Two earths. Blue and red as colour codes. Though they never specifically mentioned it, it certainly seems like Community was paying homage to another show not enough people are watching: Fringe. It was a reference that only people who watch both shows would understand, but it was much appreciated in an episode that wasn't as good as the premiere, but was still a solid episode of a great show.
The episode is Annie-centric and introduces us to a new character who is asian Annie. Literally. Her name is Annie Kim, she's in Annie's political science class and she's really similar to Annie at the start of the series, or even high school Annie who got so addicted to Adderall that she tried to straighten the lines on her high school football field during a game. They try to act like they're friends, but the group sees through it and when Annie Kim takes Annie's idea to start a Model U.N, Annie (who's trying to pretend that it doesn't bother her and it doesn't matter) gets Jeff who declare they're going to start their own model U.N. But according to Professor Cligoris, who really, really likes Model U.N's, there can only be one so the two face off in a battle royale of sorts.
The battle royale is the bulk of the middle act and it's fine. The goal is for the U.N's to achieve world peace first by solving a lot of crisises shot at them by Garrett. Abed is the one who asks if the reason there is two U.N's is because there's two earths, of course and his obsession with the multiple earths is quite funny. As is Troy talking in an accent when he finds he's representing Georgia and Pierce assuming Somalia is a tropical paradise. After the initial crisis the royale flashes by in a series of images and sound bites. I was a little disappointed that the writer's didn't use the opportunity to fill the other U.N with characters like Leonard or Magnitude, but that was probably a time thing. Anyways Earth-1 (the study group) is about to win, when someone farts and they all get distracted. This causes Annie to have a meltdown, and a tantrum as she flees the room. Jeff goes on with her.
What's going on with Annie and Jeff? Because from the scene where he talks to her and tells her that she's growing up, plus other things in the episode plus that line from Jeff's fantasy last episode, it seems something has happened between them that we're not aware of. And unlike Jeff sleeping with Britta for most of season 2, the writers are being a lot less subtle about it. If they're gonna get together/are together, hopefully we learn more soon. Because the scene was nice, but confusing.
Much better was the conclusion, where the study group uses Switzerlands technology (I forget which tech exactly, but it's allowed because "the science holds".) to "break through" to earth-2 U.N and propose that they both concede and form a united United Nations. Annie Kim sees this a pointless symbolic gesture and refuses, but is informed by Professor Cligoris that her actions, while logical are againts the spirit of the true U.N, which was based on symbolic gestures and empty promises, meaning Blue U.N (Earth 1!) wins.
The show also had a pretty great subplot where Britta is feeling upset that an old friend is in prison somewhere and she's in college. She needs to feel validated as an activist and wants to stir things up. Meanwhile, Chang needs validation as a security guard, when he learns that campus security doesn't do anything. So Britta starts acting out and Chang starts oppressing her in a series of sequences done to Lioniel Richie's "Hello". The parallels to a romance movie are obvious but that's part of the fun. The conclusion (where Britta, while not wanting to do anything illegal disrupts the model U.N faceoff and Chang, who'd been disillusioned is sent to stop her) isn't as strong as the stuff that proceeded it for this plot, but is still funny. Especially when Chang tases Britta and carries her out in his arms.
So Community delivers a second episode that, while not as strong as last weeks, continues to be entertaining. Community still has all the potential for an amazing third season. All it needs now... are viewers who have a neilson box. Seriously.
Grade: Awesome! (Good)
Memorable Moments
-No Dean this week. That's fine because he probably couldn't fit organically into the story.
-Pierce had some funny lines this week. Already I'm liking him more this season than in season 2.
-Jeff: "How progressive of you to have a multi-cultural evil twin."
-Pierce: "They're ruthless. Not Asians. Women".
-Jeff: "Uruguay kindly requests that Somalia stops pronouncing it Ur-a-gay."
-Jeff: "Annie stop. You're acting like a little school girl and not in the hot way".
-Sorry for lateness. Had no access to internet yesterday. Parks and Rec and Office opinions coming up shortly.
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