Community 2×12 – “Asian Population Studies”

Every few years, I’m required by law to fall in love with a television show that is routinely snubbed by either critics or viewers.  Back in my high school years, this show was Freaks and Geeks. In my college years, it was Arrested Development. In my twenties, it’s Community. The award ceremonies are snubbing this excellent show like crazy while tongue-bathing Glee and Modern Family – the latter of which I enjoy, and I’m obsessed with the former to an almost unhealthy degree (more on that later), but I find Community to be more consistently funny, less predictable, and heartwarming in an offbeat way without being too sentimental.

SPOILERS BELOW.

Summary: Annie has a crush on Rich, the doctor who was in their pottery class last semester.  Jeff is insanely jealous of him, and the jealousy increases when Annie suggests inviting Rich to their study group.  Chang also wants to join the study group and makes vague threats involving puns about his name.  Meanwhile, Shirley has gotten back together with her ex-husband who once left her for a stripper, and she doesn’t remember having sex with Chang on Halloween (and neither does he).  Troy knows, confides in Pierce, and wackiness ensues! 

The Feminist in Me Says… It’s more than a little disturbing that Shirley and Chang don’t have any memory of having sex.  They hooked up after a moment of rapport, but now poor Shirley can’t remember how or why she would have consented to having sex with Chang.  And now she has to deal with the fact that she might be carrying his child!  How many times, in real life, do women wake up with no memory of what happened to them the night before, and not knowing what happened to their bodies?  It’s creepy.  To the show’s credit, though, I didn’t feel like we were ever supposed to laugh at Shirley.  We’re not thinking, “Ha ha, Shirley doesn’t know if she consented to sex, ha ha!”  We’re supposed to sympathize with her even as we laugh at the ridiculous situation.  Also, there’s the fact that the entire Greendale campus was given Rohypnol by the government after the zombie attack, so it’s too ludicrous to get upset about.  I only bring it up because this storyline would have offended me if it had happened on, say, How I Met Your Mother or one more grounded in “realistic” situations.

On another note, I love that Britta continues to be the ultimate hypocrite.  The way she constantly sells out in order to get what she wants never fails to amuse me.  She builds her feminist, anti-establishment soapbox, yet the minute Fat Neal offers her concert tickets, she flashes him as payment, and is then outraged to find out that the tickets were for mezzanine seats.  I like her character so much more as the typical college student hypocrite rather than “The Hot Girl Who Jeff Likes” they were trying to sell us in early season one.

The Comedian in Me Says… Writing reviews of Community is difficult for me, because I’m so tempted to just write a long list of all my favorite jokes.  The one at the end of this clip might be my favorite:

“Brown Jamie Lee Curtis,” following a conversation where “White George Foreman” and “Black Michael Chiklis” turned out to be the same person, is just brilliant.  I also loved Chang not knowing how to do the slow clap.

My Decision: It’s not one of my favorites of the season, but I’m so glad it’s back.  How many shows can have two characters hook up while dressed as Glinda the Good Witch and Peggy Flemming, during a zombie attack on Halloween, have their memories wiped by the government, and use it as a serious plot point several episodes later?  (Also, Jeff totally loves Annie and they need to get together now).