Based on the response in various corners of the internet, this seems like a very divisive episode.
I've seen a lot of people say that this episode is wildly inconsistent with Abed's characterization throughout the series, but I think, having rewatched seasons one and two during the hiatus, that that shows some fundamental misunderstanding about Abed as a person. Abed has always had been intensely insecure, and intensely self-involved, and he has rarely showed empathy with anyone other than Troy, and even that has been rare. We've known from the very beginning that he's got some mental impairment - presumably Asperger's - so the argument that he's "become increasingly dysfunctional" isn't accurate. I think his friends, and us as viewers, have only grown to understand his dysfunction deeper as time has passed.
What did you guys think? Pretty hefty episode, yeah?
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Cokes as The Green Lantern, by fr0q http://img.imgcake.com/greencokespngsa.png
The cold open might be my favorite Dean moment. I laughed so long at that.
But yeah, I liked it. Abed knows he's not normal. He knows he's not going to grow up to have the same kind of life everyone else is going to have. He's just now starting to come to terms with that, I think. And, well, he's not sure how.
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http://i50.tinypic.com/23qx00.jpg "First time I got punched in the face, I was like "oh no", then I was like "this is a story"."
From: WaIker | #002 he showed empathy that one time he delivered a baby
I don't think this requires empathy, actually. I mean, if you're an obstetrician, it does, but I think in Abed's case it was more the result of curiosity and mechanics - I think he wanted to do it to see how it works more than because he wanted to do something good for someone else. At least, that's how I read some of his body language in those background scenes (and based on how we've seen him act when he's confronted with something that he doesn't understand)
Abed's always been emotionally distant, but he has had his moments where he truly tries to connect to the study group. Like for example, the episode where he stays up all night drinking with Jeff to help him reestablish his 'dynamic' with Britta. And that was his thing - he couldn't connect with people except through references to pop culture, and when it worked for him it worked. And yeah it wasn't often at all.
I guess the problem is that so far the third season hasn't really changed that, but he hasn't had those moments with anyone. It's just accentuated his awkwardness a bit so they could do this empathy episode. For example the actor look-alike episode, which kind of jump started all of this.
I don't think it was a bad episode, but it did come off as a little heavy-handed at times. I dunno. I'd have to rewatch it.
Of course, I also loved the Ken Burns documentary style "Pillows and Blankets" (except the resolution was weak).
I checked the Community topic, and itseems to be a constant civil war over every episode being either the best of the season (or rather, second best) or the worst of the season.
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Luster: Yeah, that's the most intense method of consuming cocaine.
For the sake of discussion, here is what I have rated episodes of Community so far this season, in reverse chronological order. All grades given on the same day I watched the episode.
Visual Systems Analysis - A Origins of Vampire Mythology - B+ Pillows and Blankets - A- Digital Exploration of Interior Design - B+ Contemporary Impressionists - B- Urban Matrimony & Sandwich Arts - A-
Regional Holiday Music - A- Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism - A- Documentary Filmmaking Redux - A Studies in Modern Movement - B+ Advanced Gay - B+ Horror Fiction In Seven Spooky Steps - B Remedial Chaos Theory - A- Competitive Ecology - A- Geography of Global Conflict - B Biology 101 - B+
I actually didn't like this episode that much. Something just seemed off, entertainment wise, for me, even though I wouldn't really call it badly written or anything. Just found it kind of dull.
I thought this episode captured Abed perfectly, which is good because I actually thought they've been slipping with him lately. The way he behaved in the celebrity look alike episode was all kinds of wrong.
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The batman villians all seem to be one big joke that batman refuses to laugh at - SantaRPG
I had a bigger problem with Annie in this episode than with Abed. after knowing him for as long as she did, the way she treated him in this episode was unbelievable to me. there's no way by this point that she'd JUST be figuring out how legit messed up he really is and behave so ignorantly toward him unless she was a totally awful and clueless human being (which she has never been shown to be before).
Annie has always been portrayed as someone who tries to fix things. That's why she's been so into Jeff. I think it's more that she resisted the urge to try to "fix" Abed up until now - in large part because he's been nicer to her than anyone else - but finally burned out a bit after being with him one-on-one for as much time as she spent with him this week
that could be accurate. to me, this episode felt like something that should have happened between them long ago and so it felt out of place. but you might be right and I'm just splitting hairs.