History Series / Community

%%* EvilIsHammy:
%%**Chang's bread and butter.

** When getting the results of their Spanish 101 final, Abed reads the study group members scores from sheets of paper hung up on a wall in the hallway. In reality, [[https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/ferpa.html FERPA laws]], which protect student privacy, would prohibit posting student scores in a public place.

** When getting the results of their Spanish 101 final, Abed reads the study group members scores from sheets of paper hung up on a wall in the hallway. In reality, FERPA laws [[https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/ferpa.html]] , which protect student privacy, would prohibit posting scores in a public place.

For the longest time, fans held out hope for "six seasons and a movie," as their collective mantra went. In spite of the low television ratings, notoriously TroubledProduction, firing-then-rehiring of its creator, departure of three cast members and raising the profile of several actors/resurrecting careers, the show got to end on its own terms after all on June 2, 2015, though conversations about a potential film occasionally popped up since. In September 2022, [[https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/community-movie-peacock-dan-harmon-joel-mchale-1235389233/ the film was finally announced]] for Creator/{{Peacock}}, with [=McHale=], Jacobs, Pudi, Brie, Glover, Rash, and Jeong confirmed so far to reprise their roles. [=McHale=] will also serve as an executive producer along with Harmon, who will co-write the screenplay with fellow ''Community'' scribe, Andrew Guest. Filming was originally set to begin in 2023 before being pushed back to 2024 by the Writers' Strikes.

For the longest time, fans held out hope for "six seasons and a movie," as their collective mantra went. In spite of the low television ratings, notoriously TroubledProduction, firing-then-rehiring of its creator, departure of three cast members and raising the profile of several actors/resurrecting careers, the show got to end on its own terms after all on June 2, 2015, though conversations about a potential film occasionally popped up since. In September 2022, [[https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/community-movie-peacock-dan-harmon-joel-mchale-1235389233/ the film was finally announced]] for Creator/{{Peacock}}, with [=McHale=], Jacobs, Pudi, Brie, Glover, Rash, and Jeong confirmed so far to reprise their roles. [=McHale=] will also serve as an executive producer along with Harmon, who will co-write the screenplay with fellow ''Community'' scribe, Andrew Guest.

** Pierce [[spoiler:being killed off]] early in Season 5 was to account for Chevy Chase's severance agreement stating he couldn't step foot on the set of ''Community'' ever again.

** Characters will make a suggestion to their group by pointing to individuals and asking the same brief question. ("Intervention? Intervention? Intervention?") This spreads to people who are not in the study group.

* ArtisticLicenseLinguistics: Throughout the series, Abed is referred to — and refers to himself - as “Arabic.” There is no such thing as an “Arabic” person; “Arabic” refers exclusively to the Central Semitic language widely spoken across North Africa, the Levant, Mesopotamia and the Arabian peninsula. “Arab” is the English adjective for the ethnic group and its culture, as well as the demonym for members of said group. Ironically gotten right by Pierce, in his own idiom:

* FamilyOfChoice: The study group evolves into a close-knit, if occasionally dysfunctional, family unit over the course of the series. They frequently spend birthdays, holidays, vacations, and weekends together and turn to each other in moments of crisis. It's gradually revealed that this is most likely because they're all alienated from or at odds with their relatives. Jeff's [[DisappearedDad]] father left when he was young and it's implied that he's stopped talking to his mother because he's too ashamed to admit that he lost his job. Abed's mother also walked out on their family and he's had a strained relationship with his father ever since. Annie's parents cut her off after she went to rehab because they didn't want to acknowledge that she had a problem. Britta has deliberately estranged herself from her parents due to their overly strict treatment of her when she was growing up. Shirley's family took Andre's side over hers in the divorce and she doesn't get along with her in-laws even after they reconcile. Pierce's mom dies early in Season 2, he [[WellDoneSonGuy hates his verbally and emotionally abusive dad]], and he has seven failed marriages behind him. Troy's parents are divorced and his dad made him move out in favor of his much younger girlfriend.

* ChewbaccaDefense: Jeff's go-to strategy as a lawyer. He particularly seems to like invoking 9/11. Subverted in at least one instance: [[spoiler:when he uses it in "Debate", Greendale loses, 50-8 (and the 8 were to Annie)]].

* DineAndDash: When Abed and Troy dine in a fancy restaurant in TheTag, they discover that the price is ridiculously high and make a run for it.

