Line #6 Recap/CommunityS4E10IntroToKnots


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/community-s04e10_460.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350: Beware the Ides of March. And amnesiac ex-psychopaths who only want to prove their worth to the study group.]]
3
4	->''"Empires are always destroyed from within. And I can prove it to you from the comparative comfort of this tacky chair. I will give an A to the one person who unties me. The rest of you will get an F."''
5	-->-- '''Professor Cornwallis'''
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7	Annie invites Professor Cornwallis (Creator/MalcolmMcDowell) (and Kevin) to the study group's Christmas party at Jeff's apartment to make up for their failing grade on their history assignment. After many failed attempts of ass-kissing, the group finds out that their supposed F was actually a C-; Annie wanted to the group to go for an A. When Cornwallis overhears Jeff's conversation, their grades brought it back down to an F. While the study group is distracted and arguing, Kevin ties up the professor in an attempt to prove himself, leading to a series of mind games and bribes as Cornwallis tries to prise the group apart.
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9	----
10	!!The ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Intro to Knots" provides examples of:
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12	* ActorAllusion: During TheTag, Dean Pelton hands out several kittens to the Study Group, with two of them named James and Fiona. These kittens share their names with Creator/DannyPudi's twin children, born a year before Season 4's release date.
13	* AesopAmnesia: Abed spends the episode being meta and (until things get interesting with Cornwallis) wanting to reenact ''Film/DieHard''--directly after those kinds of shenanigans got him into a ton of trouble at [[Recap/CommunityS4E08HerstoryOfDance the Sophie B. Hawkins dance]]. He does say he wants to make sure all of his friends are aware.
14	* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Not directly. When Annie makes up a story about a drunk Cornwallis going after her and Britta, Shirley is insulted that Annie didn't include her. Annie quickly adds on, "And Shirley, who I didn't mention earlier because she intimidates you sexually."
15	* TheBGrade: [[spoiler:Annie lied and claimed the C- she knew the paper was getting was a failing grade because to ''her'' that's a failing grade.]]
16	* BottleEpisode / RealTime
17	** Lampshaded by Abed: "This is amazing, and [[MediumAwareness possibly all in real time]]"
18	* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Cornwallis [[UsefulNotes/AVeryBritishChristmas celebrates Christmas with plum pudding, roast goose]], and [[spoiler:by updating his suicide note]].
19	* CallBack:
20	** Annie [[Recap/CommunityS3E16VirtualSystemsAnalysis redecorates]] and [[Recap/CommunityS4E03ConventionsOfSpaceAndTime plays house]] at Jeff's apartment.
21	** Abed [[Recap/CommunityS4E05CooperativeEscapismInFamilialRelations wishes that]] they were doing ''Film/DieHard'' [[DieHardOnAnX in a restaurant]], Nakatomi Sushi. He settles for wearing John [=McClane's=] filthy tank top.
22	** Quendra does [[Recap/CommunityS4E04AlternativeHistoryOfTheGermanInvasion "assistant work"]] for [[DirtyOldMan Cornwallis]].
23	** Kevin complains that he is not a dog, but in [[Recap/CommunityS4E06AdvancedDocumentaryFilmmaking he was named after one]].
24	** When Cornwallis references ''E Pluribus Unum'', Troy corrects him with ''Anus''.
25	** Troy asks, "Couldn't we just say [[Recap/CommunityS2E08CooperativeCalligraphy a ghost did it again]]?"
26	** [[spoiler:Chang calls his [[Recap/CommunityS4E06AdvancedDocumentaryFilmmaking mysterious accomplice]] after his plan fails.]]
27	** TheTag includes a glimpse of the [[spoiler:[[Recap/CommunityS3E04RemedialChaosTheory Darkest]] [[Recap/CommunityS3E22IntroductionToFinality Timeline]]]].
28	** Annie says Shirley [[Recap/CommunityS2E21ParadigmsOfHumanMemory intimidates Prof. Cornwallis sexually]].
29	** Annie gets a Blood Splatter Analysis kit.
30	* TheChessmaster / ManipulativeBastard: Cornwallis, for most of the episode, tried to get the group to turn on each other. [[spoiler:He fails.]]
31	* ChristmasEpisode
32	* ComedicSociopathy: The gang ''did'' literally take the guy hostage.
33	* CuteKitten: The Dean brings over a basket of them in TheTag.
34	* CutenessEqualsForgiveness: Evil Annie is released from the asylum, because "The real crime is keeping someone so beautiful locked up." Then again, she's at Greendale.
35	* DirtyOldMan: Cornwallis' history with coeds is brought up a few times. He also refers to Annie as a "Type-A Lolita."
36	* EverybodyLaughsEnding: Except it's in the Darkest Timeline, which isn't a good thing.
37	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Troy isn't worried about [[spoiler:his [[Recap/CommunityS4E11BasicHumanAnatomy relationship with Britta]] at all]], because if he was worried he'd be rambling, and he's definitely not rambling...
38	** Jeff and Annie are the first to go along with the idea of extorting a better grade out of Cornwallis. The episode ends [[spoiler:in the Darkest Timeline, with Evil Jeff and Evil Annie]].
39	* FreezeFrameBonus: The gingerbread men on Troy's sweater are dunking one of them headfirst into a glass of milk. It's a cutesy, silly image until one reads "Milk boarding" in the trim.
40	* GilliganCut: "Abed, there are no dark timelines!"
41	* HadToComeToPrisonToBeACrook: Zigzagged. [[spoiler: Evil Annie apparently committed armed robbery and stabbed people, but she's now truly evil after spending time in Greendale Asylum]].
