Community: “Repilot” Review

“Community” is back with its fifth season and so is the show’s creator Dan Harmon.

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT.

After the mediocre season that was season 4 of Community, the season 5 premiere titled “Repilot” was an extreme refresher. It’s no secret that series creator, Dan Harmon whose absence was felt in season 4, is back. With dialogue, callbacks and just the little things that happen in the show, we can all rejoice that Community has returned!

The episode starts with Jeff’s commercial, later revealed to be made by Abed, a failed film student. In fact, each member of the study group is a failure, but Jeff is the focus at the start. Jeff isn’t in the best position as everything he owns, including his drink, gets repossessed. There to make matters worse is his old law firm pal, Alan Connor, who’s asking Jeff to gather evidence for Alan’s case. This downfall causes Jeff to return to the place responsible for this disaster and that place is Greendale Community College. One thing the show has been great at doing is feeling in plot holes and on top of that, making it obvious to the viewer. It’s known that actor Donald Glover who plays Troy Barnes on the show will only be in five episodes this season. When the reference to Scrubs: Interns comes about where Abed mentions Zach Braff only being in the first six episodes and Troy exclaims, “SON OF A BITCH! after everything Scrubs did for him,” it’s a golden moment that makes Community what it is. It’s great to see the show sticking to its roots.

“You guys feel weird doing this without… Magnitude”

Back in the newly converted study room where the study group reunites after a year has passed, we get a shift in perspective of the characters we once knew.

Elaborating on the aforementioned topic of everyone being failure, we get a look at the lives of each group member.  Jeff is a failed lawyer and will be homeless soon, Abed’s a failed filmmaker, Shirley isn’t married anymore and doesn’t have her children…or her 166 episodes of Bones, Annie is pushing pens, Britta is a bartender and Troy is waiting to sue Abed. The state of these characters and Greendale are far from glamorous and quite dark as well. To add the cherry on top, Chang is on house arrest and Greendale is his home. On the bright side, we got a short speech from holographic Pierce played by Chevy Chase.

This repilot episode was exactly what the series needed. No doubt the show had a rough patch, but this somewhat of a reboot puts the show on a different, yet the same track it should’ve stayed on. The old table is dead and gone and the newly improved, voice activated Mk II is here. Everyone has a new start at old Greendale.