* DumpThemAll: The season one has Jeff torn between Brita and Professor Slater. He essentially chooses this option when he decides to leave as opposed to making any decisions.

* EarthDayEpisode: In the B-plot of the first season episode "Environmental Science", Dean Pelton announces they are becoming more environmentally conscious and changing their name to Enviro-Dale. One student points out they're already ''Green''dale.

* EatingTheEyeCandy: When Jeff and the Pool Professor strip nude during their showdown the entire study group averts their eyes, [[CovertPervert except Annie who sneaks a few dozen peeks]] and Abed.

** Jeff and Hard-boiled eggs.

** All the teachers never get fired, despite how [[SadistTeacher sadistic]], [[ApatheticTeacher lazy]], or [[AdultsAreUseless incompetent]] they can get. Lampshaded in at least one episode; after complaining to the dean, Annie mentions that they've been trying to fire one teacher for three years, but no one else wants the job.

->''"You've just stopped being a study group. You've become something unstoppable. I hereby pronounce you a community."''

** The show mentions on occasion Britta's DarkAndtroubledPast of having been molested by a man in a dinosaur costume on her eleventh birthday party and her father not believing her. This is oddly never mentioned when her parents finally appear in person in Season 6, even when Britta lists off her reasons for resenting them.

** The ending of "Home Economics" strongly implies that the feud between Pierce and Vaughan will continue past that episode, with Pierce plotting revenge on Vaughan for humiliating him by hiring a member of his band to write a DissTrack against him. By Vaughan's next appearance, however, the two appear to have made up.

The show's humor is driven by the characters' interactions, supplemented by [[BetterThanABareBulb rampant lampshade hangings]]. (As a side effect of this, the show's trope examples will be very quote-driven.) Episodes often [[{{Homage}} directly riff on different media genres]], taking great artistic liberties and changing the style of the show to match what they're parodying. This means that episode to episode, ''Community'' can become a wildly different show; it can be a [[Recap/CommunityS1E21ContemporaryAmericanPoultry sendup to American mobster films]] like ''Film/{{Goodfellas}}'' one week, a [[Recap/CommunityS2E04BasicRocketScience space disaster film]] another, and in yet another [[Recap/CommunityS3E08DocumentaryFilmmakingRedux a documentary-style parody of]] ''Film/ApocalypseNow''.

Dan Harmon -- whose work ethic and perfectionism had made for constant battles with the network, the production studio, and star Creator/ChevyChase (who infamously left a hate-filled tirade on his voicemail) -- ultimately got fired off his own show at the end of the third season, replaced by producers Moses Port and David Guarascio (known for ''Series/JustShootMe'' and ''Series/HappyEndings''). After the fourth season, the show was renewed and Harmon hired back as showrunner for season five. Chase left at the end of season four, leaving the show bringing in Creator/JonathanBanks guest-starring as an unofficial replacement, and Donald Glover departed after five episodes for [[http://www.hypable.com/donald-glover-explains-left-community-letter/ personal reasons]]. NBC officially canceled the show after season five, but it was [[ChannelHop picked up]] by ''Yahoo Screen!'' for a sixth season. Yvette Nicole Brown left to focus on taking care of her ailing father (ultimately guest-starring in the season's premiere and finale), and Creator/KeithDavid and Creator/PagetBrewster were added to the cast for the sixth season as new main characters, but only billed as supporting players in the show's credits.

For the longest time, fans held out hope for "six seasons and a movie," as their collective mantra went. In spite of the low television ratings, notoriously TroubledProduction, firing-then-rehiring of its creator, departure of three cast members and raising the profile of several actors/resurrecting careers, the show got to end on its own terms after all on June 2, 2015, though conversations about a potential film have occasionally popped up since. In September 2022, [[https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/community-movie-peacock-dan-harmon-joel-mchale-1235389233/ the film was finally announced]] for Creator/{{Peacock}}, with [=McHale=], Jacobs, Pudi, Brie, Glover, Rash, and Jeong confirmed so far to reprise their roles. [=McHale=] will also serve as an executive producer along with Harmon, who will co-write the screenplay with fellow ''Community'' scribe, Andrew Guest.

* DemotedToExtra: Pierce gradually had less and less to do in any given episode, or would have a subplot by himself, due to Chevy Chase noted difficulties with the show and the grueling schedule. By the fourth season he was outright missing from several episodes, and left the show after a cameo in the fifth season premiere.

