tbh, throwaway gags that are easily diverted by other characters don't bother me that much so I'm not super invested in arguing character consistency here but, given that we've seen Abed pull a My Dinner With Andre manipulation on Jeff, watched him push around Troy re: the pillow/blanket fort battle, seen him take Shirley's movie for church off on a narcissistic tangent, I wouldn't be surprised to learn later on down the line that Abed's "losing it" is just a ploy to get the group to do what he wants
mind you, I'm not EXPECTING that; I just wouldn't be surprised
xp: right now, the most confident, together person in the group is Shirley!
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Monday, 23 April 2012 20:51 (twelve years ago) link
This is the Soultaker of threads.
― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Monday, 23 April 2012 20:56 (twelve years ago) link
I don't think they've done a good job of explaining why Britta/Troy are dating now. It seems like it all happened in the background, or was communicated entirely through a few glances in the last few episodes. And their date looked like a TERRIBLE date.
― polyphonic, Monday, 23 April 2012 21:00 (twelve years ago) link
Britta/Troy attraction goes back to S1 when they took that dance class together; also they did some foundational work on that relationship in the chaos theory episode
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Monday, 23 April 2012 21:02 (twelve years ago) link
they just had lunch. it's not at all clear they are dating, although they clearly like each other.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Monday, 23 April 2012 21:05 (twelve years ago) link
It would actually make sense if Abed was just play-acting in the Dreamatorium, especially since he got up quickly and did a dead-on Jeff impression but as sd notes, he did the same thing when Annie rearranged their room, which is probably a better example.
i just miss when abed was secretly the most confident and together person in the group instead of winger
OTM! This is my issue!
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, 23 April 2012 21:09 (twelve years ago) link
he's an OCD Fonz wrapped inside a riddle wrapped in an enigma
― da croupier, Monday, 23 April 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
I am still cracking up at "the version of myself that would go over there and talk to her would be a vampire" joke from S1
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Monday, 23 April 2012 21:13 (twelve years ago) link
―Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole),Monday, April 23, 2012 3:56 PM (16 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Campbell's Pink & Pasty (Deric W. Haircare), Monday, 23 April 2012 21:21 (twelve years ago) link
Remove Bookmark from this Thread
― Thoughts? You must have loads. (a hoy hoy), Monday, April 23, 2012 9:41 AM (13 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― I accidentally sonned your dome (stevie), Monday, 23 April 2012 22:18 (twelve years ago) link
This ep was great, you're all on a lower level.
― Clive "The Chip" Crinkly (King Boy Pato), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 13:58 (twelve years ago) link
Last episode was pretty wack, trying to do too much. Loved the blanket fort two-parter though, and the blade one was decent (mainly for lots of crazy Britta and lots of Dean).
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:07 (twelve years ago) link
DUDES. Skip to 2:20 (or just watch the whole thing why because it's awesome).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlZv2cpLReM
Am I the only one who didn't know this?
― Dr. Buzzard's® Original Banana Bread (Deric W. Haircare), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 15:32 (twelve years ago) link
Wow, in many ways Yette is the least omg thing about this artifact.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 15:39 (twelve years ago) link
ha I had no idea she went to the University of Akron
I wonder if any of my cousins know her
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago) link
I misread that as the University of Akon.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 17:49 (twelve years ago) link
OTM
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 20:40 (twelve years ago) link
"Uniform!"
― Raymond Dubious Davies (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 27 April 2012 00:18 (twelve years ago) link
okay lol
also, aw Starburns
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 00:28 (twelve years ago) link
Wow - they nailed every aspect.
ALSO: Eddie Pepitone!
― "Fourvel - it's like Fievel, but one less." (R Baez), Friday, 27 April 2012 00:33 (twelve years ago) link
when they went to the bio lab and the L&O ME was there, I was beside myself
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 00:38 (twelve years ago) link
theme song was the best part
― Mordy, Friday, 27 April 2012 00:56 (twelve years ago) link
Dean in the credits tag was one of the funniest things of the season.
