Community: Basic Lupine Urology

What Happened, Yo!:

-A couple janitors discover that someone has smashed the Yam the study group had been growing for Biology. Annie becomes outraged when Professor Kane ensures that the group will get a passing grade, and decides to track down the culprit in hopes of getting the A she feels they deserve. Shirley sends Troy and Abed to gather suspects. Pierce tells them that Todd (From Competitive Ecology) probably did it, but Todd insists the door was locked when he came by the Bio room. Fat Neil informs them that Magnitude had checked out a key to the Bio room that night, and Magnitude informs them that the key was stolen from him. The trail leads them to Starburns, who Troy and Abed suspect but can't touch because they aren't cops. They break into his locker and find that he's been stealing supplies from the Bio Lab. Starburns tells them he was stealing stuff for the meth lab he's building in his trunk and that he had left the door open, and seen someone running out after having smashed the yam. After getting a pinky swear that they won't turn him in for his meth lab, Starburns names Todd as the culprit.

-Troy and Abed apprehend Todd and Annie and Jeff take their case to Professor Kane. However, Todd's uncle and Colonel from his time in the army shows up and insists that Todd not say anything. He says that Starburns is a shady witness, especially since they won't say why he was there that night and tries to force them to reveal why, but professor Kane chooses to honour the Pinky Swear and let Jeff and Annie present their case to the class. But the Colonel scares off Starburns, causing them to have no witness. Annie uses tricks and fake crying to get Todd to admit that he had accidentally dropped the yam, while he was looking at it, because of how hot the jar was. Annie gloats, but Jeff pulls her and Prof. Kane aside and requests that both the group and Todd get a C, saying that Annie lost her way in the pursuit of the truth and that they've gone too far. Prof. Kane agrees to the terms, but Jeff in closing, realizes that everyone has been struggling with this project because someone had been killing the roots at night by pouring hot water into the jars. He starts smashing Yams until he comes to one that doesn't smash, belonging to Vicki. Neil reveals that he was trying to throw off the grading curve so Vicki wouldn't fail and so they could have sex in his parents cabin during the summer. Prof. Kane is shocked by all this.

-Later in the Deans office, Jeff, Annie, the Dean, and Kane reflect on the case when a phone call comes in. Starburns has been rear-ended, causing the meth lab in his trunk to explode, and killing him.

I Liked This: Full disclosure: I have only seen a handful of episodes of Law & Order. I'm not even sure I've ever seen the original series. So I only had a surface-level knowledge of the show going into this episode. In spite of this however, I still found Basic Lupine Urology to be one of the funniest episodes of Community this season. Yeah, there wasn't really a big character story for any of our heroes (Something the best theme episodes usually have under the surface), but I was laughing so hard and so often, I didn't really care. From the intro narration (one of the aspects of L&O I am familliar with) to the tag of Dean Pelton singing Troy and Abed to sleep in the study room, there were big laughs all abound with Basic Lupine Urology. Every character was used well (Though Britta and Pierce were a bit underused, but the scenes they were in were great.) and the ultimate solution that Fat Neil was sabotaging everyone's experiments for the sake of Vicki was kind of sweet, and also very funny, especially with Professor. Kane's shocked reaction. And the ending with the shocking death of Starburns (That I figured out way back when the trailer for the rest of the season came out) ensures that in the grand scheme of things, this episode will wind up being very significant for the rest of the season.

But...: Sometimes I wondered if I would appreciate the episode even more if I was more of a fan of Law & Order. Just sometimes though.

The Bottom Line: Basic Lupine Urology was a brilliantly funny episode of Community, with lots of jokes, even if you weren't the biggest Law & Order fan. R.I.P Starburns. You will be missed.

Grade: 95% (Almost Perfect)

Memorable Moments

-Opening Narration: "Greendale Community College is represented by two separate, yet equally important groups of people: the goofballs that run around stirring up trouble, and the eggheads that make a big deal out of it. These are their stories."

-Chang: "Move along. Nothing to see here." Jeff: "First time those words have actually been true."

-Annie: "A passing grade? Like a C? Why don't I just get pregnant at a bus station!"

-Troy: "Looks like it's going to be a long night. How'd we manage to pull the short straw?" Abed: "It's not a short straw... it's a hot potato." Troy: "Yeah well, looks pretty cold. To me." Abed: "Cold? Or dead?" Troy: "Survey says-" Abed: "We can't both do the zinger." Troy: "Sorry."

-Abed: "Why were you late?" Pierce: "I.. fell asleep in a sunbeam." Abed: "A likely story." Troy: "Actually it is. I used to live with him. It's kind of adorable."

-Abed: "What happened Todd? Cut yourself on an extra sharp Oscar Wilde play?" Todd: "Oh, this? It's a burn. Home Ec class. Muffin." Troy: "What kind of muffin?" Todd: "Blueberry." Troy: "Why not raisin?" Todd: "That wasn't the assignment." Troy: "You can dance all day Todd, but sooner or later the music's going to change."

-Starburns: "Dead yam. Big deal. Order some ketchup." Troy: "That doesn't make sense! You don't order ketchup, it's a condiment!"

-Jeff: "Keep the change Garrett. You know what, keep the hot dog."

-Abed: "You're telling me that after all this, our suspect's going to slip away on the technicality that we're not police."

-Troy: "Clean-up on aisle busted."

-Troy and Abed: "Why do they always- (They look at each other) Why do they always-". Troy: "Your line." Abed: "Why do they always run?"

-Troy: "Well, well, look at this Abed: he weaves baskets AND lies."

-Troy: "Todd Jacobson, you have the right to do whatever you want. Nothing you say or do can be used against you by anyone, but we would really like it if you would come with us, please and thank you."

-Col. Archwood: "Objection. She's clearly ramping up to something." Jeff: "Objection. That's not a real objection." Prof. Kane: "Objection! I hate the both of you. You may proceed Ms. Edison, but do so with caution. Need I remind you that this is not a courtroom."

-Annie: "Is that why you hit your wife- withdrawn! Is that why you drink and pop pills- withdrawn! Are you a virgin- Withdrawn."

-Neil: "I did it! Vicky's yam never sprouted and I didn't want her to fail, so I threw off the grading curve so she wouldn't have to go to summer school and we could finally have sex in my parents cabin! God forgive me, I did it for love!"

-Prof. Kane: "Holy crap! We are definitely dissecting pine cones next year!"

-Annie: "After all the politics and procedure, in the end, the case really was about biology." Prof. Kane: "Told you it was an important subject."

-Prof. Kane: "Starburns got rear-ended and the meth lab in his trunk exploded: he's dead."

-Dean: "Troy and Abed off to dreamland, and catching the train to sleepytown. When they wake up, the dean will be here: staring at you. Sweet deans."