Reviews

WELL. This episode wasn't as bad as I remember it being. Maybe my mindset has changed since I last watched it. It's still definitely not a good episode. But I remember finding nothing enjoyable about it.

It's not a memorable episode by any means. It lacks any punch in the story and the characters we're stuck with for half the episode are dreadful. But there's a few moments that legitimately got a laugh out of me.

Mainly Janet feeling more like herself again, not using her powers but giving off the impression that she is. D'Arcy Carden is at least doing a good job playing a character who's not the same anymore. She's delightful and I love her.

Her VR simulation for Chidi to break up with Simone felt a lot like Michael'a descent into madness from the S2 "Dance Dance Resolution" episode, which I appreciated. The repeated scenario sequence isn't as entertaining as it was the first time, but it did lead to some pretty funny moments and while Chidi can be annoying, William Jackson Harper sells it well at least. The dude is a better actor than he's given credit for.

NOW. The A-story in this episode is the single most uninteresting, pointless, unfunny plot line this show has come up with overall. I've never found Jason's backstory's characters to be entertaining. I find the dumb "Florida-ness" wore off somewhere in S2. Characters like Pillboi and (sigh) Donkey Doug are just so obnoxiously annoying. I already don't find Jason funny anymore, but dealing with 3 characters of his caliber is just awful. And in the end the story went absolutely nowhere since the characters were unable to be redeemed. Like what was the point.

The only good thing to come of that story was Tahani's pure confusion and frustration with Jason's life. Comments about DD biting Buzz Lightyear and reminding DD that he's Jason's dad. Two short comments but I found them funny and I really felt the frustration Tahani was feeling.

This episode is a major low point, there's no way it can get worse than this. I've been dreading reviewing this episode and this is exactly why.

It's easily skippable except for a couple little moments, and it's officially where I feel this half of the season died. I know we're getting close to returning to form with more afterlife stuff, reincluding Sean and (I think) Janet having her powers again.

I'm just so glad to be leaving the Australia section soon. Because it has not been fun. But hey. At least the horrible nihilism is out of the picture now, right?

Wow. This episode was... rough. This show has always been a comedy show, with some heavier elements brought in to give the show its unique feel. But this went straight into drama and it was just way too depressing.

As someone who fears death and that type of thought process, you'd think I'd have a hard time watching a show who's base premise is about the afterlife, but having a separation from reality with all the strange humour definitely helps through the first 2 seasons. The breakdown of the characters in this episode was far too serious and too real for me.

It reminded me a lot of the ending of AMC's Preacher's first season. After everyone in Anneville found out that God was missing and everything went downhill for the town's people. A very depressing ending but it fit that show bc while Preacher features some humour (it is a comedy in a way). That show is mainly a bizarre comedy drama... whatever. That kind of sequence works for a more serious show. But for a show that's supposed to be a comedy. Oh boy does it bum you out and completely kill whatever mood you're feeling.

I thought it could be amusing to see the characters breaking and grasping the insane concept of all the afterlife stuff. But the way the show handled Michael and Janet explaining everything was the single most painfully convoluted and unenjoyable way. The whole "Jeremy Bearimy" thing. It felt like it wanted to be funny, but came off as just too much to take in. Sure, some of the nihilistic stuff that came afterward was kind of interesting and featured a decent parallel to Eleanore in the first season, this time with Chidi-

But it's that overall nihilistic tone that really made this episode very rough to get through. I'm glad they all reunited at the end to hopefully send the show in a more positive direction. But like I said, as someone who fears death and tries to avoid thinking nihilistically due to it giving me anxiety. This episode was not fun.

I could also say, it's super brave for a weekly comedy show to tackle these heavy themes, because drama wise the episode did alright. Just... the start of this season is giving me whiplash and I'm starting to lose hope for S4 if this type of "uncertainty of where it's actually wanting to go" continues.

I know the "Donkey Doug" episode is next and I remember hating it the first time I saw it, that episode has to happen before the more interesting stuff starts. This season is so desperately trying to fix itself but at this point... it's almost entirety lost me. An full rewatch of the series is blatantly reminding me of this now, why I actually lost interest in this.

I just have a headache at this point.

