The COMMUNITY Interrobang: “Regional Holiday Music” (S3E10)
Posted on 09. Dec, 2011 by theashcan in Interrobang, Television
Jef and Simon met in a school environment much like that of Greendale. That’s just one of the many reasons they love Community. They’ll be chatting about season three every week, and you should join them, because you’re streets ahead.
Jef: Season’s greetings!
Simon: Happy Holidays!
I was kind of hoping they’d top last year.
They did not.
Jef: Same here! Unreasonable, I guess.
Simon: yea, high expectations
Jef: Last year’s Christmas episode was something special.
It was something that I could actually see myself watching years from now and getting into the holiday spirits off of.
(But that’s me.)
Simon: screw you, Charlie Brown
Jef: This was just…a Christmas episode.
Simon: so, it’s nothing new, but Community really likes to make fun of Glee
why Glee, do you think in particular?
Jef: They do and I love them for it, but honestly I was always hoping they wouldn’t actually do a musical episode.
Glee is horrible, first off.
It’s manipulative and inconsistent with its characters, so in certain ways it’s the opposite of Community
Simon: was this a musical episode though?
or was it a Glee parody episode in the way they do parody episodes?
it’s easy to say that’s the same thing, but I’m not so sure they are
Jef: I see what you mean
Either of those things though I always felt would be lazy of Community to do
I loved that “flashback” episode last year because it felt like the show was acknowledging all of these overly wacky, overly obvious plots that they could never sustain for a whole episode
I was wrong, I guess, but also…the end result wasn’t that bad
What did you think?
Simon: I agree it was a bit of a stretch to turn that joke into an entire episode
I do think it’s pertinent that it’s Glee that’s the target of their jabs though
it really is the antithesis of Community, you’re so right about that
they went out of their way to cramp the formulaic nature of Glee’s plots
and I think even how they went into commercial with Britta as the last survivor, then suddenly she’s brainwashed when we get back
that kind of unexplained gap is absolutely Glee-like
it worked in that regard, as a joke
as an episode it was kind of fruitless though it seemed
Jef: Haha, I never thought about Britta’s sudden turn
I agree the episode was fruitless, but even worse, it felt LATE as fuck
Simon: RIGHT? I don’t watch Glee anymore
but I’m pretty sure it’s jumped the shark
although that realistically probably happened in episode 2
but still
Jef: Haha no but you’re right
I’m sure its ratings are still doing fine and whatnot, but the phenomenon has passed
Simon: the fact there is no Glee Holiday Album knocking down our radios can attest to that I think
… is there?
Jef: Haha I have no idea.
But yeah, the best time to make fun of this stuff would have been before Glee itself became a joke.
Simon: To be honest though, I kind of like musical episodes
it’s a gimmick but I’m a sucker for theatre
the songs here though
they were all terribad
just…
ah
Jef: Guh, right?
Simon: i mean I know they weren’t trying
but if you’re gonna do it, just… do it
Jef: I almost literally facepalmed when Troy went full Childish Gambino
That’s another thing I think should have never happened on this show
Simon: I was actually kind of shocked that happened
like, they let him bring that out on the show
also, TERRIBLE
Jef: Really bad.
Simon: Pierce’s Baby Boomer Santa song was equally painful
Jef: Haha I think Pierce’s was the only song I laughed at though.
When he said, “You’re welcome, you’re welcome, for everything, in the world!”
Simon: I thought Annie’s ditty was actually pretty funny by the end of it because they acknowledged the absurdity
Jef: Alison Brie can kill it with the physical comedy when she wants to, yes?
Simon: there was this one episode of Mad Men where she does the Charleston,
and it was amazing
Jef: haha yeah I’ve seen it, and it was grand.
My understanding too is that Brie can actually hit a note, so I thought it was weird they let Gambino run free but they didn’t let her sing.
I would have much preferred if they did that talent distribution the other way around.
Simon: admittedly, I almost fell off my couch laughing
when they walk into the study room and Pierce goes “who’s that guy?”
and they have a Chuck Klosterman looking fucker at the piano
Jef: “I’m not the only one who can see him, right?”
Simon: i died
i mean, just a little. but i really did.
Jef: I also liked the end of Annie’s song, “Boo bee boo pee do, boo. Sex.”
Simon: then her devolution into gibberish
there was something about this that didn’t really scream Holidays to me though
i mean, it seemed more like they were pointing out that their show’s characters have emotional depth and Glee’s don’t
and just used the holidays to hang their hat on that, but it didn’t really ring true for me
Jef: I totally feel you on that
I kept thinking this episode would redeem its concept by tying things together at the end.
I loved how last year’s Christmas episode wound down with the meaning of Christmas being LOST and all that
It was able to reach a very sincere place while also being this pop culture clusterfuck (aka Community at its best)
But this week’s fell short on both ends, I think
Simon: I agree. And whereas the characters were plumbed last year by revealing how they interacted with each other, and their personal feelings about the holidays, and background stories
this year they basically just said “look, they care about each other”
“the end”
Jef: At LEAST give us a genuinely touching moment at the end.
Simon: right. it was all tell, no show.
Jef: Abed’s line about “Maybe Jeff’s right, maybe forcing things to be bright just makes the darkness underneath even darker,” wasn’t enough.
And like we said, the songs weren’t good enough either.
We saw a way better musical mash-up with Kiss From A Rose in the episode where Annie moves in with Troy and Abed. Having that comparison made the songs here extra lackluster.
