Line #53 Recap/CommunityS2E19CriticalFilmStudies


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/critical_film_studies.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:"I doubt I'll ever forget my ''Dinner With Andre'' dinner with Abed."]]
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4	On Abed's birthday, Jeff plans a specially themed surprise birthday for him based on his favorite movie, ''Film/PulpFiction''. But the tables are turned as Abed -- who has apparently undergone a recent and drastic change in personality -- invites an unsuspecting Jeff to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Meanwhile, the study group (and Chang) wait for their arrival dressed as ''Pulp Fiction'' characters at the diner where Britta works. There, Troy struggles to contain his seething jealousy over Abed and Jeff's exclusive dinner while Chang stokes his curiosity over what's inside the suitcase Jeff got Abed as a present.
5
6	----
7	!!The ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Critical Film Studies" contains examples of:
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9	* AffectionateParody: To ''Film/PulpFiction'' and ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre''.
10	* AndThatLittleGirlWasMe: Jeff tells Abed about an attractive man who called a phone sex line claiming he weighed 400 pounds. Abed doesn't believe that such a thing would happen, but, much to Abed's confusion, Jeff admits "that was me. I did that last week."
11	* AscendedFanboy: Abed tells Jeff a story where he becomes this when he got to visit the set of ''Series/CougarTown'', one of his favorite shows and be an extra. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWfJYJMrYa0 Some parts are true]], some are made up.
12	* BittersweetEnding: Abed's insistence on a GenreSavvy birthday dinner backfires when Britta gets fired after Troy and Chang accidentally burn down the restaurant, and Jeff is annoyed that the "real" conversation led him to reveal uncomfortable truths. Jeff forgives Abed, however, when the latter explained he was worried they were drifting apart and this felt like the last hurrah before they grew apart. The study group saves the night by hosting the surprise party at the fancy restaurant.
13	* {{Bowdlerise}}: In-universe example; apparently, the 'airplane' version of ''Pulp Fiction'' Shirley has seen had this happen to it in a very, very, ''very'' bad way:
14	-->'''Pierce:''' Has anyone seen this film we're referencing? Am I the hero or the love interest?\
15	'''Shirley:''' ''Pulp Fiction''? Yeah, saw it on an airplane, it's cute. It's a thirty-minute film about a group of friends who like cheeseburgers, dancing and the Bible.
16	* BrickJoke: Annie predicts that Abed will "say '[[VerbalTic cool]]' at least five times" when he sees the group's ''Pulp Fiction'' costumes. Later in the episode when the group bursts into the fancy restaurant that's exactly what happens.
17	-->'''Abed''': ''[taking in each outfit]'' Cool. Cool. Cool cool cool. ''[Annie smiles in the background]''
18	* BringMyBrownPants: Abed mentions having pooped his pants when realizing his role as 'Chad' had come to an end.
19	* {{Callback}}: Abed's story about creating a fictional version of himself in order to get through a situation he hadn't anticipated, only to suffer a crisis of identity upon realizing that the made-up version of himself had 'lived' more than him, mirrors Annie's experiences in "Mixology Certification". Granted, unlike Annie's, Abed's crisis of identity involved pooping his pants.
20	** Jeff's fear of being overweight and being disliked, recounted here, explains why he went out of his way to help 'Fat Neil' in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons - a guy who isn't popular and is overweight.
21	* CardCarryingVillain: When Shirley catches Troy and Chang looking into Abed's gift briefcase, Troy blames Chang, who ''backs him up''.
22	-->'''Troy:''' Chang made me do it! He seduced me with his dark Chinese powers!\
23	'''Chang:''' ''Why do you leave him alone with me?!''
24	* ContinuityNod:
25	** This isn't the first time Abed's love of ''Series/CougarTown'' has been mentioned. Also, Abed's "cool, cool cool cool" catchphrase is mentioned by Annie.
26	** When Abed finds out about the "authentic" ''Film/PulpFiction'' briefcase, he asks if he bought it from "Willy's 100% Authentic Cinema Treasures" on eBay, and Jeff says yes. Abed explains that "Willy exaggerates" and recalls having bought Indiana Jones' "real whip" from "Willy's", a product Willy puts out seventy of a year. Abed actually mentions buying that whip for the Indiana Jones marathon he ditched to take part in Annie's experiment in "Social Psychology".
27	%% * TheCorrupter: Chang to Troy.
28	* CrapsackWorld: Jeff sheds a few words of wisdom about the horrible world we live in.
29	--> '''Jeff:''' The world is a sick place, full of sick, sick people.