42	* AHouseDivided: What Cornwallis attempts in order to escape.
43	* HiddenDepths: Annie is quite surprised that Shirley was ''also'' going for the Valedictorian.
44	* INeverToldYouMyName: "He knows my name..." says Troy. Of his teacher who he's had many classes with.
45	* IceCreamKoan: Used by [[spoiler:Evil Jeff]].
46	* InnocentInnuendo: "You're F-ing us?"
47	* InsaneTrollLogic: [[spoiler:Evil Jeff's argument for Evil Annie's release is that whilst she robbed several drug stores & stabbed several pharmacists, the ''true'' crime is someone so beautiful being locked away from society]].
48	* JerkassHasAPoint: Cornwallis is messing with the group, but he has a point that they are a fragile group that would turn on each other if the opportunity arose.
49	* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: [[spoiler: Evil Annie goes from being someone who feels guilty about Pierce's (apparent) death, to being as evil as her boyfriend and wanting to destroy her counterpart]].
50	* LaserGuidedKarma: Cornwallis could have escaped at any time, since Chang didn't tie his knots well. He stayed to mess with the group because he was lonely on Christmas. They tie him up for real when he breaks free and says they'll have to live with whoever was the Judas.
51	* OhCrap: Abed has this reaction as he's thinking about the [[spoiler: Darkest Timeline]].
52	* TheOner: The first 2 minutes, when everyone comes to Jeff's apartment, is one long shot.
53	* NoSell: Cornwallis tries to get Abed to turn on the group. Abed says he's the wrong target because the scenario itself matters more to him.
54	* NotSoAboveItAll:
55	** Cornwallis in his debut was horrified that teachers manipulate students to teach them a lesson. Here, he tries to adopt the stunt to be accepted on Christmas.
56	** [[spoiler: Evil Jeff initially considers the idea of turning evil and destroying his prime counterpart completely ridiculous, in this episode he fully embraces that role]].
57	* PassThePopcorn: Abed makes a bowl of popcorn to enjoy Cornwallis being a villain.
58	* ThePowerOfFriendship
59	* RatsInABox: What Cornwallis tries in invoke the entire episode.
60	* RealAfterAll: [[spoiler: Greendale Asylum is real in the Darkest Timeline]]!
61	* RealitySubtext: When putting up new curtains in his apartment with Annie, Jeff takes a fourth-wall swipe at the network's decision to delay airing the fourth season, which meant that holiday episodes like these would be seen in the spring.
62	--> "Actually these will also work for Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, or whenever people get to see it."
63	* ShipTease:
64	** When Cornwallis mentions romantic entanglements, Annie and Jeff exchange looks. In a succinct summary of their relationship, Annie's glance is more schoolgirl-flirty, while Jeff is warily uncomfortable.
65	** Jeff asks Annie if they need to have another talk about her wanting to play house with him; in response Annie seemingly admits that he does, before catching herself & claiming she's just redecorating for the party.
66	** [[spoiler: Evil Jeff and Evil Annie]] share a kiss after [[spoiler: he gets her released from Greendale Asylum]].
67	* ShoutOut:
68	** Abed constantly makes references to ''Film/DieHard''. Nakatomi Sushi serves a dish called Hans Grouper.
69	** Pierce is doing sensitivity training with Gilbert, as watching ''{{Film/Invictus}}'' didn't work.
70	** Jeff serves Macallan 18, neat, to Cornwallis.
71	** Jeff went to a Music/TomWaits concert, [[spoiler:blowing off the paper by pasting lyrics from]] "War" by Edwin Starr.
72	** Troy calls Cornwallis "the [[Literature/AChristmasCarol human]] [[TheScrooge version]] of [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Scrooge McDuck]]".
73	** A group of friends is outwitted by a MagnificentBastard tied to a chair, paralleling ''Film/SuicideKings''.
74	** WordOfGod is that the running of the episode in real time is a {{Homage}} to Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/{{Rope}}''
75	** Cornwallis warns the group to [[Theatre/JuliusCaesar "Beware the Ides of March"]].
76	** The Dean watches ''Series/RizzoliAndIsles''.
77	** [[spoiler:Evil Annie]] is restrained by a [[Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs Hannibal Lecter]]-style mask.
78	* StrawFeminist: Britta takes umbrage at Cornwallis using 'feminine' to insult Jeff's decor. It was at worst a backhanded compliment, as he preceded it by saying it was a nice apartment.
79	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Troy is "definitely not rambling."
80	* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Abed finds out that this is ''not'' the case. After Cornwallis starts to manipulate him, he gets up to make popcorn, since villains usually take a while to ramp up. In the space of 1 minute 30 seconds he was gone, Cornwallis has already started to find cracks in the foundation.
81	* TalkingYourWayOut: Cornwallis tries this.
82	* UnholyMatrimony: [[spoiler:Evil Jeff and Evil Annie]].
83	* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: The Dean greets Cornwallis and ignores that he is tied up and drinking scotch through a straw.
84	* WhamLine: Somehow an off-hand comment made by Abed:
85	--> ''Abed'': [[spoiler:I wonder what's happening in the [[DarkestHour darkest timeline]].]]
86	** Leads to TheReveal [[spoiler:in the Darkest Timeline, Evil Jeff having gotten Evil Annie out of [[Recap/CommunityS3E19CurriculumUnavailable Greendale Asylum]] and vowing revenge on the Prime timeline]].
87	* WrittenInAbsence: Pierce is at a 'sensitivity training' with Gilbert to make up for Chevy Chase's absence.

Context Recap / CommunityS4E10IntroToKnots