10 Great Episodes Of Community To Watch While Waiting For The Movie

Even though the Community movie is still a ways off, fans can re-watch ten of the show’s best episodes in the meantime. Ever since Abed famously shouted it while dressed as a superhero, fans have been hoping for “six seasons and a movie,” and despite facing challenges and even being cancelled once, the beloved show delivered just that – six fantastic seasons, with the exception of the slightly bumpy sixth year.

Good news for fans: Peacock is moving forward with a Community movie, and almost the entire original cast—everyone except Chevy Chase—is on board, including Keith David. However, the project has faced several setbacks and delays. As of early 2025, it’s still in development, with Joel McHale confirming that funding, the cast, and a script are all secured.

The biggest challenge now is coordinating everyone’s busy schedules – all the Community actors have seen their careers take off since the show ended. But while we wait for news about the movie, at least we can enjoy rewatching the classic episodes.

Cooperative Calligraphy

Community Season 2, Episode 8

Best Quote: “If I could just take a moment to share a few words of sarcasm with whoever it is that took this pen. I want to say thank you for doing this to me. For a while I thought I’d have to suffer through a puppy parade, but I much prefer being entombed alive in a mausoleum of feelings I can neither understand nor reciprocate.” –Abed

If you’re a fan of Community but don’t have time to watch the entire show again, “Cooperative Calligraphy” is a great episode to revisit. It’s a complete story on its own, and many fans consider it one of the funniest from season 2.

What I really love about this show is how focused it is. Because the stories aren’t sprawling, we get to know these characters – truly see their strengths and flaws. The writing is phenomenal, honestly. Every single person in the study group has at least one line that could be the best of the whole series. For me, Abed’s sarcastic rant really hit home – as someone on the autism spectrum, I totally connected with it. But honestly, there are so many other brilliant moments to choose from.

The show also features fun callbacks to past moments, such as Annie using her signature pen and another nod to the movie Beetlejuice.

A Fistful Of Paintballs

Best Quote: “Man, Math Club has gotten a lot better since last year.” –Chang, “Obviously, they were practicing while the rest of us went on dates!” –Jeff

If you’re excited for the Community movie, it’s worth revisiting episodes written by Andrew Guest, who’s co-writing the film with Dan Harmon. A standout example is “A Fistful of Painballs,” which brilliantly captures the feel of a Western. The episode centers around a game of Paintball Assassin at Greendale and features a memorable guest star in a single-appearance role.

As a huge fan of the paintball episodes, I always thought ‘A Fistful of Paintballs’ was a little different. Most of them tend to focus on one or two characters’ adventures, but this one really felt like a team effort. That said, Annie, played by Alison Brie, absolutely kills it – she’s totally awesome and gets some fantastic moments to show off her skills.

As a huge Community fan, this episode really felt like a preview of what the movie might be like. We’ve heard there won’t be any paintball – bummer, I know! – but the script was written by Megan Ganz, and her style definitely came through. So, I’m hoping the movie will have that same quick-witted humor and great character interactions we all love.

Contemporary American Poultry

Community Season 1, Episode 21

Best Quote: “If you have to ask, you’re streets behind.” –Pierce Hawthorne

The Community episode “Contemporary American Poultry” was the first to fully imitate another work, specifically the movie Goodfellas. It brilliantly copies the film’s visuals and overall style, but tells a funny mafia-style story set at Greendale, where the hot commodity isn’t drugs or money – it’s chicken tenders!

This episode is really good because it gives us a lot of insight into the characters of Community. For example, Starburns’ shady dealings with the chicken tenders foreshadow his future meth lab, and Chang’s willingness to cheat and bend the rules shows us what he’s capable of, hinting at his later dictatorship and condition, Changnesia.

This episode really highlights how intelligent and resourceful Abed is, and I think it sets the stage nicely for the movie. He’s arguably the most likely of the study group to achieve success, a point subtly suggested in the ‘Contemporary American Poultry’ segment.

Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking

Community Season 2, Episode 16

Best Quote: “I told Pierce a thousand times I never wanted to meet LeVar Burton in person! I just wanted a picture! You can’t disappoint a picture!” –Troy

It’s highly unlikely Chevy Chase will be involved in the movie, considering he was fired from Community. Because of this, an episode heavily focused on his character, Pierce, might feel out of place. However, “Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking” is a funny, well-produced episode that could be useful when the movie eventually arrives.

The episode “Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking” cleverly contrasts how the characters present themselves in interviews with their more authentic selves, revealed through candid footage. It’s a standout episode from the show’s early seasons, offering a great look into the personality of each member of the study group.

Now that the show is in its second season, the actors and writers have a much better grasp of who the characters are. This episode, the series finale, and the Community movie all offer a great opportunity to see how the characters have changed and developed over time.

Conspiracy Theories And Interior Design

Community Season 2, Episode 9

Best Quote: “Would that this desk were a time desk so I could correct my past mistakes. Ride dinosaurs. Fight with Jack the Ripper. Would that this hoodie were a time hoodie.” –The Dean

The Community episode “Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design” is a standout, largely because of its constant surprises. It’s heavily inspired by heist films, delivering twist after twist from beginning to end.

