Despite ending its run in 2015, Community, unlike several other sitcoms, has yet to fade into obscurity. Fans of the series still hold out hope that it will fulfill its “six seasons and a movie” prophecy, which, unfortunately, creator Dan Harmon has yet to confirm.
Part of the reason why the potential movie is so anticipated is because of how funny and inventive the series was. There are numerous excellent episodes in the show’s 110 episode run, from action-packed paintball episodes to bottle episodes with character development- but which are the 10 funniest?
Cooperative Polygraphy (S5, E4)
Community had a few bottle episodes in its six seasons, and one of the greatest is Season 5’s “Cooperative Polygraphy.” The episode sees the group in the aftermath of Pierce’s funeral, enrolled in an investigation (orchestrated by Pierce) to see if any of them murdered him.
The episode is loved among fans of Community, particularly as it was the subject of a table read in 2020 which saw the full cast reunite to raise money for World Central Kitchen and Frontline Foods. With hilariously disgusting items from Pierce’s inheritance, to shocking reveals from each character, this episode is one of the funniest of the later seasons.
Digital Estate Planning (S3, E20)
Community became more and more innovative as the series went on, as “Digital Estate Planning” sees the group playing an 8-bit video game designed by Pierce’s father as an obstacle to him gaining his inheritance. The episode did what no sitcom had done before, by taking place mostly in the world of a video game.
The uniqueness of the episode’s format allowed for several new, hilarious moments, such as Annie accidentally killing the blacksmith and Shirley murdering the man’s wife to tie up Annie’s loose ends, and Britta accidentally killing Pierce when trying to hug him. Such moments allowed Community to foray into an entirely different type of humor.
Wedding Videography (S6, E12)
One of Community‘s highest-rated Season 6 episodes, “Wedding Videography,” sees the series paying homage to the format of several other modern sitcoms. Like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Modern Family, “Wedding Videography” sees each member of the group talking to the camera as Abed shoots a documentary for Garrett’s wedding.
This format prompts numerous funny moments, such as Abed telling Annie not to “Jim the camera” in reference to Jim Halpert from The Office, and Elroy explaining that from 2006 to 2009, he was addicted to encouraging white people. This episode is one that showcases how great the new incarnation of the group is, and how it can be just as funny as the original Study Group.
Modern Warfare (S1, E23)
In its first season, Community often forayed into homages and movie references, but no episode set the series apart from other sitcoms better than “Modern Warfare.” The episode is, as Abed puts it, “a flawless post-modern action homage,” as Greendale erupts into paintball-based chaos.
The episode is fresh and exciting, successfully paying homage to action movies such as Die Hard without losing sight of the series’ trademark comedy. From Annie’s revulsion of the Glee Club’s attempts to lure the Study Group to the Dean revealing that the prize for the contest has changed from priority registration to a DVD player, this episode is classic Community.
Remedial Chaos Theory (S3, E4)
Few sitcoms are as clever as the series was at its peak, and Season 3’s “Remedial Chaos Theory” is often considered Community‘s best. At a housewarming party for Abed and Troy, the group orders pizza, and Jeff decides to roll a die to see who gets it. What follows is seven different versions of the same night, each based on a different member of the group getting the pizza.
The episode is a masterclass in providing riveting storytelling and laugh-out-loud moments simultaneously. Whether it be Britta’s ridiculous pizza dance or the beginning of the “Darkest Timeline” which became a staple of the show, “Remedial Chaos Theory” is a perfect example of why Community remains so beloved. The quality of this episode led to it winning a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
Conspiracy Theories And Interior Design (S2, E9)
There are few episodes of comedic television that are as overly complicated yet outlandishly hilarious as Community Season 2’s ” Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design.” This episode sees Jeff being (rightly) accused by the Dean of creating a fake class to get free credit, which begins a tangled web of conspiracy that Jeff, the Dean, and Annie are responsible for.
The episode is funny throughout as the conspiracy begins to unravel, but it is the final five minutes that cement the episode as one of Community‘s finest. It is almost difficult to keep track of as Jeff, Annie, and the Dean double-crossed one another over and over again. The concluding moment that sees a police officer entering the room and fake-shooting Drama Professor Sean Garrity to teach a lesson about gun safety is peak-Community.
Contemporary American Poultry (S1, E21)
Community’s first foray into outright, explicit homage was Season One’s “Contemporary American Poultry.” The episode follows Abed’s desire to ‘be in a mafia movie’ as the group becomes enrolled in a chicken finger scam at Greendale- with Abed as their figurehead.
“Contemporary American Poultry” features numerous laugh-out-loud moments, many of which pay homage to movies such as The Godfather and Goodfellas. From the group becoming spoiled with their newfound success, to Abed learning the error of his ways and teaching them a lesson, including shredding Annie’s backpack, the episode is classic-Community.
Cooperative Calligraphy (S2, E8)
Like many other 2000s sitcoms, Community has arguably aged very well, particularly due to inventive bottle episodes that develop its cast of wacky characters. Season 2’s “Cooperative Calligraphy” is undeniably one of Community’s funniest episodes, for a myriad of reasons.
Written by Megan Ganz, “Cooperative Calligraphy” is an episode that demands a rewatch due to how many jokes and clever lines are distributed throughout. One of the funniest parts of the episode is the ending, which reveals that the group being torn apart by the concept of one of them stealing Annie’s pen is actually caused by Troy’s pet monkey from an earlier episode.
Basic Intergluteal Numismatics (S5, E3)
As a series, Community owes its legacy to iconic scenes, several of which showcase how deeply layered and inherently funny each character is. One episode arguably sees the Study Group at their best, as “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics” sees Greendale suffering at the hands of the ‘Ass Crack Bandit.’
The comedy of the episode comes from its ridiculous premise and each characters extremely dramatic reactions to it. A scene that can be singled out as one of the Dean’s funniest moments is when he receives a call from the bandit, and continuously clicks at the receptionist Rhonda to trace the call, despite having caller ID.
Documentary Filmmaking: Redux (S3, E8)
Season 3’s “Documentary Filmmaking: Redux” can be considered one of Community‘s most underrated episodes. In amongst several high-concept episodes such as paintball and timeline exploration, this episode simply follows the Dean attempting to shoot a new commercial for Greendale, as he quickly becomes unhinged.
As Community‘s second foray into documentary filmmaking, this Season 3 episode sees each character on top form. Whether it be Annie beginning to display symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, Britta using her Psych 101 credentials to declare the shoot a ‘violation of human rights,’ or Jeff wearing a bald cap to play the Dean and becoming lost in the role, this episode is far from short of hilarious moments.
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