Definitely a stronger episode than the previous one. But it's still far from as good as it used to be. This episode takes a very interesting turn at the very end and this is the closest we've come this season so far to the heartfelt charm of the first 2 seasons, so I can appreciate that. But overall, it's still a pretty big mess.

I am enjoying Michael and Janet's increase in interaction and screen time. Since Ted Danson and D'Arcy Carden have always had a special character dynamic. Even if a lot of it feels like it's forcing together a plot as you're watching it. That being said, Michael's desperation to have his experiment work and his passion for the 4 leads is a great way of showing that he genuinely cares about them. Something I'm glad they kept from S2. Michael having human feelings.

Janet is still a fun character, despite being hung up being in love with Jason still. I miss her powers, her charming upbeat personality and offbeat dark humour. It's so easy to forget she's actually an all knowing robot, and I don't know how I feel about that.

Unfortunately, most of this episode was kind of miserable and unfunny. After a short but hilarious bit with Maya Rudolph in the beginning. The episode devolved into the lot of the group deciding to split up... in ways that feel so forced and lazily written.

Tahani's reunion with Larry Hemsworth? Who's written in such a painfully thin fashion. It just seems everything falls apart instantly, the season doesn't know where it wants to go and is forcing itself back together as quickly as its crumbling. It's simply not fun.

I actually didn't mind Simone in this episode. Her conversation with Eleanore was quite sweet and had a funny joke in there. I just hate to see a show struggle so much to stick to it's premise and commit to itself when it starts to experiment.

With the 4 now knowing about Janet, Michael and the existence of the afterlife coming as the last minute stinger scene, hopefully this marks a turning point for the season? I remember it getting better but not right away.

I'm really having a hard time with these opening episodes.

All the things that annoyed me or rubbed me the wrong way about the first episode are at full swing here, and this episode ultimately covered 0 ground and went absolutely nowhere for 22 minutes.

As I stated in my review of that aforementioned episode, for a show that for 2 seasons, built itself upon an otherworldly concept, absurd wild-card humour and elements of philosophical fantasy, a show that had so much meaning, humour and heart, a show that was so much more than a typical comedy.... the start of this season being 90% set on earth feels so wrong.

Now my favourite elements of the show, the humour where ridiculous objects being summoned and otherworldly beings makes complete sense and has had me laughing for days afterward.... feel completely out of place and almost seem as if they're getting in the way. Except, they're getting in the way of a really uninteresting and failing A-plot.

How has the show ditched most of what made it work so well? The characters' interaction holds essentially nothing to compared to what it did a season ago. The humour in this episode was either extremely slight, or incredibly cringy and at times... just too much.

22 minutes isn't enough to explore both the earth plot and the "Michael and Janet" plot fully, leading to a lot of whiplash inducing imbalance with the tone and where the season is even going.

Trevor (Adam Scott) joining the group to try and sabotage the experiment sounds decent enough on paper, but the way Scott acts in this episode, while I admit did make me laugh a couple times... was easily the worst part of the episode. So many painful references and jokes, that due to Jason finding them hilarious... I feel this show really stooped to a low form of comedy, whereas this show has proven itself to be very intelligent.

This was even messier than the season's opening. I remember now why this show lost me. It's going in a direction I can't get on board with. It doesn't help that one of the primary writers that made S2 so fantastic (Kate Gersten) is not present for this season (except for Ep.10).

I can't say this is the worst episode of the season since I have to revisit them all. But so far, this is the lowest point of the series, and I am genuinely let down by this.

I loved the first 2 seasons of this show. I was definitely more worried about THIS season after how the 2nd ended. A lot was uncertain and it seemed like the show was almost ditching it's winning concept.

Initially, halfway through this season (when I first saw it when it originally aired), I lost interest as I felt the show had completely lost its touch and was going in the wrong direction. So coming back to this season now is definitely not as favoured as rewatching the first two, but I'm keeping an open mind just in case this season isn't as bad as I thought it was the first time around.

This 2 part start to the season starts off strong albeit quite messy and out of character. But in the second half is ultimately fails to capture my attention due to how uninteresting some of the characters are getting.

I do really enjoy Michael going to earth to intervene with our 4 main characters to get them all together. His interactions with Eleanore and Chidi were easily the best. Since the show has always been very good as being philosophical, heartfelt and surprisingly insightful when it comes to these characters. I was hoping for more time between the 2 but we haven't gotten it just yet.

