Season premiere review: Community ‘History 101’ – Instagram For Besties

The first episode of the post-Harmon era of Community had a lot riding on it: fans have been left out in the cold by NBC, surrounded for the past nine months with nothing but bad news and feelings of sadness.Would we all be able to enjoy our beloved comedy when we knew it wasn’t going to be the same? ‘History 101’ clearly marks the beginning of the end for Community, the begin of a long delayed, short order season. I think the show knows it, too, using Abed as the show’s mouthpiece for both its creators and the audience about the feelings of impending doom, the last first episode it’ll have.

It’s hard to compare ‘History 101’ with other episodes of Community – from the first scene, it doesn’t quite feel like the same show (and not in a good way). All the dots are on the puzzle, but they don’t quite connect in the right way. Some things are handled well early on: moving Troy and Britta few steps forward is a smart move, pushing forward the narrative past some of the awkward will they, won’t they material from season three. However, it doesn’t amount to much in ‘History’: Britta predictably Britta’s Troy and Abed’s first day fountain ritual (“the wishes are not the pennies!”) in one scene… and that’s about it. Sure, it’s an amusing moment, but it doesn’t reveal anything interesting about the pairing, who’ve apparently taken a step forward (holding hands in public), but haven’t really gone anywhere.

I’m not asking for Community to be the same show, but that underlying element of continuous growth is missing in ‘History 101’ – and it’s arguably the most important facet of the series. Internal transformation drives nearly every conflict on the show, whether it’s Abed facing reality, Jeff becoming less of a douche, or Annie finding a direction in her life. But in ‘History 101’, it feels more like a check list of plots, surrounded by some pop culture references and The Hunger Deans.

The characters and material don’t really mesh well – at times, ‘History’ is trying to be every version of Community at once, all while commenting on each incarnation of itself. It’s got alternate realities (multiple), and the overt pop culture references. Dean Pelton is one character I’m afraid of this season: there’s always been a certain amount of restraint with his character (I’m speaking in relative terms here), and if he becomes this indulgent cross-dresser the show parades around as its wacky joke machine, nobody will be very happy.

Those one-noted characterizations poke their head out at times: Pierce and Shirley are nearly absent from the episode, and all Britta does is mindlessly Britta things. Their interactions are missing their edge – Pierce isn’t making any kind of idiotic asides, and nobody’s challenging Jeff’s new mentality, or his mostly off-screen mission to get them in the same history class. I don’t mind if Annie sits around and gives googly-eyes at him – but her presence is especially important now, with Girlfriend Britta on the sidelines, not actively available to challenge Jeff’s mentality.

Like I said, all the pieces are there in ‘History 101’ – but in the end, it doesn’t really come together for much. Abed cures himself – something that would never, ever happen by himself – everyone smiles, and Pierce doesn’t know what’s going on. But it’s Community without the edge, characters going through the comedic motions without much emotion or conflict to ground it in. It’s still a funny show – don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of great jokes like Britta’s “therapizing”, but it doesn’t connect with the characters in the meaningful ways that made it such a special show.

Grade: C+

Other thoughts/observations:

– there’s no true study room scene in the episode. Is that part of the reason this feels weird?

– I like how the show hit the reset button on Chang – I just hope he doesn’t return with the same unhinged, batshit material of season three. I liked Chang the divorced, fake Spanish teacher so much better.

– Things are most certainly not fyne right now.