Wow! The first tv show watched of 2014 and it’s was phenomenal! I did not realize precisely how much impact the return of creator Dan Harmon would have on the show.
Repilot: A dark episode. Jeff Winger is at Greendale for nefarious purposes, gets hooked up with the members of the study group, is about to be a complete dick, but decides to do the right thing. This could be a description of the original pilot. Instead of trying to get a quickie degree/grade, he is trying to get a lawsuit against the school. The episode, as a proper pilot should, sets up the series again. This was an actual reboot of this show. Jeff is now a teacher and the rest of the gang re-enrolls to better their failed lives.
Introduction to teaching: The second episode aired tonight might be one of the funniest. Jeff adjusts to teaching, discovers the teachers lounge and tries to skate by without actually working. Abed takes a film class on Nicholas Cage and gets sucked in by the eternal question: Is he a good actor or a bad actor? This causes a complete mental collapse as he tries to solve this unanswerable question. Uproxx provides the best gif of this moment.
After starting a riot, the study group evolves into the “Save Greendale Student/Teacher group” adding Joseph Banks (Mike from Breaking Bad) as the other teacher in gang- filling the older male hole left by Chevy Chase.
I’ll be honest- this was near perfection. Six season and a movie might be possible now. Dan Harmon has proven that he is the only person that understands Abed, and it was great to see the character redeemed right off the bat. These episodes also had the best use of Leonard in ages. Even the Dean was toned down from the cartoon he evolved into. Community is back.
Makes me want to re-enroll.
The Skinny from the Fatty 