Simon: the final thing being Glee is incredibly easy to make fun of
i mean, the average Funny or Die skit could parody that show with equal aplomb
Jef: And I’m sure there’s a million of those clips already out there…
Simon: i guess i am sad about the lack of ambition for an episode i was highly anticipating
Jef: It seems like they used it just to “end the semester” on a happy note
As Abed and Jeff point out a couple of times
Jeff: “I basically killed a guy this year.”
Like, well, people are complaining we’re too dark.
Let’s throw them a bone and then get on with the show.
Simon: you think? I don’t actually hear people complain they’re too dark
then again, i don’t listen to people talk about Community except for… us
Jef: Haha
Complaint was probably the wrong word
Concern? I know we’ve talked about it before, that the characters especially were becoming a bit nasty this year
Simon: that’s true, we have touched on them being “not nice people”
Jef: So is this the response though?
“You want nice? Here. Watch GLEE.”
“See how horrible it is?”
Simon: well, they were responsible for the Glee club being dismantled in the first place
that wasn’t very nice
i suppose there’s some poetic justice in that sense
Jef: Lol
Yeah I loved that turn where we find out the teacher killed everyone in the bus crash, making everything some kind of in-the-background Veronica Mars mass murder plot.
(I am now revealing that I really love Veronica Mars.)
Simon: that show is the best
Jef: IS THIS WHERE WE JUST TALK ABOUT VERONICA MARS?
Simon: it died too soon
that’s all i have to say about it
Jef: Yeah. Great show.
I would have preferred if this were just a Veronica Mars parody episode.
Or at least if it morphed into that.
Simon: … that’s an amazing idea
dude, tengentially
have you ever watched that Star Wars Christmas special?
the one that was banned because it was so horrible?
Jef: Yeah I tried once with some high school friends.
IT’S ACTUALLY THAT BAD THOUGH.
It’s unwatchable.
Simon: IT REALLY IS
SO, SO BAD
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=323909610753051544
Jef: And EVERYONE is in it.
HARRISON FORD IS IN IT.
Which makes it harder to watch.
Lol I closed that window really quickly.
Simon: LOL
Jef: Speaking of horrible Christmas specials
Did you like Britta’s bit at the end?
Simon: I was going to bring this up but I thought one good thing about this episode was how much Britta we got
yes, I thought it was great
particularly knowing that “me so [blank]” is apparently a Britta catchphrase now
Jef: It is!
One of the reasons I love Britta is that she makes everyone else funnier as well.
Characters get to react to her and say stuff like, “Oh. Britta’s in this?”
Simon: she’s a good foil because she doesn’t really have a set way of acting
sometimes she’s ridiculous, sometimes she self-righteous, sometimes she’s actually wise
there’s more flexibility with her character than say, Troy
knowing this is the last ep for a while
how do you feel about it as a send off?
what if this is the last episode ever?
Jef: Well, it won’t be.
Right?
RIGHT?
Simon: I DON’T KNOW
*pours a shot*
Jef: I’m pretty sure they’ll finish the season like they’ve said.
But I’ve been known to lie to myself to make myself feel better, because that’s what handsome people do.
IF it’s the last episode, well, at least we ended on a nice Christmas-card-ish shot of all of them together at the end.
With enough hints of what we might miss out on, with Annie and Abed sharing a moment, and Troy and Britta sitting together.
Simon: I totally didn’t pick up on that!
Jef: Might be reading into it, but yup, those were the seating arrangements
With the adults all in the background.
Simon: duh doy!
I am continually impressed though with the show’s commitment to in-jokes
i mean, this whole episode, for starters
but things like Abed’s buttered noodles
Jef: Abed’s buttered noodles are amazing
I even just like saying it! Buttered noodles.
Was there anything in this episode that you could see them building off of?
Or was it entirely a self-contained, maybe throwaway ep?
Simon: yes, more boobie jokes
Jef: Hahaha
Boobie jokes, fart jokes
It’s been a classy season
Simon: I do think the Troy and Britta thing will coalesce by the end of this season
there was the sitting you just mentioned
but even Troy sticking up for her
“you don’t get to call Britta the worst!”
Jef: There you go! Totally didn’t pick up on that but you’re right.
And more and more Jeff and Annie’s thing seems to be based on forbidden lust and not much more.
Whereas Annie and Abed make genuine googly eyes at each other every once in awhile.
Simon: Do people make genuine goggly eyes in real life?
is that a real thing?
Jef: Well, Alison Brie and Danny Pudi do I guess.
They have rather large eyes.
Simon: goggly ones, even
uh
googly
Jef: Goggly eyes would be frightening!
Simon: but safe!
Jef: lolol
Simon: chang chang chang chaaaaaang
Jef: OH YEAH
that was my favourite part, the end number with the side characters.
Again, I feel it lacked in ambition (I thought it was going to go NUTS but didn’t)
But I still liked and will watch it again
Simon: it felt more genuine than the actual episode to me
like, the show honestly wants us to have a happy holidays guys!
Jef: “My name is Alex…My name is Alex…”
Simon: lol
he’s been totally AWOL
Jef: Yeah, right?
I mean I get that he’s pretty one-note
But he’s Starburns! Everything needs more Starburns
Simon: pop-pop to that
Jef: Â anything else you wanna get into?
Simon: naw, i think we got everything?
you?
Jef: Boo boop be doop.
Simon: sex
