Community – Remedial Chaos Theory


Blog / Friday, October 14th, 2011

Community came full force this week. Every now and then they have an episode that goes above and beyond the usual methods for storytelling. For example, the two(/three) paintball episodes, the second season Christmas episode, Abed’s birthday, and the Dungeons and Dragons episode. This was one of those episodes.

The episode revolves around a housewarming party Troy and Abed throw for themselves now that the two of them have gotten an apartment together. The initial creepiness of their apartment fades into a numbness as it keeps getting thrown at you. For example, there’s an entire wall of framed photographs of just Troy and Abed. The designers want to make sure you know that these two have an unhealthy relationship with one another. I got over it, and was thoroughly amused by it like usual.

After the whole group arrives, they sit down to play a game of Yahtzee. As Troy realizes that they don’t know how to play Yahtzee, the buzzer for the door sounds, signalling the pizza has arrived. Since none of them want to go and get the pizza, Jeff proposes that he roll a die to determine who has to get it. Abed reminds Jeff that he is creating six different time lines by rolling the die. Jeff rolls anyway.

In fact, Jeff creates seven time lines. Each one plays off what would happen if each character had to go and get the pizza. Each one has similar elements. For example, in all but the timeline where Jeff gets the pizza Britta starts singing along to Roxanne, but Jeff stops her. Then she gets up to go the the bathroom, except when she gets the pizza. Some of the time Abed follows her to the bathroom and some once Troy does. She always comes back from the bathroom high.

Shirley is worried about her pies and half the time they burn before she can take them out and half the time they don’t. No one wants to eat them in any of the time lines.

In every timeline Pierce tells about the time he had sex on an airplane. Each timeline has a different setup for him. Each time, it’s funny even though it’s expected. It’s classic Pierce. He also makes it known how he wishes Troy was still his roommate by giving him a troll which always scared Troy when they lived together. Only once does he admit his true feelings.

Annie is having problems with her apartment, but she hides it from the group. when the group doesn’t discuss it, it comes up when she and Jeff are alone. The two also have various attempts to rekindle their on and off relationship. Some success and some failures.

Every single time, Jeff hits his head on the ceiling fan. Every time, Pierce laughs.

Only once does the whole situation play out with out any pain or suffering from any of the characters. It’s the time when Abed catches the die before it hits the table and points out to the group that Jeff’s method keeps him from having to go get the pizza. Jeff has to leave the table and everyone has fun while he is gone. He returns to the happy group, dancing to Roxanne, and remarks, “This is what happens when I leave you guys.” It’s funny because it’s the best outcome for everyone.

I started to wonder what message might be implied by this episode and I kept coming back to the same one. Jeff is the bad guy. He’s the reason everything goes wrong. He’s the one to roll the die and in many cases he’s the one that starts a chain of events which results in someone suffering.

It’s nice, however, that we will never know which one was intended to be the actual timeline. It helps take the edge off the thought that Jeff ruins the group. However, I’m going to be keeping an eye out for it from now on.

Make sure you watch this episode.

I wish this episode had a Jeff Goldblum cameo.

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