** One of the 'Study Break' webisodes has the gang decide to play a game while on a study break. Troy, Annie and Abed decide to play 'The Floor Is Lava', Pierce and Shirley break out the cards to play Pinocle, and Jeff and Britta find themselves trapped between the two poles. Lampshaded when Jeff dryly taunts Britta by pointing out that "the generation gap is splitting our group -- and ''you're'' right in the middle of it."

** Similar to the Latvian Independence Day example, the upcoming pillow vs. blanket fight episode is airing on National Pillow Fight Day.

* PuppyDogEyes: Annie's not-so-secret weapon.

* CatchPhrase:
** Played relatively straight with Abed's "Cool... coolcoolcool.,"
** Parodied with Magnitude's "POP POP!"
** "You don't have a patent on (insert thing)" which started as something Britta said to Slater in the season 1 finale.
** "Troy and Abed in the Morning!"
** Annie and Shirley's shared "Awwwww!" (which Britta sometimes joins in on).
** Leonard's repeated use of the BronxCheer.
** Shirley also has "That's nice!"

* AffectionateNickname: Jeff and Annie have addressed one another as "Milady" and "Milord," (respectively) on more than one occasion.
* AffectionateParody: [[AffectionateParody/{{Community}} Numerous episodes]] are explicit parodies of existing genres or shows.
* AffectionatePickpocket: In the season 4 finale, [[spoiler: Evil-]]Annie gives Jeff a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huaEIDEsG-k hug]] in order to steal his phone from his back pocket.

* AllJustADream: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1vV2LAEEQY This promo trailer]] for season 5.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: The study group (minus Jeff and Pierce, who are more obvious bitches) and Dean Pelton can be this from time to time.

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Troy is the first to be eliminated in Modern Warfare.
** Discussed and subverted in "Epidemiology." Abed [[LampshadeHanging lampshades this trope]] as he [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifices]] himself so Troy can escape the zombies. Troy is the last of the study group to be bitten, and even then still manages to turn on air conditioning and save the day.

* BourgeoisBohemian: Britta's parents were hippies in the 1960s and too free-spirited to raise their daughter correctly, but they've settled down into normal, upper-middle-class people. It's a twist when we find out that Britta is rebelling against them because they were too ''permissive'' rather than too authoritarian.

* TheCastShowoff: Several members of the cast demonstrate musical talent over the course of the show, including Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, and Chevy Chase. The season 3 Christmas special offers an opportunity to show off when the study group fills in for the glee club--but special mention has to made of Donald Glover, who had released his first full-length album by the time the episode aired, and whose section of the rap performed by Troy and Abed in that episode sounds much more like his own music than the simpler raps performed earlier in the show's run.

* TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong: In "Advanced Documentary Filmmaking," Jeff is convinced that Chang is faking his Changnesia. Then it turns out that Chang genuinely doesn't remember his ex-wife, and now Jeff knows how Chang used to feel all the time - hated and ostracized. [[spoiler:Naturally, it was subverted by the end of the episode - Chang really is faking, and is taking orders from someone unknown]].

* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Pierce is pretty much a walking deconstruction of the "wacky old person" character. His attempts at humor end up being [[ValuesDissonance offensive]], his [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior insensitivity]] makes him seem like a [[{{Jerkass}} jerkass]], any slapstick involving him ends in injury due to his old age, and while his memory loss is usually PlayedForLaughs, at one point [[KickTheSonOfABitch the study group takes advantage of it]] so they can cover up [[ForgottenBirthday forgetting his birthday]][[note]]though a later episode [[CerebusCallback revealed it didn't work]][[/note]].
** The episode "Studies in Modern Movement" deconstructs the Loony Friends part of the LoonyFriendsImproveYourPersonality trope. After the strait-laced Annie agrees to move in with the eccentric Troy and Abed, she tries to go along with their zany antics and off-the-wall kookiness, but gradually gets more and more frustrated with their eccentricity and the selfishness, obliviousness, and annoying behaviour it leads to. The point is clearly made that while the Loony Friends may seem cool, wacky and fun in short doses and from a distance (such as the twenty-odd minutes you spend watching them on television), if you had to spend any meaningful amount of time up-close and personal with them they'd quickly become insufferably selfish and annoying if they weren't willing to tone things down a bit.
** Episodes like "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" and "Virtual Systems Analysis" do this to the MetaGuy with Abed, showing that rather than being a charming, in-control, DeadpanSnarker, they really act like an inconsiderate and manipulative person to be around, not to mention detached to the point of delusion.