― Waterloo? Oh, we've sunsetted that. (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Friday, 27 April 2012 01:48 (twelve years ago) link
nailed it
― balls, Friday, 27 April 2012 01:59 (twelve years ago) link
Loved it!
― Reality Check Cashing Services (Elvis Telecom), Friday, 27 April 2012 06:54 (twelve years ago) link
can a biased mod please threadban any joyless bastards who come in here moping about anything to do with this delightful episode?
PS
Pepitone's been in as a janitor before, in at least one ep
― ┗|∵|┓ (sic), Friday, 27 April 2012 10:10 (twelve years ago) link
this episode sucked
― thomp, Friday, 27 April 2012 11:02 (twelve years ago) link
When I first heard this was going to be a Law & Order style episode, I was sort of concerned that it might not work, but goddamn they nailed it. Fantastic episode.
― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 27 April 2012 13:40 (twelve years ago) link
i liked this one! preferred the first half (the order part) to the second half (the law part).
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 27 April 2012 14:36 (twelve years ago) link
i think it says something about me that i laugh EVERY SINGLE TIME they use magnitude
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 27 April 2012 16:15 (twelve years ago) link
The cutaway to them summarizing everything he'd said and then him offering only a pop pop was pretty great.
― she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Friday, 27 April 2012 16:16 (twelve years ago) link
RIP Starburns aka "Alex"
― LaMonte, Friday, 27 April 2012 19:00 (twelve years ago) link
It really nailed every aspect of an L&O episode in a half an hour.
― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:03 (twelve years ago) link
Really enjoyed this even though I never watched L&O. Troy and Abed were on fire. Yam-boiling thing was v clever.
B-b-but they killed off Starburns! They'll have to bring him back somehow.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:22 (twelve years ago) link
totally. there was an insane perfection to the autopsy scene, in its rhythms and the way they were turning away and the ME made the comment about it sprouting.
― GoT SPOILER ALERT (Gukbe), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:22 (twelve years ago) link
Last scene when Kane announces Star-Burns' meth truck explosion was precision L&O
― Reality Check Cashing Services (Elvis Telecom), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:32 (twelve years ago) link
otm
didn't dino say on wtf or somewhere that he doesn't really like acting and didn't want to be on the show and starburns was only supposed to be a one-off joke
― congratulations (n/a), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:34 (twelve years ago) link
guess he wants to concentrate more on frankenhole :/
― Mordy, Friday, 27 April 2012 19:35 (twelve years ago) link
that's... troubling
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:54 (twelve years ago) link
it's no moral oral
― Mordy, Friday, 27 April 2012 19:55 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, I LOVED Morel Orel but Frankenhole is pretty weak.
― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 27 April 2012 20:05 (twelve years ago) link
NBC got the hat trick last night, community, P&R and 30 rock were all fantastic!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Friday, 27 April 2012 20:20 (twelve years ago) link
Office was pretty good too, but nobody cares.
― Raymond Dubious Davies (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 27 April 2012 20:22 (twelve years ago) link
Office wasn't so great
― Mordy, Friday, 27 April 2012 20:29 (twelve years ago) link
I haven't been watching it much this season, but watched it last night and found it kind of painful.
― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 27 April 2012 21:01 (twelve years ago) link
every scene I accidentally see of the office has at least a dozen people in it
― da croupier, Friday, 27 April 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
The costumes were perfect. So many great details. The hot dog cart. The prosecutorial moral dilemma. The twists.
