Community is seeing a resurgence of popularity thanks to its release on Netflix last month, and millions of people are finally being able to witness the beauty that is Dan Harmon’s somewhat-autobiographical story of community college.
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In its six seasons, the show had some truly fantastic episodes, but we narrowed down the ten that we think are the absolute best! So let’s get to it:
Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas
This episode was fully done in claymation, and while it may have seemed like a gimmick at first, by the end of the episode, the medium is shown to serve a truly emotional purpose. But what made this episode so great was that it offered a glimpse into the mind and emotions of Abed, a character who never really opened up before. Being able to see into his mind was a unique opportunity that struck a chord with all of us.
Modern Warfare
This is the episode that really made it feel like Community was going to be something special. In classic Dan Harmon style, the episode saw the usual style of the show up-ended in favor of that more akin to a zombie apocalypse. Seeing all our favorite characters fighting their way through Greendale-turned-warzone was a true delight, and it showed the career the Russo Brothers were destined to have.
A Fistful of Paintballs
The show’s second season looked to one-up the first with another paintball episode, and they did in spades. This one was a fun take on western tropes and cliches, all while once again, showing us the true talent of the Russo Brothers in crafting an action scene. Pierce’s storyline in this one is also a delight to watch! It was even better when you realized it was just part one of two.
For a Few Paintballs More
And here is the second part! This episode saw the entire thing shift into an homage to Star Wars and it didn’t lose any of its fun or charm. Watching the group’s rebellion against the City College forces that have invaded the school is truly a blast. Again, Pierce has a great arc in this episode, and it sent the second season out with a bang.
Paradigms of Human Memory
This episode is a perfect example of the show’s ability to both parody common television tropes, while also using those tropes to its advantage. This episode is a mockery of the standard “clip” episode usually seen in sitcoms: when a show takes an episode to just reminisce about what has happened by showing clips of episodes past. But for Community, they had some fun with it by showing completely new clips of things we had never seen. It was a fun parody and delightfully self-aware episode that showed the strength of this show and its writing.
Regional Holiday Music
What’s better than some shots fired between shows? This episode was a jab at Glee, and it was full of random songs that poked fun at themselves. Tarran Killam also guest starred as the delightfully-twisted teacher of the Glee Club. Once you realized what this episode was going to be, it was a real blast to watch.
Beginner Pottery
This episode saw the beginning of Jeff’s rivalry with nice guy, Rich. What we really love about this episode was Tony Hale’s appearance as the pottery professor who bans any references to the classic scene from Ghost. His character is easy-going, loving, and kind, but when that scene is mentioned, he flies into rage. Perhaps its just the Buster Bluth fans in us, but it was a real treat to watch.
Aerodynamics of Gender
Watching Abed become a girl-insulting machine was both heartbreaking, yet hilarious. But the real core of this episode is Jeff and Troy discovering a hidden trampoline run by a groundskeeper, and Pierce’s intense jealousy that came from it. The parody of the story of the Garden of Eden is hilarious, but the end of the episode caps it all off in side-splitting fashion as we see that the groundskeeper is a racist, and Pierce breaks his leg by flying head-first into a dumpster.
Remedial Chaos Theory
This episode was nominated for an Emmy and it’s easy to see why. Exploring different timelines when a different decision to one choice is made, the episode shows us almost every facet and layer of these characters. It’s not just funny, but it also shows the complexity of each person.
Epidemiology
The absolute madness of this episode carves out its place on the list. A Halloween party turned zombie-apocalypse due to some questionable meat the Dean bought from an Army Surplus store is full of energy, humor, and great moments. Shout out, though, to the Dean dressing up as Lady Gaga for the whole thing.
So there you have it, our top 10 episodes of Community. We cannot recommend this show enough, and if you haven’t watched it yet, there is no better time than now. If you have, why not give it another watch?
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