%%* DisneyDeath: See DroppedABridgeOnHim below.
* TheDissTrack: After breaking up with Britta, Vaughn makes an insulting song about their relationship and performs it in front of the entire school. Later, he does the same with Pierce, who had joined his band only for the two to have a falling out. In TheTag of that episode, Pierce is shown writing a diss track directed at Vaughn. Vaughn finds out and vows to make yet another diss track.

%%* DocumentaryEpisode: "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking" and "Documentary Filmmaking: Redux." "Pillows and Blankets" is more of a {{Mockumentary}}, by contrast.

* FoulCafeteriaFood: A general consensus that chicken fingers, which always run out, are the only edible food the school cafeteria serves leads the study group to [[ItMakesSenseInContext create a crime family centered around the chicken fingers]].
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: More than one of each type:
** Sanguine: Shirley, Pierce, and Pelton
** Choleric: Annie and Chang (when he has power, at least)
** Melancholic: Britta, Duncan, and Abed
** Phlegmatic: Jeff and Troy

* In "[[Recap/CommunityS2E09ConspiracyTheoriesAndInteriorDesign Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design]], Troy ponders his and Abed's growing blanket fort, musing "When does a fort stop being a fort?", to which Abed replies "Hey, as long as it's still made out of blankets, right?" A season later, when revisiting the idea, his stance on the importance of sticking to a single building material for their fort ends up leading to a civil war and serious conflict between the two.

* FriendsWithBenefits: This eventually becomes the arrangement between [[spoiler:Jeff and Britta]].

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Usually provided by Abed.
** Including, in "The Psychology of Letting Go", an entire funny background ''storyline''. While the main plot of the episode takes place, Abed can frequently be seen in the background meeting a pregnant woman, getting in a fight with her boyfriend, and finally delivering her baby.
** In "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas," a blink and you'll miss it moment when the group is in the Christmas world. As Abed is talking to the group, a snowman can be seen looking at the group from behind a tree. In the real, non-stop-motion world, this would be Chang staring at the group from outside the study room.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: There's another, apparently cooler study group, which includes Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Starburns and a hot chick. The study group is this to the other students, since everything turns out to be about them.
** Abed [[FunnyBackgroundEvent in the background]] of "The Psychology of Letting Go."

* HollywoodBoardGames: In [[Recap/CommunityS1E18BasicGenealogy "Basic Genealogy"]], Pierce and co. play a game of ''TabletopGame/{{Pictionary}}'', with the cue being "windmill". Matching the sitcom's customary BlackComedy and in a {{justified}} case for it, Pierce's drawing resembles a swastika. This [[GameNightFight derails into a fistfight]] with a rabbi who gets understandably offended by it. The cop that arrests them thinks ''Pictionary'' should ban the abovementioned cue.

* MoodWhiplash:
** Inevitable in a series which insists on playing out typical comedy scenarios - but with genuine consequences and character development. For example, the story arc where [[spoiler:Pierce]] gets injured in a [[AmusingInjuries wacky accident]] on a trampoline... which leads to his being forced to wear full casts on both legs for a good portion of the season, and become addicted to painkillers which nearly claim both his friendships and his life.
** Referenced by name in "[[Recap/CommunityS5E01Repilot Repilot]]."

* OfficialCouple: [[spoiler:Troy and Britta]], as of Season 4.

** Jeff deals with his lack of income and savings in several early first-season episodes and he's briefly homeless, but this is dropped in later episodes, and he always seems to have funds for whatever he needs. During this time, he's shown to live in a nice apartment by himself. Possibly {{Justified}} in that he is offered consulting work from his former employer at the beginning of Season 2. Between season four and five, Jeff opens a private law practice and goes bankrupt.

* ThisIsReality: Not often but now and then, the show gets its laughs showcasing just how nuts these events are in real life.
** Jeff manages to get the school's show choir shut down because in real life, a small school show choir could never afford the rights to so many major songs.
** During the Law and Order episode Troy and Abed catch Starburns and start interrogating him. He gets up and walks out when he remembers they're not actually cops.
** Chang was able to get a restraining order against Professor Duncan after the man used 'his' restraining order against Chang in order to deliberately harass the man and follow him around.

* RPGEpisode:
** "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons."
** Revisited in "Advanced Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" in season 5, where Creator/DavidCross plays Mr Hickey's estranged son and the group play to get them together.