This episode feels uniquely suited to the show Community – it’s wonderfully absurd and I enjoyed every minute. The plot is completely over-the-top, with a ridiculous conspiracy involving a class about conspiracy theories, a chase through a fort made of pillows and blankets, and plenty of playful antics involving the Dean.

It’s probably a stretch to think a book called “Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design” will show up in the Community series, but I secretly hope we find out The Dean wrote a popular book – maybe a thrilling adventure called “Dean Dangerous” – and that Abed turned it into a movie.

Geothermal Escapism

Community Season 5, Episode 5

Best Quote: “By the way, when I cloned you, I had to patch some missing parts of your DNA with genes from a homing pigeon. You may notice side effects, like to compulsion to come back.” –Abed

Okay, so “Geothermal Escapism” really got to me. It’s a bittersweet episode – hilarious, but also genuinely moving because it marks Troy’s departure. The episode centers around a brilliant take on a classic game – “the floor is lava” – which felt like a fresh, energetic spin on those over-the-top paintball episodes they used to do. But beyond the fun and games, it really highlighted just how crucial Troy is to Abed, and how much their friendship means to both of them. It’s a fantastic episode, even if it left me a little teary-eyed.

The friendship between Troy and Abed is central to the show Community, making their reunion in the Community movie something fans have been eagerly anticipating.

Plus, the episode “Geothermal Escapism” ends with two major unanswered questions: What happened to Troy during and after his sailing trip with LeVar Burton? And how are Troy and Abed doing as friends?

Social Psychology

Community Season 1, Episode 4

Best Quote: “NO! NO! NONONONONO! NO! It’s unacceptable, alright! You LIED to me! When you say something starts at nine, it starts at nueve! NOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOO!” –Chang

The Community movie has faced real delays due to logistical challenges, and just when things were getting on track, the recent strike created further complications. Honestly, after waiting so long, I half-jokingly wonder if the movie is actually Dan Harmon’s experiment to see how much the fanbase can endure – a playful nod to the ‘Duncan Effect’ of prolonged anticipation.

That’s why I believe “Social Psychology” is the ideal show to watch while we wait for a movie to come out. It’s fun to enjoy alongside Chang, Troy, and Abed, feeling like we’re part of their experiences.

The dynamic between Britta, Shirley, and Jeff suggests Jeff is beginning to consider Britta’s feelings. While he doesn’t always express himself well and occasionally reverts to his old behavior, it’s still a positive step forward.

Digital Estate Planning

Community Season 3, Episode 20

Best Quote: “Troy and Abed shooting lava!” –Troy & Abed

This episode, “Digital Estate Planning,” is a self-contained story you can enjoy even if you haven’t seen previous ones. While Pierce is predictably irritating, the episode is overall so funny and clever that it more than compensates for his behavior.

The 8-bit animation is really enjoyable. It’s incredibly satisfying to see Annie and Shirley take out the blacksmith and burn down the house. Britta acting like Britta and messing up the potion makes perfect sense, and it’s amusing that Abed created a digital world filled with copies of himself. Plus, it’s funny to watch Jeff deliver one of his motivational speeches in 8-bit form.

While you probably won’t see “Digital Estate Planning” mentioned in the Community movie, it’s a fun and easy thing to learn about while you’re anticipating its release.

Basic Intergluteal Numismatics

Community Season 5, Episode 3

Best Quote: The entire Ass-Crack Bandit song

In the TV show Community, a recurring joke revolves around the mysterious “Ass-Crack Bandit.” The episode “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics” finally dedicates a storyline to this character, styled as a tribute to director David Fincher. Beyond being highly amusing, the episode also features one of the show’s longest-lasting unsolved mysteries: who is the Ass-Crack Bandit?

During a 2020 Zoom call, Dan Harmon playfully suggested that Annie might be the mysterious Ass-Crack Bandit, but the show never confirmed this. Adding to the mystery, Annie admitted she wasn’t familiar with the Dave Matthews Band and had a phone conversation with the Bandit, making the connection seem unlikely. Some fans even believe there were actually three people responsible for the Bandit’s actions.

Since everyone has their own ideas about who the Ass-Crack Bandit is, it’s likely the mystery will be mentioned – or even solved – in the upcoming Community movie. So, it’s a good idea to refresh your memory by rewatching the episode “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics.”

Remedial Chaos Theory

Community Season 3, Episode 4

Best Quote: “Guys, I’ve been thinking about that night over and over, and one thing has become clear: this is the darkest, most terrible timeline.”

As a huge fan of Community, I can’t talk about the show’s best episodes without mentioning “Remedial Chaos Theory.” It’s become so ingrained in pop culture – everyone knows “the darkest timeline” and that hilarious gif of Troy screaming about pizza, even if they’ve never actually seen the show. It’s amazing how much that one episode has spread!

Beyond its impact on pop culture, “Remedial Chaos Theory” is simply a really fun episode. The acting is excellent, and the seven different timelines – especially the one where Abed catches the dice – are all unique and keep things interesting. It’s never dull!

Plus, this episode introduces many running gags and plotlines that appear throughout the rest of the show. Considering how frequently it’s referenced, “Remedial Chaos Theory” is sure to get a nod in the upcoming Community movie. That makes it a great choice to rewatch while you’re counting down the days!

2026-01-09 19:25