1801

I liked it; agreed, not the best episode ever, but neither was the first episode. I’m willing to be patient.

1802

I’m not really sure how to answer that other than to say that I didn’t laugh once either. I smile a few times, but I don’t believe I’ve ever watched a Community episode and not laughed at least once, but it didn’t happen here. That doesn’t mean I think the whole season is a wash or the new showrunners are untalented hacks. It just means I didn’t like this episode. I’ll watch next week.

I do agree with whoever said that it felt there was something off about the whole thing. It’s like they were trying to ape Dan Harmon’s style but couldn’t quite get there so most of the jokes didn’t work. Perhaps if it was a pilot for an entirely new show it would have worked better, but I was expecting everything to be like Community and follow the already established rhythms, and it didn’t. I know that’s not fair since Harmon was the lifeblood of the show, but it’s not something I can help. I’ve seen most of the episodes 2-3 times so even if I tell myself I shouldn’t expect it to be like it was I can’t help it. My brain is expecting a certain flow from the jokes and it’s not getting them so I’m not laughing. Perhaps as the season goes on that will change.

1803

I’m with Cornbread here. I don’t know how to explain why it was unfunny to me but it just was. I found parts of season 3 the same way but not to this extent. I also agree with the statement that they were trying to copy Harmon’s style but didn’t know what made it tick and thus the jokes didn’t work. Hopefully it gets better and I’ll continue to watch unless it stays flat all season for me.

1804

Is it too possible that it being too meta ruins some of the enjoyment? Plus, I don’t like Chang.

1805

My impressions.

It was a decent episode, more or less it was still Community. There were a pair of weird jokes very Community-style that felt flat instead of being funny, in them it was noticeable the change of staff behind the cameras and how they are trying to be like before, but failing sometimes.

That’s what I would like to say but the episode had a bigger flaw, the whole Abed tv world part. First, It was too meta, it rubs in the wrong way as it seems they writers thought “let’s say, Community is famous for being a “meta” series for geeks so let’s do an episode where we deal with the changes of direction and writers that the fans know they happened, and we will do a parody of the comedies they don’t like, full of canned laughter and sitcom tropes”. Just too meta.
And second, it was several scenes of unfunny parody. Yeah, I know the joke is they are doing a parody of another style, but that’s scenes where I’m not laughing and so they are being wasted.

1806

We will see if my Pierce prediction comes true. I was a bit off on the casting, but Fred Willard isn’t a bad choice.

1807

It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be after Harmon left. It was still funnier than everything else I watch but Happy Endings.

1808

The Willard choice might have had more significance than originally meets the eye.

Aside from that, I finally got to rewatch and actually hear what the Dean said when Jeffrey asked him to be his tango partner: “The fountain–it works!” which makes that scene a LOT funnier–right up there with the “Not for the usual reasons” line.

Opinion of episode rising slightly.

1809

It was okay, not great but not terrible. The timing/editing and camerawork seemed a little off to me, but it could have been a placebo effect.

1810

I just watched it. Even going in with low expectations and an open mind, I fucking hated it. Hated. It made me so depressed I needed some modern family to cheer me back up. We’re likely not gonna watch any further episodes unless we hear it improves, which I hope it does. This show deserves better.

1811

It wasn’t great, but there have been not-great Community episodes before. Its hard for me to blame it on the new writers (yet). I hope the next episode doesn’t try to hard and just gets back to the cast and their jokes.

1812

It wasn’t great, but there have been not-great Community episodes before. Its hard for me to blame it on the new writers (yet). I hope the next episode doesn’t try to hard and just gets back to the cast and their jokes.

1813

A good interview with one of the writers here

1814

Basically all comedies that do a “we’re about to be cancelled” or “We’ve just been resurrected” episode suck for that episode. I’m not particularly worried (any more than before, anyway) on the assumption that they just needed to get it out of their system.

1815

You do realize the writing staff isn’t completely changed, right?

1816

Very interesting indeed thanks!

1817

Harmon was a master at keeping the level of Chang in Community just right. Most shows would’ve viewed him as the breakout star and then made him their Urkel. Harmon knew that a little Chang goes a long way and that he should be used sparingly. Towards the end of the last season, they had veered off course in that aspect. Let’s hope they correct that course this season…although that final scene makes me doubtful

1818

Are you kidding? They went full Chang with the stupid episodes about him taking over the school. That was a seriously britta’d storyline.

There was brilliant Community under Harmon, but there were a few very crappy episodes too.

1819

Which was when?

Oh yeah…

edit: hmmm…in looking over the episode guide for community on wikipedia, i discovered that the writer of season 4’s opener last week was actually the same writer for what I consider my favorite episode of Community, Pillows and Blankets.

1820

O_O No shit? I wonder what the hell happened, because Pillows and Blankets was brilliant.