However, the backstory involving Tahani and Jason after their near death experiences just felt weak. Tahani started out as a parodic character, but evolved into a misunderstood and obnoxiously charming character in S2, and I was really glad to see her character develop the way it did. Her path toward joining "The Brainy Bunch" didn't flow as naturally as the other 2 and actually felt forced.

I really think Jason's dumbness and his overall story has lost its novelty. At this point it's kind of getting annoying and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I find the characters in his plot line to be extremely annoying and uninteresting. Especially Donkey Doug who we see in Ep.5. I just think that plot line is really messy and lacks the heart or consistency of that of Chidi or Eleanore.

Good things about this episode? Kristen Bell, Ted Danson and William Jackson Harper continue to be fantastic in their roles. Bell is hilariously sarcastic as she's always been, and I got some good laughs from her. I find the experiment very intriguing and worth exploring for a season's opening concept. Also, Marc Evan Jackson kills it as Sean, the demon of all demons. The season so far isn't devoid of the show's absurdist charm quite just yet, but as funny as it can still be... it feels wrong for these characters to be on earth now. So far this season feels like a completely different and less interesting show.

Also. The new character Simone is one of the reasons I lost interest in the show. She feels out of place with the group, and is only there because for some reason we're in Australia. Some people say the Australian accents are terrible but I wouldn't know so I don't care. Simone particularly annoys me, but we're also witnessing The Bad Place trying to sabotage the experiment by bringing in Adam Scott (Trevor). I don't remember how his character works into everything, but I really like Scott's character in the show.

So far, S3 is trying new things. For a 43 minute first episode, it can't carry itself as well as the S2 opener of the same length. It starts off strong but falls apart in the latter half. It's just a pretty messy start that wasn't as engaging as this show has proven itself to be.

I know the season ditches this for more afterlife stuff later on, which I do look forward to revisiting as i enjoyed it a lot.... until the once again messy ending. But I got really sick of the Australia stuff really quickly.

MAJOR SPOILERS (possibly, I might do this spoiler free but be warned anyway) AHEAD BECAUSE I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS MOVIE!!

I rated the original Babysitter movie a 7/10 because I love the look and feel that director McG was going for. Stylized sequences, crazy gore and hilarious comedy. The Babysitter is one of Netflix's best movies and it's a highly enjoyable dark comedy that when I first watched it, the twist early on had my jaw on the floor. The kills were great, and the movie had a good overall message, and a unique execution to it.

When I saw the trailer for this sequel I was immediately excited, but there was no news of Samara Weaving's return so I was worried it wouldn't be as good without her charismatic personality. Boy was I wrong. This movie is twice what the original was, in the best way!

The Babysitter: Killer Queen was better than the first. With twice the gore and kills, twice the hilarious comedy, and about 3x more McG stylization.

NEGATIVES: The bits with Cole and Melanie's dads were easily the most annoying. But even those after a while weren't so bad and were pretty enjoyable and kinda heartwarming. All the things I thought were going to be annoying here ended up making me laugh even harder than they did the first time, the movie is a little slow and awkward to start and I got worried it was just gonna repeat itself and feel like the same movie.

POSITIVES: this movie doubles down on all the things that made the original so damn enjoyable for me. The kills were more creative and much more graphic and shocking, some of which leaving my jaw dropped. The practical gore in this movie is insane, and when there IS some CGI it's not horribly done.

With the characters from the first film returning, we get even more cringy hilarious dialogue between them, but I just love how they all experience the same stuff as before. This movie is self aware in the perfect way, retrospectively. The new character played by Jenny Ortega was the best part in my opinion. A complex but really sweet new love interest for Cole. The bond the two had was a really good emotional backbone for the second half of the film, and it lead to a hilarious climax twist at the end. The whole cast absolutely kills it in this movie, I was laughing, cheering, and smiling wide for most of the movie's runtime.

Those who only wanted Samara Weaving back won't be entirely disappointed, as she serves quite a huge part in this movie too, she's just in it less. But spending time with Andrew Bachelor and Bella Thorne is NOT a bad time. They may be a little annoying and obnoxious, but it's written in such a tongue in cheek way, it's so hard not to enjoy this movie's style.