― s.clover, Saturday, 28 April 2012 00:39 (twelve years ago) link
Copy/pasting from http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/04/27/community-law-order-death/
Why was Star-Burns taken from Planet Greendale so soon? He had so many more reptiles to station on his body and drug deals to attempt to make! The reason is simple: He asked for it — literally. Dino Stamatopoulos, who plays Star-Burns, is actually a consulting producer and writer on Community, and he requested that his character meet his maker so he could focus on his main job. It’s hard to believe that a scribe who got to moonlight as a cult character on a beloved network TV comedy would ask to be written off, but Stamatopoulos just wasn’t itching to be in the semi-spotlight.“I’m not an actor,” he explained to EW via email. “I don’t enjoy waiting around for hours on set, I hate when people touch my eyes and neck (make-up department!), I can’t learn lines quickly (yes, even the amount of lines I get), and I don’t need other actors (Joel McHale) asking me why I never got my teeth fixed. There are certain acting roles that I don’t mind doing because I’ll write them and I’ll know how a specific character is supposed to behave. So in those instances, I’m comfortable with performing. The Star-Burns character was basically a conduit for the joke-sideburns and the one-note attitude about not being happy when people called him ‘Star-Burns’. I didn’t have a character in mind so it’s always been an uphill battle for me to perform the part. Yes, he’s been given funny lines, and I suppose the writers made him more like me eventually, but playing yourself is very difficult as well. I really don’t know how people perceive me. Obviously it’s as a scumbag, which is fair because I am, but that doesn’t mean I can play one on TV.”And he didn’t ask to in the first place — rather, the job found him. At the beginning of season 1, series creator Dan Harmon needed an actor to sit patiently in a chair for hours so the hair and make-up department could figure out a way to pull off those now-famous star-shaped sideburns that initially defined this extremely ancillary character. “To pay an actor to do that was going to be expensive — it was cheaper to make a writer do it,” he says. (Harmon, by the way, declined to comment on that feud with Chevy Chase.) “I called Dino and asked him if he’d do it and he said yes.”He decided to throw Stamatopoulos on camera in this low-stakes role, and viewers quickly took an interest in Star-Burns. The writers did too: Not only was Star-Burns an amusing visual gag, he represented another point of view in the halls of Greendale. “What I always loved about him was that joke where Jeff (McHale) is ripping on him from afar,” says Community story editor Megan Ganz, the obsessive L&O fan who wrote last night’s episode. “And then you cut over to Star-Burns and Star-Burns is calling Jeff a douchebag. That was the first moment you’re telling the audience, ‘Hey, just because we particularly choose to focus on this group doesn’t make them heroes.’”No one would call Star-Burns a hero. In fact, he was “the one-man seedy underbelly of Greendale,” as Ganz perfectly sums up, giving drugs to Pierce (Chase) in a Halloween episode (one of Stamatopoulos’ favorite moments), and getting kicked out of biology class after trying unsuccessfully to persuade Prof. Kane to “get a Breaking Bad type of thing going” and venture with him into the drug business. While brainstorming the L&O episode, the writers made the logical choice to make Star-Burns a suspect early on: He confesses to stealing supplies from the classroom for his meth lab. And as they were deciding to include a fatal phone call twist at the end of the episode à la L&O, one man who’d been lobbying to have his character killed off appeared in a lightbulb above their heads.Not that there wasn’t some hesitation in ridding Greendale of one of its most colorful characters and formidable forces. “My first thought when we talked about killing Star-Burns was, ‘Oh no!’ because the whole point was that each year he was going to have a new affectation,” says Harmon. “I wanted the show to run forever and have the guy turn into this umber hulk covered in branches and monocles and roller blades, and unable to function as a human being because of all these things that identify him. But then I think of Daffy Duck being tiny and grabbing that big pearl and saying, ‘Mine, mine, mine!’ and the clam shell slowly closing, which is how I always perceive people who won’t let go of stuff in the moment. You need to be Bugs Bunny and not Daffy Duck. You took a left turn at Albuquerque, you’re in a genie’s cave, you have to deal with it on the fly. That’s where joy comes from… I keep finding on this show that plans are the antithesis of good TV.”While Stamatopoulos was a bit disappointed that his demise wasn’t seen on camera (“That would have been cool, but expensive. I can see why they didn’t do it. But I did think it was funny”), he found a certain appeal in Star-Burns being offed as opposed to, say, transferring to an overseas community college. “I thought to myself, ‘If my character dies, I’d be in a very elite group of characters dying on a prime time network show,” he says. “So, that was definitely an attractive prospect for me. It would be me, Coach from Cheers (who really died, gulp) and that guy from Two and a Half Babies.”He may be dead, but he’s not gone just yet. In next week’s episode, the study group attends his funeral, and we will see him in some sort of “video” form. And McHale wonders if the joke could live on: “My guess is Dan will find a way to make him a ghost and continue to torture him by making him stay on set. Who knows? His twin brother will show up and it’ll be like, ‘What the f—?’”
