Movies - TV
The 18 Best Community Episodes, Ranked
By MOLLY TURNER
18. Season 3. Ep. 17
Like the best of the series' homages, this episode is expertly done, allowing for plenty of jokes that take the genre seriously while also developing important plot elements. In typical "Community" fashion, the episode's reality and imagination collide at the most surprising moments to expose darker truths.
17. Season 3 Ep.14
Told through archival photos and narration from guest star Keith David, the episode nails the Ken Burns aesthetic. It's essentially a school-wide pillow fight but with grand emotional stakes in a thematic clash that typifies the show’s unique chemistry, all while making the audience believe in the stakes of the fight.
16. Season 3 Ep. 7
This is a good example of the structure the show would grow into, outside of its genre pastiches. The more typical plot structure allowed for high-concept deviations like Pierce's hallucinations while also presenting the struggle someone as serious as Annie would face being friends with people like Troy and Abed, a role reversal sitcoms rarely consider.
15. Season 3 Ep. 20
The episode’s twist uncovers that Gilbert is Pierce's secret illegitimate half-brother is a subversive, yet very realistic twist that reminds the audience how wealthy, white families sometimes operate. Additionally, it typifies the series' ethos that everyone has flaws and imperfections allowing for a rare moment of humanity for Pierce, who’s often a one-dimensional villain.
14. Season 2 Ep. 9
This episode hilariously plays with the plot in a series of convoluted but rewarding twists. The episode is all the more impressive because the third act was written by Chris McKenna (who went on to co-write "Spiderman: Homecoming" and "Spiderman: No Way Home) and Harmon during filming, a testament to the unique talent behind the scenes.