And speaking of style, McG directs the hell out of this movie. A great location, great camerawork, great pacing, and of course, a whole heap of on screen stylized sequences that are nothing but tons of fun to watch. This movie literally becomes a video game at one point, also the addition of short little skits on how they came to be part of Bee's cult are pretty hysterical and clever.

This movie is way more clever than the more average and predictable predecessor. I literally had no idea what would come next, and it ended up surprising me repeatedly. I had an absolute blast with this movie, and while I feel a 3rd chapter is unnecessary, I am NOT opposed to McG continuing the great work he has going here.

Also the soundtrack is killer as well.

This is an honest 7.5-8/10 for me, I was really worried going into this movie but I was far from disappointed. I know not everyone will be on board with the changes here, but if you're like me and enjoyed the original for what it was and love when directors experiment, you'll love this movie!

I'm writing this review because currently there are only 2 other reviews of this episode. Both are the obligatory 1 star review BOTH talking briefly about the Latvians. We need an ACTUAL review of the ACTUAL episode.

This is definitely the weakest B99 christmas episode. It's certainly not a bad episode. But compared to the rest of this season so far and the Christmas episodes of the past. This one ultimately fails to be memorable.

The cold open is the funniest part of the entire episode. The inflatable Christmas tree. I laugh out loud every time I see this intro, and it's a shame it's followed up with such a decent to mediocre episode.

The entire A story in this episode. Boyle desperately trying to find the Captain Latvia action figure for his son is what makes the episode work. Andy Samberg and Joe Lo Truglio have such great chemistry together and it's always a joy to watch them work cases together.

All of what Boyle does in this episode is great, and some of it is pretty damn funny. Whether he's using his musk while dancing, or scooching his pants off. The captain Latvia story was great, and it had a really sweet ending.

Now let's talk about the B story. I generally don't like singing episodes, because most of the time they ruin the show's tone or are so cheesy and hallmark-esque it becomes sickening. But i really wish this B story didn't go as it actually does.

For the most part, the singing isn't too bad, the rivalry with the MTA led to some solid zingers from Holt. This episode would've been better if Gina actually stayed in the action. Since if she did. We wouldn't have to endure another show ruining performance from Lance Barber. An actor who in my experience has ruined more than one episode of TV. Most notably an entire episode of TBBT. Him being a singing drunk could've worked. But as soon as he sabotages the singing competition, he tanks the entire B story along with it.

The worst Christmas B99 episode by default, and honestly. Thinking back, this must've been a hugely disappointing winter finale for S4 when it originally aired.

I wasn't really a fan of S1 at first. But after some time and reading the comics. I came back to the series in the wake of this 2nd season and I actually REALLY enjoyed the first season, as clunky and convoluted as it was.

I was really excited to start season 2 after hearing it is a huge improvement over the first, and so far I don't know if I believe it.

I'll start off by saying that the opening scene of this episode is brilliant. From the music, to the strange new environment. It's a logical follow up to the first season's sudden final moments. Plus that last scene before the title card, that brilliant one-shot showing us a brand new apocalyptic event. What an opening.

But that's when things immediately start feeling off about this season. With all the characters separated in time. Sure it gives them all storylines to explore. But with Five constantly jumping from timeline to timeline, and all these characters all in different times and different stories. It feels like the writers just jumbled up all their characters, which FOR ME, left me incredibly confused for this entire episode. In need of an explanation I'm praying we got this season.

The highlights of this episode are Diego's asylum plot line. As the new character Lila actually interested me a lot, and the two of them have great chemistry on screen. Plus that whole escape sequence was great stuff. But Luther being a prize fighter? Allison having a husband and running a business... we're clearly gonna have a racism storyline. Which I'm fine with, it just doesn't seem like it's going to fit in or really go anywhere in the long run. But I'll see. And what's with Vanya now being some sort of country wife / babysitter? Or something. Are we forgetting she has powers and basically ended the world last time? Basically none of the Academy used their powers for most of the episode. It just felt like a lot of confusing melodrama and stuff that doesn't make sense.

The sudden appearance of the three blonde Swedes.... was interesting but.... if you remember S3 of Stranger Things when they introduced a bunch of evil Russians who never really spoke. It was embarrassing. I really think they're adding too many characters because so far almost none of them are interesting.

So. Great opening, great ending. But slow, jumbled and disappointing middle. Not entirely sure how I'm gonna feel moving forward but this is just a review and my take on S1E1.

