professor Hickey run into problems almost immediately, with the intransigent custodial staff, led by Bob White (played by an underutilized Nathan Fillion). This leads them to the IT department, which leads them to the parking department (headed by none other than Robert Patrick), which leads them to the Dean. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s Mal Reynolds and the T-1000 in the same episode; future guest starts include Vince Gilligan, David Cross, and Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, so I think this goddamn show is trying to break the internet.
Alison Brie and Jonathan Banks have great chemistry together, his sour mixing with her sweet. Plus it’s just nice that she’s given something to do, instead of just mooning over Jeff.
In fact, a few characters are used better in this episode than they have been in the past, especially Chang, who has been problematic in the past, to put it mildly. Him repeating “bear down for midterms” became funnier each time, and also made less sense. Ken Jeong sold the hell out this, and as I write this I’m planning on going to the dean of my school and suggesting we have a similarly themed dance.
I try not to be too much of a fanboy in these reviews – I don’t want it to devolve into “This was funny! And that was funny! A-plus!” But I can’t really help it. After season four, I would have preferred to see the show cancelled than to return without Dan Harmon, but Harmon and his deliriously talented crew of writers and directors have spent the last six episodes reassuring us that Community is in the right hands. This episode was especially important, because it had to answer the question, “What does Community look like without Pierce or Troy?” The answer is, simply, different. While both those characters are irreplaceable, their absence allows for more breathing room around the study table, allowing new and different Greendale students and faculty to drift into their orbit. And that’s a good thing, especially if it means more episodes end like tonight, with Garrett screaming “IT’S A BEAR DANCE!”
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