The Best Episodes Of Community, Ranked From Good To GREAT

Compared to most TV shows of its era, it’s safe to say that Community never achieved the same long-standing popularity as its fellow NBC sister series like The Office or Parks and Recreation. Experiencing a turbulent production history that saw the dismissal and abrupt return of creator Dan Harmon, the dramatic departure of star Chevy Chase, and a short-lived return on Yahoo! Screen, Community’s eventful background might account for its lack of widespread success among TV audiences in the 2010s.

Yet even then, it’s impossible to deny Community’s growing fan base among contemporary viewers – something best reflected by its flourishing cult status and the planned release of an upcoming Community movie. As we all anxiously await the long-promised cinematic finale to Community, we thought we’d take a look back at Dan Harmon’s genre-bending, meta-aware comedy series, listing some of Community’s greatest episodes in order from worst to best.

Epidemiology (Season 2, Episode 6)

Community has never shied away from cobbling together entire episodes to distinct cinematic genres. Just as they’d done a great job lampooning ‘80s action movies, ‘60s Rankin/Bass stop motion holiday films, and Scorsese-esque crime movies, Harmon and company once again handed in a delightful genre episode with season two’s “Epidemiology.” A fittingly macabre homage to classic zombie films, “Epidemiology” almost certainly ranks as the funniest (and scariest) Halloween-themed Community episode fans ever had the pleasure of seeing.

Cooperative Calligraphy (Season 2, Episode 8)

Deep down, everyone dreads the idea of a bottle episode, rolling their eyes whenever they witness their favorite TV characters forced to inhabit a disappointingly limited setting. Subverting the stereotypes surrounding the conventional bottle episode, “Cooperative Calligraphy” discovers a way to present its sparse storyline in a new and exciting way. Tense, original, and genuinely cathartic in its central plot point, “Cooperative Calligraphy” never succumbs to its self-enforced limitations, capturing the same nuanced tone as all the best Community episodes before and after it.

Basic Lupine Urology (Season 3, Episode 17)

Community had previously flirted with a buddy cop-oriented episode with season one’s “The Science of Illusion,” but it would take the series another two seasons before Harmon crafted the ultimate police procedural homage with “Basic Lupine Urology.” Sprinkling numerous references to Law & Order throughout its fast-moving 22-minute runtime, “Basic Lupine Urology” showed off Community’s overarching ability to transform itself in any genre-based movie or TV show imaginable, no matter how absurdly niche it seemed on paper.

Modern Warfare (Season 1, Episode 23)

There’s a reason most fans hold out hope that the long-awaited Community movie will feature a paintball war at the center of its plotline. A fan-favorite concept used a total of three times throughout Community’s six seasons, “Modern Warfare” kicked off the series’ paintball-themed subseries with a literally explosive bang. Parodying the kinds of ‘80s action films that usually starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Sylvester Stallone, “Modern Warfare” deserves a spot on every list of best Community episodes if only for introducing viewers to its chaotic paintball-themed central premise.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (Season 2, Episode 14)

“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” might have endured its share of controversy in recent years, mainly owing to Chang’s ill-advised use of dark elf makeup. Critical reassessments aside, however, “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” assuredly stands tall as one of Community’s very finest episodes. Constructing its main narrative around such relevant topics as bullying and mental health, “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” gets viewers to laugh even as they ponder the deeper implications of its plot, including Pierce’s monstrous treatment of the depressed Neil.

Pillows and Blankets (Season 3, Episode 14)

As Community entered its third season, Harmon and his writers began to look to more unorthodox sources of inspiration for their episodic storylines. Case in point with “Pillows and Blankets,” the Ken Burns-inspired documentary episode detailing the epic war between Troy’s Blanketsburg and Abed’s Pillowtown. A first-rate mockumentary upon first glance, “Pillows and Blankets” also excels at analyzing the unique bond between Abed and Troy, as well as highlighting Jeff’s own emotional growth into a more compassionate friend for his fellow study group members.

Remedial Chaos Theory (Season 3, Episode 4)

A fitting name for an unforgettably anarchic episode, “Remedial Chaos Theory” puts its alternative branching storylines to endless good use. Investing itself in the concept of parallel universes, “Remedial Chaos Theory” introduces viewers to such fan-favorite ideas as the “Darkest Timeline” – a Bizarro world constantly referenced time and time again throughout Community’s later seasons. As humorous as its opposing timelines might be, “Remedial Chaos Theory’s” strongest characteristic is its in-depth character exploration, as well as its ability to highlight just how important each character is to the study group as a whole.