Before we get to the actual episode. It has to be said. Community had a troubled 2nd half. A maligned 4th season, an awkward 5th season that picked up the pieces... and an honestly disjointed 6th season produced by a DOA streaming service.

The show was still able to pull out some surprises in its final 2 seasons. Despite the overall... different tone compared to the first 3.

UNFORTUNATELY. Like the rest of S6. This episode was good, but as a sense of finality. It didn't stick the landing for me. So I REALLY can only give this finale a 7/10, and here's why:

POSITIVES:

I have always loved these characters since the beginning. After everything the show went through it always felt like the cast was still having fun and doing everything they could to keep the show going smoothly. While THIS episode saw the characters at the end of their arc rather than the start... the character writing felt more similar to the pilot episode... or maybe the start of S2 than ever before, which I admired.

The entire 2nd half of this episode was full of emotion, and that signature charm the show has always had, mixed with an overall feeling of finality. We're saying goodbye to these characters as we speak, and that moment between Annie and Jeff followed by the group hug was very heartwarming and beautiful. Characters evolve, characters are actually real people in their universe.

I also enjoyed the dose of meta humour peppered throughout the episode, but just like everything else, it's much better in the 2nd half. While I haven't exactly liked the tagged on extra superfluous scenes at the end of each episode this season, the extremely meta board game scene with that crazy disclaimer was brutally hilarious. This show taking shots at itself is kind of a touching thing.

NEGATIVES: This show felt so out of character for Community. The sudden allowance of 2 F-bombs (outside the bloopers), the constant repetition of the theme song in the first half, Chang desperately trying to be character, when really... he had NO purpose in this entire season.

This feels like 2 finales in one. One terribly cheap cop out, with a 10 minute emotional epilogue awkwardly stapled on. Sure there's some cleverness to the first half. But this episode would've landed better as a finale if the entire episode was like the 2nd half.

Make it like late in S2 when they did that memory episode. Reminisce about stuff again. Have more character resolutions. This ending was very unsatisfying to me.

BUT I am rating a 10 for this because. This show has given so many people (myself included) so many great memories. Got us through tough times, made us laugh, cry, gasp, and gave us all hope for #sixseasonsandamovie.

Community. Despite the harsh latter half. You are one of the best shows to ever hit our screens. Thank you. For everything.

I purposefully left out the whole "Chang-nesia" parts in my last few reviews for this season. Because I wanted to have a whole review dedicated to taking about the character. This may get a little long. But this needs to be said.

At first, Ken Jeong's character in this show was mildly entertaining. Sure I still found him annoying as hell, but I could deal with him in small doses. He definitely still had that slight evil about him. But it was before the writers made the choice to make him... like the primary villain.

Throughout S2&3 Chang was expanded more and more. Wanting to become part of the study group, becoming a security guard, living in the freaking air vents, and having an army of children? Ugh. It was like Ken Jeong just wanted to take over the entire show with his presence. I'm sure there's some people who loved the whole "Chang" arc, but I have NEVER liked it. I think, rather than S4, it's the expansion of Chang that killed this show.

Chang is essentially Leslie Chou from The Hangover trilogy. Also played by Ken Jeong. A generic antagonist at first but is then turned into the main focus of the story. I hated it in The Hangover and I hate it here. It's like Jeong has been typecasted to play characters with ulterior motives. I also hate how the story went in such a way that gave Chang everything he asked for.

And NOW. We've reached THIS. "Chang-nesia". At this point I'm like whatever, but unfortunately I know that this "is he Kevin or Chang?" debate takes up most of the rest of S4. Even though, it's revealed at the end of THIS episode that he's still Chang. Like, great. What a shocking twist we totally didn't see coming. It's just lazy. A lazy attempt at tension.

The only logical person in this episode is Jeff. Jeff acts the way most of the viewers are. Not believing this "Changnesia" crap and wanting the show to get over it already.

A whole episode dedicated to this annoying, obnoxious character is definitely not one you're going to enjoy.

What I've always admired about this show is the moments when it wasn't afraid to be serious, or tackle heavier subjects with its signature charm. When characters are given chances to really expand and be fleshed out. Most of the time (when it's not.... Chang) it's a pleasure to watch.