30	* CrossOver: Abed actually does show up in ''Series/CougarTown''.
31	* CurseCutShort:
32	-->'''Jeff:''' Get it? It's like ''Pulp Fiction''. It's a wallet that says Bad Mother F...\
33	'''Waitress:''' Your table is ready, gentlemen.
34	* DineAndDash: Abed and Troy are having dinner at a fancy restaurant. When they see the [[ShockinglyExpensiveBill bill]], they agree to run out without paying.
35	* DinerBrawl: A brief one breaks out between Chang and Troy after Troy burns the Pulp Fiction briefcase.
36	* DoYouWantToHaggle: Parodied, as Jeff and Britta's boss haggle over the ruined briefcase.
37	-->'''Jeff:''' I'll give you $1,200 for the damages if you promise to give Britta her job back.\
38	'''Barman:''' $800 and she stays fired.\
39	'''Jeff:''' Deal.
40	* DrunkWithPower: Parodied in a very minor way:
41	-->'''Britta:''' I am responsible for this diner when my boss isn't around!\
42	'''Troy:''' ''[Sotto voce]'' She will ''not stop bragging about that''.\
43	'''Annie:''' I ''know''...
44	* EpiphanyTherapy: Abed claims to have had this while [[AscendedFanboy being a background extra]] on ''Series/CougarTown''.
45	* EverybodyKnewAlready: The surprise gift Troy has got for Abed is quite clearly a remote control helicopter. Intriguingly, Abed appears genuinely puzzled as to what it could be when he receives it.
46	* EyeTake: Troy when seeing the ShockinglyExpensiveBill.
47	* FanDisservice: Pierce as The Gimp.
48	* GoneHorriblyRight: Abed's ''My Dinner With Andre'' dinner. After initial confusion, Jeff gets really into the idea of having a mature, meaningful conversation and ends up sharing some very personal life stories, with Abed becoming visibly uncomfortable as he talks.
49	* InsistentTerminology: Abed doesn't do movie spoofs; he does ''homages''.
50	* LostInCharacter: Abed tells Jeff he got lost in his self-created persona, 'Chad', while acting as an extra on ''Series/CougarTown''.
51	* MaltShop: "The Greasy Fork", TheFifties themed diner where Britta works and where Abed's surprise party was supposed to take place (as an obvious stand-in for ''Pulp Fiction'''s Jack Rabbit Slim's). Brian, the owner, explains to Annie why its peak business hours are after eight at night:
52	-->"After they get frightened by the evening news, many seek the comforting foods and soothing music of a pre-racial America."
53	* MethodActing: In-universe; Abed claims to have employed this for his ''walk-on role'' on ''Series/CougarTown'', and became so immersed in imagining his character's whole life that he went into a panic, causing him to collapse and poop his pants.
54	* MexicanStandoff: During the GoodTimesMontage at the end, as part of the ''Pulp Fiction''-themed party.
55	* {{Narrator}}: Jeff, a la Wallace Shawn in ''My Dinner with Andre''.
56	* NeverMyFault:
57	** After Chang has goaded Troy into inadvertently destroying Jeff's gift.
58	--->'''Chang:''' I know I'm preaching to the choir, but you're a bad friend.
59	** Also, this exchange after Britta catches Troy and Chang opening the briefcase:
60	--->'''Troy:''' Chang made me do it! He seduced me with his dark Chinese powers!\
61	'''Chang:''' ''[To Britta]'' Why do you ''leave him alone with me?!''
62	* NeverTrustATrailer: Promotional material lead people to believe the episode would be a wacky parody of ''Pulp Fiction''. The episode focuses almost entirely on Jeff bonding with Abed, which is later revealed to have just been a parody to ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre''. The ''Film/PulpFiction'' homages all happen within the last few seconds of the episode.
63	* OhCrap: The look on Abed's face when Jeff clearly starts getting a bit too much into the whole "real conversation" thing... leading to his story about the Indian girl outfit.
64	** And again when Abed realizes his ''My Dinner with Andre'' shtick is making him miss a ''Pulp Fiction'' party.
65	* OldShame: In-universe; Jeff being made to dress like an Indian girl by his mother on Halloween when he was a kid.
66	%% * OnThree: RUN!
67	* PaperThinDisguise: Troy's tightly-wrapped birthday gift for Abed is very obviously a remote-controlled helicopter.
68	-->'''Chang:''' Hm... wondering if Abed's [[NewFriendEnvy new best friend]] also got him the best gift?