And he didn’t ask to in the first place — rather, the job found him. At the beginning of season 1, series creator Dan Harmon needed an actor to sit patiently in a chair for hours so the hair and make-up department could figure out a way to pull off those now-famous star-shaped sideburns that initially defined this extremely ancillary character. “To pay an actor to do that was going to be expensive — it was cheaper to make a writer do it,” he says. (Harmon, by the way, declined to comment on that feud with Chevy Chase.) “I called Dino and asked him if he’d do it and he said yes.”
He decided to throw Stamatopoulos on camera in this low-stakes role, and viewers quickly took an interest in Star-Burns. The writers did too: Not only was Star-Burns an amusing visual gag, he represented another point of view in the halls of Greendale. “What I always loved about him was that joke where Jeff (McHale) is ripping on him from afar,” says Community story editor Megan Ganz, the obsessive L&O fan who wrote last night’s episode. “And then you cut over to Star-Burns and Star-Burns is calling Jeff a douchebag. That was the first moment you’re telling the audience, ‘Hey, just because we particularly choose to focus on this group doesn’t make them heroes.’”
No one would call Star-Burns a hero. In fact, he was “the one-man seedy underbelly of Greendale,” as Ganz perfectly sums up, giving drugs to Pierce (Chase) in a Halloween episode (one of Stamatopoulos’ favorite moments), and getting kicked out of biology class after trying unsuccessfully to persuade Prof. Kane to “get a Breaking Bad type of thing going” and venture with him into the drug business. While brainstorming the L&O episode, the writers made the logical choice to make Star-Burns a suspect early on: He confesses to stealing supplies from the classroom for his meth lab. And as they were deciding to include a fatal phone call twist at the end of the episode à la L&O, one man who’d been lobbying to have his character killed off appeared in a lightbulb above their heads.
Not that there wasn’t some hesitation in ridding Greendale of one of its most colorful characters and formidable forces. “My first thought when we talked about killing Star-Burns was, ‘Oh no!’ because the whole point was that each year he was going to have a new affectation,” says Harmon. “I wanted the show to run forever and have the guy turn into this umber hulk covered in branches and monocles and roller blades, and unable to function as a human being because of all these things that identify him. But then I think of Daffy Duck being tiny and grabbing that big pearl and saying, ‘Mine, mine, mine!’ and the clam shell slowly closing, which is how I always perceive people who won’t let go of stuff in the moment. You need to be Bugs Bunny and not Daffy Duck. You took a left turn at Albuquerque, you’re in a genie’s cave, you have to deal with it on the fly. That’s where joy comes from… I keep finding on this show that plans are the antithesis of good TV.”
While Stamatopoulos was a bit disappointed that his demise wasn’t seen on camera (“That would have been cool, but expensive. I can see why they didn’t do it. But I did think it was funny”), he found a certain appeal in Star-Burns being offed as opposed to, say, transferring to an overseas community college. “I thought to myself, ‘If my character dies, I’d be in a very elite group of characters dying on a prime time network show,” he says. “So, that was definitely an attractive prospect for me. It would be me, Coach from Cheers (who really died, gulp) and that guy from Two and a Half Babies.”
He may be dead, but he’s not gone just yet. In next week’s episode, the study group attends his funeral, and we will see him in some sort of “video” form. And McHale wonders if the joke could live on: “My guess is Dan will find a way to make him a ghost and continue to torture him by making him stay on set. Who knows? His twin brother will show up and it’ll be like, ‘What the f—?’”
― Reality Check Cashing Services (Elvis Telecom), Saturday, 28 April 2012 00:51 (twelve years ago) link
Wonder if we'll see the return of his son w/ the bluetooth.
― "Fourvel - it's like Fievel, but one less." (R Baez), Saturday, 28 April 2012 01:03 (twelve years ago) link
great episode
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, 28 April 2012 01:17 (twelve years ago) link