Thankfully, the Community movie is not far away. Peacock recently announced that the movie is in development, featuring most of the show’s main cast returning. Before it finally premieres in 2023, many fans may be eager to check out some of the series’ best episodes, including these fan favorites that many fans still quote to this day.
10 Modern Warfare
One of Community’s most popular aspects is its paintball episodes, wherein the campus of Greendale Community College devolves into a battlefield. The first paintball episode, “Modern Warfare,” was the climax of the first season. Not only is it an homage to action movies, but it also features some of the show’s biggest character development.
Most of the episode’s conflict revolves around the growing sexual tension between Jeff and Britta, to the chagrin of the rest of the group. As the two study partners end up the only ones left alive in the paintball game, they finally succumb to their urges. Surprisingly, this action movie tribute pays off a story that began with the very first episode of Community.
9 Pillows And Blankets
This season 3 episode picks up where the previous one left off, with Greendale devolving into a Civil War-esque battle between builders of a school-wide pillow fort and blanket fort. The entire episode takes the form of a Ken Burns documentary, tracking the conflict between the factions’ torn leaders: the eternal friends Troy and Abed.
The fun of this episode is seeing how each of the characters of Community play their parts in this mock war. Annie plays nurse for weary soldiers, while Britta uses her terrible photography skills to take candids of the action. The highlight of the episode, however, is Troy and Abed’s conflict, as Jeff is tasked with reconnecting them as friends.
8 Cooperative Polygraphy
Chevy Chase’s exit from Community after season 4 was marred by controversy, mostly due to behind-the-scenes conflicts. Nevertheless, his Pierce Hawthorne character was killed off-screen during the fifth season, leading to an emotional episode for the original study group members. The six of them are subjected to a polygraph test per Pierce’s will.
In typical Pierce fashion, the polygraph questions are merely a way to force the study group into admitting some of their deepest, darkest secrets. However, it has a surprising emotional ending with Pierce’s final words to the entire group, which are mostly heartfelt and sentimental. This episode also sets the stage for Donald Glover’s early exit from the series.
7 Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas
In the season 2 Christmas episode, the show takes the format of classic stop-motion Christmas movies like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The episode finds the study group playing along with a fantasy of Abed’s that they need to find the true meaning of Christmas. However, the journey ends up perilous for each of the study group members.
As the episode continues, it becomes clear that this delusion of Abed has a deeper meaning. Saddened by his mother’s abandonment of their annual Christmas movie-watching traditions, Abed has retreated into a state of denial reminiscent of those movies. Nevertheless, the study group arrives in time to act as his new family.
6 Origins Of Vampire Mythology
A highlight of season 3 for many fans was the development of Britta and Troy’s feelings towards each other. The best example of this dynamic is the episode “Origins of Vampire Mythology,” which finds Troy, Annie, and Abed keeping Britta occupied rather than meet up with her old boyfriend, Blade, who she is deeply obsessed with.
The most emotional part of this episode comes when Annie replaces Blade’s number in Britta’s phone with hers. Troy, trying to dissuade Britta from obsessing over him, texts her something unknown, but implied to be Troy’s true feelings. Though Britta’s initial reaction is to call Blade a loser, she realizes Troy’s deception later and is awestruck by what he said.
5 Virtual Systems Analysis
Unfortunately, Troy and Britta’s flirtations in season 3 result in conflict for other members of the study group. In the following episode, Annie convinces the two of them to go on a lunch date together, while she and Abed spend time in the Dreamatorium, an imaginary simulation in Troy and Abed’s apartment where they re-enact various scenarios.
Soon enough, however, Annie’s first time in the Dreamatorium leads to an examination of Abed’s lack of control over the group. It ends with a fan-favorite scene from the entire series, where Annie comforts Abed over his lack of comfort with change. It’s an emotional episode, and one of the best showcases of Alison Brie and Danny Pudi’s chemistry.
4 Conspiracy Theories And Interior Design
At its best, Community took the premise of an absurd community college and ran with it. In this season 2 episode, Jeff is accused of faking a course in conspiracy theories, though after proving the course’s legitimacy, Jeff confesses to Annie that it is in fact real. What follows is an investigation into the mysterious underbelly of Greendale.
This leads Jeff and Annie to cross paths with drama teacher Professor Garrity, who posed as Jeff’s fake conspiracy theory teacher. The episode’s best moment comes when the trio confronts the Dean in the study room, resulting in a confusing exchange of prop guns and fake admissions of guilt. It’s certainly one of the best performances for Jim Rash’s Dean.
3 Geothermal Escapism
For Community fans, few episodes are as emotional as Donald Glover’s swan song for Troy Barnes, “Geothermal Escapism.” After being offered the chance to sail around the world on Pierce’s boat, Troy prepares to make his departure from Greendale. However, in typical Abed fashion, his goodbye will be a school-wide game of “The Floor Is Lava.”
Most of the episode, however, follows Britta, who recognizes the game as a way for Abed to put off his feelings about Troy’s departure. Once Abed finally accepts it, it’s time for Troy to leave the show, saying tearful goodbyes with all the study group members and boarding the Childish Tycoon with LeVar Burton. Hopefully, they both return for the Community movie.
2 Cooperative Calligraphy
One of the more unique episodes in Community’s run is “Cooperative Calligraphy,” which plays on the tropes of TV bottle episodes where all the episode’s plot is contained to one location with few main cast members. After a study session, Annie’s purple pen goes missing, and demands to know which of the other six study group members took it.
What devolves, much like “Cooperative Polygraphy,” is a revelation of secrets in the study group. Abed has been tracking the girls’ menstrual cycles while trying to analyze social cues, while Shirley reveals she’s rekindling her relationship with her husband. Overall, it ends up being a heartfelt episode of bonding, even if Annie’s missing pen is never found.
1 Remedial Chaos Theory
By far the most beloved episode in six seasons (and, soon, a movie) of Community is season 3’s “Remedial Chaos Theory.” The episode revolves around a housewarming party at Troy and Abed’s new apartment. However, when Jeff rolls a die to determine who will go downstairs to grab pizza, the episode diverges into six different alternate timelines.
In each one, it’s examined what happens when one study group member goes down to get pizza. Some result in awkward tension, others result in blooming romances between study group members. In one where Troy leaves, the apartment descends into madness and fire, resulting in a now-iconic meme of Troy entering a chaotic apartment with a pizza box.
More: Funniest Community Quotes
