Community Recap: Season 3 Episode 5, "" (10/27/2011)
More Community: Recaps | News | All TV Recaps | TVOlogy |
It's always wonderful when a show like Community has a Halloween episode. I mean, let's face it, Halloween episodes are usually better than regular episodes anyway, for any show. But in a show like Community, which relishes in extensive knowledge of culture, Halloween episodes are fantastic because they're usually smart, funny, and look like so much fun to do. "Horror Fiction In Seven Spooky Steps" is one of those fantastic, stand alone episodes which really reminds you that there's no other show like Community on TV.
The episode opens with the groups pre-party before the Greendale Halloween dance. The lights flicker- the Dean blames this on Halloween but in reality everyone knows it's because Greendale is broke. Britta pulls Jeff aside (he's dressed as one of the guys from The Fast & The Furious) and tells him that the psych test that she made the group take has disturbing results. Particularly that one member of the group could be a homicidal psychopath. She wants to weed out who it might be before it's too late.
She gathers the group around to tell them ghost stories to see how they react. This begins seven different "scary" stories that each have their own personal flourish by whomever is telling the story. Britta starts hers and the narration is horrendous, therefore the dialogue between the two lovebirds (who are Jeff and Britta in the story) is stilted.
After she's done with her story, Abed insists that it was no good, that audiences wouldn't attach themselves to such foolish characters. His story involves himself and Britta in a secure cabin. The whole thing is so practical (think: what smart people would do in real life) that the group is bored. Annie is next to take over and her story involves vampires and werewolves (of course). She plays the innocent school teacher and Jeff plays the vampire that wants to learn how to read. Even though Teacher Annie teaches Jeff the wonders of literacy, he still wants to feast on her neck. Suddenly, Annie turns into a werewolf and viciously devours Jeff in a quite sadistic manner.
Annie's story disturbs the group- could she be a sociopath? But the group moves on next with Troy's story, which obviously involves Troy and Abed. The two of them are injured fighter pilots who stumble upon a cabin inhabited by the evil Pierce. Pierce drugs them and ends up sewing the two together, not knowing that combining such powerful forces gives them telepathy. The two (or one, I suppose) knock Pierce out and sew his butt to his chest and switch his feet and his hands (much to the dismay of real Pierce).
Pierce goes next and his story obviously involves some kind of perverted fantasy. The ladies are all dressed in lingerie (having had sex with him) when two intruders come into Pierce's cabin and attack. They are Troy (as Coolio, still culturally relevant) and Abed as Flava Flav. Pierce knocks them out with his giant penis. It's inappropriate to say the least.
The last story is from Shirley, who paints more of a lecture than a spooky tale. The group (sans Pierce) party in 90s clothes and do drugs while the rapture happens. The Dean shows up dressed as a sexy devil to tell them their horrible fate. Shirley appears as an angel to prevent them from getting poked (among other things) but then refuses to help them be raptured.
Finally, the group gets frustrated and tries to leave for the dance. Britta stops them, tells them that one person is a psychopath. They all start to question Britta's logic (she does make mistakes an awful lot) but then turn on each other. The lights go out and suddenly they all bare weapons, just in case one of them is evil.
Jeff stops this with his own tale, that the group is having hot cocoa in the cabin when a murderer comes in- it turns out it's Chang and he just kills because he wants to be loved. This ends in a group hug.
The study group agrees that Jeff's story is pretty lame so they go to Britta's test. Turns out she "Britta'd" them, she graded them upside down. When she does get the grades back, the group finds that only one person is sane in the entire group.
The episode ends but wishes us Happy Halloween and reveals that the only sane one is Abed.
I think the reason why I liked this episode is the reason why I like Community so much as a whole. It changes from week to week in a strangely graceful manner. It's mad cap- kind of like what would happen if an animated show was actually live action. The Halloween episode had something for everybody and kept me laughing. To think I was worried about the third season of Community.
Grade: 9/10
SumOlogy: Oh, and Abed and Troy were Dr. Who and a Tardis respectively.
Extra quotes:
"In the news tonight, top story, an escaped convict from the asylum has escaped and he's on the loose and stuff."- Radio DJ
"I'm comforted by your shiny hair and facial symmetry."- Abed
When the Dean is a chainsaw weilding devil: "GAY MARRIAGE."
"I don't care, I lived in New York" "Ugh, it's like New York out there." -Britta, in Shirley's story.
"Pilates is a demon that eats your genitals." -The Dean as the Devil
"I have Michelle Morris interviewing Errol Norris. Don't worry, they address it." - Britta
--
Follow me on twitter @emilyfcheever
Want to connect with other Community Ologists? Join the discussion at My.Ology!
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment!