5 Awesome Things from Community ‘Curriculum Unavailable’: It’s Crazy Town Banana Pants

“Curriculum Unavailable” picks up two months after the Greendale Seven crew were expelled from Greendale Community College. Though “Course Listing Unavailable” leaves off on a note of hope from Troy Barnes, it seems that things have only gotten worse. This is an excellent episode of Community as they pull off another clip show style half hour, recalling events that we haven’t actually seen on the show as the study group accompanies Abed to therapy. It was funny, smart and carried a dark and creepy tone throughout as the last installment before the three episode season finale extravaganza.

1) Is this the Darkest Timeline? Last week in “Course Listing Unavailable” the discussion of the timelines came up again and Troy gave a little speech convincing the group that this isn’t the Darkest Timeline and they will all be okay. “Curriculum Unknown” takes place two months later. In this time Dean Pelton has been held captive by a violent (and insane?) Ben Chang who has taken over Greendale by force using an army child soldiers. While the rest of the study group is distressed at their expulsion from community college, Abed has spiraled out of control living in what seemed to be full time delusion, even though he is on the right track.

2) Greendale doesn’t exist. There was a brief moment when I thought they just might go there. Greendale was purgatory and the cast was all going to meet in a church and walk into the light.

3) Abed’s Got Issues. This is been something that we’ve been circling around all season. It was evident since season one that there’s something not quite right about our favourite pop culture loving imaginative elf-like man. In season two’s claymation Christmas episode Abed experiences a breakdown and we enter his mind. Season three has consistently put the squeeze on Abed’s issues, exploring his motivations and how he sees the world.

Abed has been put to the test in his falling out with Troy when he wasn’t able to comprehend how a friendship works and his ever-understanding BFF hit his breaking point. “Virtual Systems Analysis” has Annie break Abed and help him find himself again, learning empathy but also exploring the desperation and loneliness that Abed suffers on a regular basis.

This particular psychiatrist (excellently played by John Hodgeman) may have been on Chang’s payroll, but placing Abed in the care of a mental health professional raises a lot of issues about how the group has been coddling and enabling Abed’s behaviour the past few years, and how it will be dealt with in the future. The group will always accept Abed for his quirks, but I’m appreciating this forward movement on his issues, perhaps leading him to a place where he can be happier while still being that crazy, loveable, free spirit.

I’m glad that the rest of the group didn’t get off scott-free on this one. They all have issues that are part of why they ended up at Greendale, and were aired in a “clip” segment of untold Greendale stories.

4) Fake clip show within a fake clip show within a fake clip show. How quintessentially Community, mocking their clip show episode that wasn’t really a clip show episode by portraying it as something completely different. Watching the study group act out the first fake clip show in the insane asylum was something of a meta-mindbend. I don’t think I’ll be the only one to have this moment in their top 5. Bonus points for the muted colour palette in the insane asylum clips and Garett’s deep doctor voice. Full points for all the Insane Asylum bits, the secret trampoline and the paintball episode ran a close second.

5) All Hail the Dean.This may have been the “clip show” segment that had me laughing out loud the hardest throughout. A recurring joke in Community has been why the study group is so special. Starburns (may he rest in peace), with his own crew made a point of making sure they knew that Greendale doesn’t revolve only around them. There have been other moments where background characters have been given time to shine highlighting that the study group isn’t the only thing on campus. While some students may have felt like they were special too, Dean Pelton has always worked his hardest to show Jeff Winger and the others that they were his favourite, that they are special and the world, at least the Dean’s world, often does revolve around them.

Best moment, the Dean alerting the group about a fire before the rest of the school in his sassy firefighter outfit. What do you think?

Chang Watch 2012: Thankfully limited screen time this episode (I could have done without his mini-montage) though his presence loomed over the episode as a manic power hungry man pulling the strings, who overtook a school, kidnapped the dean and put everyone in this position in the first place. I’m not sure what to think of the development of Chang’s character over the seasons. The more I think about it the more it makes sense, power hungry Spanish teacher, disgraced professor then in his desperation grabbing at power again. He’s grown into more and more of a cartoon, though it’s Greendale so it’s not so unreasonable, but that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy his character. At least he’s been consistently used over the course of season three playing a foil for the study group.

Runners Up (a.k.a Bonus Awesome):

Troy and Abed in the Morning Nights! Jacks & Jills, calling Jeff and Annie, their smoking jackets and bourbons. I love Troy & Abed end tags!

Troy’s deconstructed bagel bite/Hot pocket/Doritos casserole for the pot luck that was totally Pierce’s idea.

“All you said was ‘I’m hungry'” “All Henry Ford said was ‘I need a ride'”

The police officer who loves Inspector Spacetime and Antiques Roadshow

“How long has Abed needed a crazy amount of help”

Britta (former) psych major taking notes and attempting a fist bump with the psychiatrist

Abed narrating Pierce’s life. That could have been a story for an entire episode

Troy determining that an all terrain vehicle means that he can ride it indoors.

Troy interpretation of “misadventures” “Our adventures are very manly”

Abed’s Don Draper impression, again.“Cigarettes”

The entire clip segment about Greendale, especially human chess and the insane classes including “Baby Talk”, “Advanced Breath Holding”, “Can I Fry That” and “Ladders”

Jeff says that the average community college students attends school for 5-7 years.  #Six SeasonsandaMovie y’all!

… This episode was so on point and full of jokes that I could just keep this list going for a long time.

What were your favourite moments of “Curriculum Unavailable”? Let me know what you thought of the episode in the comments!