Community - Season 2 Thread (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Derek Miner

Not sure if Aziz Ansari could be considered Asian-American, but I did make the identical observation (sans ethnicity) to my co-worker yesterday.

Depends on what country you're in. When Americans think of Asian, they're really thinking East Asian -- ethnically Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Mongolian -- while when most Brits think of Asian, they're really thinking South Asian -- Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepali, Bengali and Maldivian. There's your useless fact for the day.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Adam - as a Brit, you're 'useless fact' rang true. Having been in the States for 15+ years now (and becoming a U.S. citizen as well) - when I think of Asian, it could be from any of the places you mentioned...its a little more complicated in my head nowadays [/url]

Not sure if Aziz Ansari could be considered Asian-American, but I did make the identical observation (sans ethnicity) to my co-worker yesterday.[/quote]
Depends on what country you're in. When Americans think of Asian, they're really thinking East Asian -- ethnically Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Mongolian -- while when most Brits think of Asian, they're really thinking South Asian -- Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepali, Bengali and Maldivian. There's your useless fact for the day.

 

[Hanson]

Referring to a Desi as an Asian is one of the biggest topic derailers in all the forums I've been on. For some reason, it really touches a nerve with a lot of the posters. When I was in college, the Asian Student Union was comprised of South and East Asians so I've never had a problem with it, but in some quarters, Asian = Oriental exclusively and they will fight this point vociferously and I don't exactly know why.


Speaking of Asians, I had completely forgotten that Chang was married until he mentioned that his wife threw him out for knocking up Shirley.

 

[EricW]

it reminds me of a joke from King of the Hill - Hank's Laotian neighbour said 'the greatest golfer in the world is Asian -> Tiger Woods'

 

[joshEH]

Some more awesome lines from this past week:


"...I do have a prepared statement."


"Many, many paragraphs of that were oddly-supportive."

"Wait till you hear the one I have for you."


"BNL? They're that fundamental?"


"We need to get something straight. First, this is the cutest thing that's ever happened to me."


"Magnitude is a one-man party!"


At first, I found the end to Jeff's storyline a bit treacly, but three days of digestion has softened my position. I particularly like that he's still glib and snarky and perpetually-annoyed at almost everything, while embracing his friends and resigning himself to the vulnerabilities that come with close relationships.


The cynicism and sarcasm are core parts of his personality, and opening up to love/friendship/whatever won't erase them. I've always found 180-degree personality changes incredibly creepy, both in art and real life. Luckily, this show doesn't seem to be heading there.

 

[Derek Miner]

Originally Posted by Hanson Yoo /forum/thread/304116/community-season-2-thread/240#post_3780923

 

[Lucia Duran]

Still love this show just as much as I did when I saw the first episode. The only episode I can say is my least favorite was the xmas episode. The D&D episode is probably right up there with the paintball episode for me as far as favorites go. The latest episode was very enjoyable.

 

[joshEH]

"YOU CAN'T DISAPPOINT A PICTURE!!!!!!!!!"


Just when I think the show can't possibly get any smarter or any funnier, it does both.


Brilliantly.


Just absolutely amazing.


Donald Glover wins the world with last night's episode. As I was walking to my kitchen, I literally fell to the floor clutching my gut, because I was laughing so hard at Troy's meltdown.


It took me a bit to get used to the format of it, and I still think the documentary format should be left to the Offices and Modern Families of the world, but they made it work. And it was a good way to start resolving Pierce's arc of major prickishness.


Troy's break-room freakout really was incredible, though.


"Set phasers to 'LOVE ME'!!!!"


"...Well, more fish for Kunta."


I cracked up at Britta trying to pump herself up. "Problem solved! Dilemma de-leted! BRITTA FOR THE WIIII-IN!" Jacobs was super-cute there. And wow, even Abed marginalizes Shirley.


A vengeful Pierce is a wondrous thing. I can't say a single thing against this episode. This show is just so unbelievably good right now. I didn't know how they were going to top Season One, but they're not just topping it, they're blowing it out of the water.

 

[Patrick Sun]

"...Well, more fish for Kunta."


I think I may have found a new signature line.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by joshEH

And it was a good way to start resolving Pierce's arc of major prickishness.

That's been my only problem with these recent episodes. While it works in the story, they've taken Pierce from being funny-mean (like Mr. Burns on The Simpsons for example) to just making me hate him because he's so mean and ugly.


And that "more fish for Kunta" line was absolutely hilarious.

 

[joshEH]

(Click








Also, I love how "late" the Firefly shout-out is, and the naivete and belief in Troy's face when he tells Abed "they'll bring it back."


"It's Gregory Hines all over again!!"


"See what I just did there? That was an 'explanabrag'."


"I was nostalgic from a very early age."


"You know what Dylan Thomas said about death?" "No. Tell me." "...Bluff called."


"Britta, you're the selfless one of the group, right?" "Wouldn't know. Haven't thought about myself in years."

