Great To See The Greendale Crew Again!

Community, S04E01

Jeff fought for admission balls in the Dean's games for the History of Ice Cream class.  His friends didn't want to help him, feeling betrayed at the news that Jeff only needed the one history class to graduate early.  Annie and Shirley decided to play some senior pranks.  Britta joined Troy in his beginning of the year tradition of making wishes at the fountain.  Abed, via Britta's instructions, went to his happy place and refused to leave when hearing about the changes that were to come with their final year of school.

I can't deny that I've missed this show and was dilgently waiting for its return.  I can't say, though, that I really loved any part of this season premiere. What I liked mostly was just seeing their faces and remembering the dynamic of the group.  It's generally entertaining to see them doing just about anything because they're a weird group of people.  However, I didn't laugh as much as I had anticipated.

I definitely missed Dean's outlandish outfits.  This time he was dressed in a red dress and later a tango dress while doing the "Hunger Deans."  Besides the costumes, I didn't really think the games were funny or anything.  Maybe if it hadn't just been Jeff running around to get the balls I might have liked it a little better.

Annie and Shirley could have stirred up some trouble doing pranks around the school, but they didn't do much of anything than realize that Jeff wasn't being as big of a jerk as he seemed.  I did sorta like that Annie was really bad at coming up with pranks, such as moving the Dean's stapler, but that was only slightly successful as a joke when the Dean mentioned he was having a bad day because someone moved in stapler in the end.  Apparently she was right about that being able to drive him crazy.

I'm still not used to the idea of Britta and Troy testing the waters or whatever they are doing instead of officially dating.  In fact, it took me a second to remember that they thought of each other in a romantic way.  I had forgotten about that because they haven't really done much as a couple yet.  Anyway, I didn't like much her messing with the tradition Troy and Abed had made together.  Yes, Troy should be more open to things outside of what Abed deems as right, but on the other hand if it's a choice between Britta's world and Abed's world, I think that Troy better fits in the latter.  Abed may be a little out there, but at least he's intelligent.  I can't get over the fact that Britta just always sounds so stupid, so her giving her two cents about how they should do their fountain wishes wasn't welcome to me.  If this is how their interactions are going to be from now on, I don't see myself supporting them as a couple.

How I have missed Abed and his fantasies.  In the Abed TV universe, I liked that Pierce existed as Fred Willard.  I could get down with that replacement, even though it would be harder to imagine Willard as a naturally rude and racist old man.  It was also cute that when the others were looking at job magazines, "Pierce's" magazine read "Coffins."  Still, even though it was just inside of Abed's world, it was a little annoying to hear the studio audience.  I thought at first they were doing that on the real show and I was about to get scared.  Later, when Abed went into his happy place within his happy place, I got a little kick out of him changing everyone into cartoon babies called "Greendale Babies."  I don't know why, but that was a little funny.  The best thing, though, was when everyone was trying to bring Abed out of his own mind and Jeff walked up to Abed.  In Abed's mind Jeff had told one of his trademark speeches to solve whatever problem was going on that week, but this time Jeff hadn't even gotten the chance:

[Abed] That was a killer speech, Jeff.
[Jeff] I-I didn't say anything.  I literally just walked up.

I also liked the little promos going on during Abed TV.  It was cute to see Abed and Troy in chef outfits in "American Sword Chefs."  What in the world would that show be about?

At the end, Chang was shown handing a mailman a note about his "Changnesia."  He was naked and seemed really confused.  Not sure what to expect from him this season, but I'm a little excited to see him get back into the mix.  Chang was definitely my favorite teacher of theirs.  He needs to have a place at the school again.

Lastly, there was a little extra segment of Abed TV where Abed and Troy were in drag.  It was kinda funny that Dean refused to believe that Britta wasn't a man.  I like the idea that Britta looks less feminine than Abed and Troy do if they were to dress like women.

This episode was okay.  I'm just happy enough that this show is back on the air to worry too much about what the first couple of stories are about.  I am worried that the show might not be able to continue once they do graduate, but I also couldn't see how they could stretch out another year of school at a community college.  There weren't many laughs this time around, but I mostly liked another glimpse of Abed viewing the world through TV eyes.  He seems to be already on board with the changes that will come with the new school year, but I'm sure Abed will find trouble adapting with something else and we'll be treated with Abed TV once more.

Ron Tries To Make Ann The New Leslie

Parks and Recreation, S04E17

There was bad news for both Campaign Leslie and the Parks and Recreation department yesterday.  Leslie and Ben were getting their asses served by a slick, new campaign manager Bobby Newport had hired, while the P&R department had to get a project successfully done without Leslie's power sustaining them.  The latter was the better of the two because, of course, it involved the characters who make me laugh the most.  So I'll skip any comments about Leslie's current bump in the road to being on city council.

We all know Ron, so we know he is not going to do work, but also doesn't want to have Leslie replaced.  In fact, he relates this problem to his childhood where he had to choose one of his pet calves to kill on his sixth birthday.  The conclusion to this problem is evidence why I love Ron Swanson stories:

 I couldn't choose, so I slaughtered both of them.  ...And they were delicious.

Unfortunately for Ron, Chris had other plans about replacing Leslie, so Ron had to get the "dream team" together, led by Ann.  Ann is a pretty poor leader and their brainstorming to figure out how to stop the nasty citizens of Pawnee from french kissing the water fountains turned into a full on water balloon fight.  Before all this craziness happened, I loved when Ron went to Ann to propose she take up the new project:

[Ron] Hello, Ann Perkins.
[April] This is the first time you've said my entire name correctly.
[Ron] Nonsense.  We're close friends.

I knew Leslie's absence was going to deliver in the Ron department!  The best of all was when Ann appeared to have solved the water fountain issue, and Ron sat her down to almost suggest she become the mini-Leslie.  When Ann tells him that it was all April and she was the girl for the job, Ron ends their conversation by simply picking up a book.  He only reads for a few seconds in silence before Ann questions him:

[April] Should I go?
[Ron] Are you still here?  Yes.

I can learn a lot from Ron.  It would be my dream to do that to someone but have them act without me needing to tell them to go.  I tip my hat again to the brilliance of Ron Swanson.

Lastly, I wonder why Donna doesn't get many lines.  She is a clearly funny person.  When Ann asks her for her idea about the water fountain she doesn't even look up to reply:

Do I look like I drink water?

That is probably something I would say word for word to someone.  I'd love to see her a little more involved in the episodes.  That may or may not be related to simply just how her character was designed or to fit Retta's busy schedule.  Regardless, after the "Treat Yourself" thing, I'm sure that there are many others who would gladly watch a Donna-themed episode.

I guess this was an okay episode, but it was mostly carried by Ron.  If he wasn't his usual funny self while dealing with Ann, I wouldn't have enjoyed this episode half as much.  I do miss Leslie's crazy adventures in the office, but that's not going to come back anytime soon.  I do hope that she and Ben figure out a way to turn the tables with their opponent.  And back in the P&D department, I hope that April as the new mini-Leslie brings some new hilarity that only someone who has studied under Ron Swanson can produce.