69	-->'''Troy:''' ''I'' got Abed the best gift. I'd tell you what it is... but it's an even ''cooler secret''.
70	* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: As it happens, Jeff has apparently never heard of ''My Dinner with Andre''.
71	** Pierce never saw ''Pulp Fiction''.
72	--->'''Pierce:''' Has anyone seen this film we're referencing? Am I the hero or the love interest?
73	* PublicDomainSoundtrack: The episode ends with Erik Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1" playing under it.
74	* RewatchBonus: After you know the twist, it becomes ''blatantly'' obvious that the episode is a parody of ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre'' from the first few minutes.
75	* SayingTooMuch: The waiter spoiling Abed's "homage".
76	* ShockinglyExpensiveBill: Used as a gag in TheTag.
77	-->'''Troy:''' It said "market price"! ''What market are you shopping at?!!'' [[note]]A similar joke involving a character played by Donald Glover not clarifying "market price" on the menu and ending up with an outrageous restaurant bill is made in a 2016 episode of ''Series/{{Atlanta}}''. Considering that Donald Glover writes the latter series, there may have been some kind of [[WriterOnBoard personal traumatic experience]] here.[[/note]]
78	* ShoutOut:
79	** Several to ''Series/CougarTown''.
80	** At one point during his conversation with Jeff, Abed compares himself to [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Data]], [[Film/ShortCircuit Johnny Five]], [[Series/MorkAndMindy Mork]], [[{{Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey}} HAL]], [[Series/KnightRider KITT]], [[Series/DoctorWho K-9]], [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Woodstock and/or Snoopy]], and [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Spock]].
81	** Early on Jeff asks Abed why he's "dressed like Series/{{Mister Rogers\|Neighborhood}} and talking like Series/{{Frasier}}". Of course, Abed is ''actually'' dressed as Andre from ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre''.
82	*** Made even better when you consider that ''Frasier'' itself made at least two shout-outs to ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre'', the final episode of the first season being a WholePlotReference.
83	** And, of course, all the main characters except Abed are dressed as characters from ''Film/PulpFiction'': Jeff is Vincent Vega, Shirley is Jules, Britta is Mia Wallace, Troy is Pumpkin, Annie is Honeybunny, Chang is Butch, and Pierce is [[FanDisservice The Gimp]].
84	* SmugSnake: Chang literally moves like a cobra from behind the counter and tries to tempt Troy into looking inside the suitcase Jeff got for Abed.
85	* SurpriseParty: The study group plans a surprise birthday party for Abed in a bar where Britta works. Abed however keeps delaying Jeff (who is supposed to bring him) in another restaurant.
86	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Troy comes out with two in about as many minutes. What makes them particularly notable is that in the first one no one's even discussing the thing he's 'denying', and in the second one no one's even speaking.
87	-->'''Annie:''' It's really great of Jeff to put this together.\
88	'''Troy:''' I'm not jealous.
89	* TakeThat: To ''Series/CougarTown''. Worth noting, ''Cougar Town'' was co-created by Creator/BillLawrence, friend and former ''{{Series/Scrubs}}'' co-worker of ''Community'' producers Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan.
90	-->'''Jeff:''' He watched ''Cougar Town''. It was like he didn't want people to like him.
91	* ThemedParty: The study group throws a themed surprise birthday party for Abed, a pop culture enthusiast. The theme is ''Pulp Fiction''. All the main characters except Abed are dressed as characters from the film: Jeff is Vincent Vega, Shirley is Jules, Britta is Mia Wallace, Troy is Pumpkin, Annie is Honeybunny, Chang is Butch, and Pierce is The Gimp. They even got him the themed presents: the wallet that says Bad Motherfucker and Marcelus Wallace's briefcase.
92	* TimeForPlanB: With Britta fired from the diner where she works, and Abed genuinely apologetic, the group decides to recreate the surprise party at the fancy restaurant.
93	* UnusualEuphemism: Troy refers to wine as "no-no juice". Troy comes from a family of Jehovah's Witnesses and his religion doesn't allow alcohol consumption. Wine is "no-no juice" for him.
94	* [[WeWantOurJerkBack We Want Our Weirdo Back]]: Jeff is upset that Abed isn't acting his usual weird self. Mainly because it conflicts with the surprise party he had planned.
95	* WeirderThanUsual: Abed acting not weird.
96	* WholePlotReference: To ''Film/MyDinnerWithAndre'', not ''Film/PulpFiction'' as suggested.

Context Recap / CommunityS2E19CriticalFilmStudies