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Patrick Sun

"...Well, more fish for Kunta."


I think I may have found a new signature line.

Ahhhhhg! I switch to Comcast last week and have been getting low signal on my NBC HD channel. The episode cut out in the last two minutes so I missed it. I tried to get them out yesterday, but they couldn't make it until today.

 

[Quentin]

Set phasers to LOVE ME!!


But, I agree with Travis. I think they may have taken Pierce too far. I'm sure they'll snap back, but he's gone so far over the deep end that I don't think any redemption can be credible/believable.

 

[Greg_S_H]

To answer LeVar's question: both. I was too old for Reading Rainbow, but I watched it anyway since he is so likeable. One day, he and a friend made a spinach and rice lasagna that I still need to try to make. I'm glad I got to hear Troy singing the theme.


I don't think Pierce is too far gone since we know and everyone else knows that he was on the drugs. I'm not saying everything somebody does on drugs is excuseable, but a personality change is at this point. He went a little far with Jeff especially, but the unfortunate thing about the show embracing the outlandish is that it doesn't matter. If someone acted this way on Parenthood, it would be unforgiveable, but Community has built a fantasy world where we can't really judge what is appropriate and what is not. Not knocking the show with that, but I think if Pierce continues with the detox and then acts very remorseful, and maybe even makes a personality change for the better, it'll be alright.

 

[joshEH]

I think it is very telling that Pierce being actively malevolent (as opposed to clueless-but-mostly-well-intentioned, the way he was for most of the first year) happened almost immediately after his mother died. (Even if he didn't acknowledge that anything of the kind had happened.) He's terrified of being alone in his old age; that's the thing that's motivated pretty much everything he's done since the series began.


I'm really loving Pierce's recent extreme dickishness. Because this is such a good-natured show when all is said and done, I feel like I can sit back and enjoy Jeff dragging Pierce out of his car and mercilessly beating the shit out of him and not have to worry about, "OMG Pierce is a monster, how will the group ever be able to face him again?". This isn't a Todd Solondz flick, and it's obvious Harmon and the writers love all these characters.


Jeff and Britta's hypothetical "Dad-meets-Dad" scene utterly destroyed me. I'm now very interested in meeting Britta's parents in some future episode.

"My third wish would be for a million wishes, but I'd just use them all on a million signed photos of LeVar Burton."


Donglover is a fucking champion in this episode. Hell, in this entire show. His facial expressions are a national treasure.

 

[Jacinto]

Originally Posted by joshEH /forum/thread/304116/community-season-2-thread/270#post_3782677

 

[Citizen87645]

I guess we know why he goes by Donald now.

 

[joshEH]

According to an interview, Glover used to go by "Don" in real life, until an e-mail or Twitter address highlighted the joke in "donglover."


And OMG. Please let this be true.


Dan Harmon is actually playing a whole different game than any other sitcom-showrunner right now. Perhaps ever.


I loved that this episode finally gave Gillian Jacobs a chance to do more than comically freak out over a cause. And Harmon really needs to write a screwball comedy for her and McHale. If Brie, Glover, Jacobs and McHale are loyal to him, Harmon will have an absolute goldmine at his fingertips for future projects.

 

[joshEH]

The cast of Community in GQ.


Also, from Dan Harmon's blog, re: the issue of whether or not the show will go longer than four years:

"Do you have any ideas to make the show last beyond four seasons if it were to continue being renewed? Four years just seems way too low!"

I will bet my life the show can and will go beyond four seasons should it be given the opportunity, but I feel like it would subtract something irreplaceable from a viewer’s experience to expound on that now, with ideas ("they all grow beards and become teachers!") If you feel anxious about what’s going to happen at the end of year four, then you feel how many of our characters feel, which is a hard-won immersion in TV. Given all we have to work AGAINST in a transitory setting like a school (as opposed to a family or work sitcom), I would never take away from the viewer one of the best things going FOR the setting, which is a distinct "time is moving, the future is uncertain but it’s coming" feeling.
When I get this question, at least from a fan, what I choose to hear is, "please tell me you think and care about this, tell me you don’t think I’m stupid for wanting something so silly to last so long." You have come to the right show with this need. The writers want the same thing from the show that you want, for the same amount of time. I don’t expect it to cure cancer or feed Africa but I want it to live and breathe a full life.

By the way, I wonder, does anyone ever ask this question of Glee? Don’t they have to graduate, too? Also, THEY KEEP SINGING. Are they going to keep singing for twelve years? Name one show about singing that’s lasted longer than - oh, never mind. Next question.

Hahaha...I KNOW many folks have wondered about how they'll handle Glee after its third season. That's one show I would definitely want ended after Season 3.


But Community, I would love to continue now that I know Harmon is already thinking about it. And props to him for not saying what any of those plans are to keep us "immersed" in the present of the show.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Never watched Glee, but I guess they could move in new students. I think Degrassi: TNG does that, though I've never seen it, either. Friday Night Lights did it.