* TheSmurfettePrinciple: [[http://www.greendalecommunitycollege.com/campus-connect/linda-greene.shtml "As the only female member of the Greendale Gooffaws, I have played many memorable comedic characters on stage. My favorites include the roles of "Girlfriend," "Mom" and "Nurse 2" in the Greendale Goofaws' "A Tale of Too Witty" musical revue."]]

* SpiritualAntithesis: The series can be viewed as one to ''Series/ParksAndRecreation''. Both are sitcoms that pay incredible attention to detail and canon, and both (like ''The Office'') are centered around the friendship group of a motley crew of lovable misfits. However, they play on opposite ends of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism -- the ''Parks'' gang climb career ladders throughout the series, often relying on each other to help them up said ladders, while ''Community'' is focused on how virtually nobody at Greendale is ever going to make anything of themselves and how the friendship group is, in a way, their only refuge from their terrible lives.
* SpiritualSuccessor: Whenever the idea of a ''Series/{{Spaced}}'' American remake comes up, many bring up the fact that it would be a lot like ''Community''. Both shows are about a gang of weirdos coming together to [[CharacterDevelopment help each other grow]], both are thoroughly obsessed with pop culture and both have had exceptionally memorable {{Paintball Episode}}s.

* StepfordSmiler: Annie's parents, who would've covered up her drug addiction rather than support her in her decision to go to rehab.
** Annie (covers up her insecurities), Shirley (has a DarkAndTroubledPast) and Dean Pelton (afraid that Greendale isn't good enough).
* StepfordSnarker: Jeff.

** Combined with TakeThatMe:

** "[[Recap/CommunityS2E01Anthropology101 Anthropology 101]]": "Since you've clearly failed to grasp the central insipid metaphor of those ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' books you devour, let me explain it to you: Men are monsters who crave young flesh!"

-->'''Jeff''': The biggest truths aren't original. The truth is ketchup. It's Jim Belushi. Its job isn't to blow our minds, it's to be within reach.
-->'''Prof. Slater''': ''(later in the conversation, about Jeff's fear of the word 'boyfriend')'' Whoopdie-freakin'-ding, Winger. It happens 50 million times a day. It's the Jim Belushi of sexual commitments. It barely means anything and it grows on what's there over time.
-->'''Jeff''': Boy, that guy's really taking a pounding in this conversation.

-->'''Jeff''': ''(practicing a wedding toast)'' Webster's Dictionary defines-
-->'''Annie''': Aaaagh! Stop! 'Webster's Dictionary defines'? That's the Jim Belushi of speech openings. It accomplishes nothing, but everyone keeps using it and nobody understands why.
-->'''Evil Abed''': Do you know what kind of person becomes a psychologist, Britta? A person that wishes deep down that everyone more special than them is sick because healthy sounds so much more exciting than boring. You're average, Britta Perry. You're every kid on the playground that didn't get picked on. You're a business casual potted plant, a human white sale, you're VH-1, Robocop 2 and Back To the Future 3, you're the center slice to a square cheese pizza... actually that sounds delicious... I'm the center slice to a square cheese pizza...You're Jim Belushi.

--> '''Secret Agent''': ''*having just searched Abed's bag*'' You're clean. Although I could issue a warning for this pirated copy of ''Film/TheLastAirbender''.
--> '''Abed''': Eesh, where were you a week ago? You can keep it!
* TakeAThirdOption: In "Pascal's Triangle Revisited", Jeff has to choose between [[FirstGirlWins Britta]] and [[HotTeacher Slater]] after both admit they love him. [[spoiler: He chooses [[FanPreferredCouple Annie]]]].

* TheTeaser

* ThanksgivingEpisode: "[[Recap/CommunityS4E05CooperativeEscapismInFamilialRelations Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations]]"

* {{Tsundere}}: The Secret Service girl for Abed in Season 2, episode 17.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: Happens with both Britta and Slater for Jeff.

** "[[Recap/CommunityS4E11BasicHumanAnatomy Basic Human Anatomy]]" is FreakyFriday.

** Season 1 episode 17 Physical Education
--->'''Shirley:''' Abed, you need to get with this girl, immediately, if not sooner.\\
'''Abed:''' Yeah?\\
'''Troy:''' Abed, for guys like you, this kind of opportunity only comes around once in a life... While.\\

'''Shirley:''' Abed, you need to get with this girl, immediately, if not sooner.\\