That is not the case here. Like the title suggests, this episode is really shallow. Sure we get to see Jeff reconcile with his father, and he's played by YET ANOTHER wasted cameo... this time from James Brolin. You'd expect him to be more like Jeff. But unfortunately, Jeff's dad is ultimately such a dry boring character it adds basically nothing to the overall episode.

I DID however enjoy the "Shawshank" style party going on in Shirley's garage with the rest of the group. It was simple, yet rich. It was one of the only moments thus far in the season where it looked like the show was having fun. But even that felt shallow, due to the show not committing as much as before. Seriously without Dan Harmon this show just feels sad.

The worst part of the episode by far was that painfully unfunny and terrible character played by Adam DeVine. I've never found him funny or entertaining so OF COURSE S4 would feature him as one of their cameos. Just to make matters worse. I understand the point of his character but it was painful to witness.

I think Britta should've been featured in the OTHER plot line. Rather than struggle to find a reason to be in the Jeff's Dad story. We could've had some nice moments between Jeff and his estranged father but unfortunately we got a boring family reunion episode.

I watched Community for the first time 6 years ago.

This season is already a roller coaster of bad/decent/bad again. But it's episodes like THIS that REALLY hurt. It hurts to know that a show that has given me multiple moments of gut busting laughter, now has me debating whether or not to turn off the episode.

Remember in S3, when they did the Foosball episode and it had comedy, depth, and unleashed a side of Shirley and Jeff we'd never seen before. Remember that hilarious cameo from Nick Kroll as one of the German students?

WELL. The Germans are back, and they couldn't even get Nick Kroll. I don't know who the actor is who's playing... Juergen (Nick Kroll)'s brother, but... that character was the most annoying and obnoxious thing so far this season, and we're only 4 shows in.

The whole story revolving around the study group being taken over by these obnoxious Germans was just... bad. It was never funny. Sure it had a couple of clever moments, but the whole "the Germans are taking over" thing is WAY too on the nose for this show. Considering this show always found clever ways to imply ideas rather than force the audience to see them.

NOT TO MENTION, this episode totally wastes a Malcolm McDowell cameo. Why even have a celebrity cameo if you're just going to make the whole episode about a group of obnoxiously unfunny nothing characters. Seriously what is going on with these pointless cameos.

This episode is a C grade sequel to that S3 episode.

Troy and Abed's friendship has always been a key focus of the show. Throughout various episodes we're shown that the two have an... let's say "otherworldly" friendship. For the most part, it's always entertaining, deep and interesting. Some moments even being incredibly touching.

That being said, while through the first 3 seasons I really liked Abed's character. Danny Pudi being incredibly talented and portraying the character with such surprising depth. This S4 version of Abed thus far has been so irritating. He's a shell of his former self. Somehow they made Abed more 1 dimensional than ever before.

I remember when the cameos on this show were more significant. Jack Black was a whole episode, same with Blake Clark back in S1. Unfortunately, there's 2 cameos in THIS episode and both of them are insignificant and... really have no reason to be there. FIRST. There's a couple brief scenes with Tricia Helfer. But the main cameo of the episode is Matt Lucas, playing a character who's so similar to this annoying version of Abed, I found it to be incredibly irritating. It's a bad performance all around, honestly.

All that out of the way. Annie has always been my favourite character, and I've always loved her dynamic with Jeff. Joel McHale and Alison Brie have such great onscreen chemistry, and Annie pretending to be Jeff's wife for the whole episode was actually sweet and funny.

S4 IS, and has always has gotten on my nerves. But unlike the first time I watched it. I know WHY S4 is the way it is now. Which is ultimately making this experience worse overall.

Yes. I know WHY this episode aired in February when it's a Halloween show. Due to delaying of production and airing. But holy crap, S4 is such a disaster they couldn't even do a Halloween show correctly. It actually hurts to watch a show like this struggle like this.

This episode IS a huge step up from the previous one, the season opener. But that DOESN'T mean this is a good episode of Community.

The plot revolves around the group going to Pierce's estate after he locks himself into his panic room, as the group has to wander the house looking for the code, and if THAT weren't a weak enough plot, there's also a bunch of hokey spooky stuff that ultimately becomes a stupid red herring.

I always love Halloween themed episodes of TV. Especially Community. I love seeing the weird, crazy costumes that the characters wear, and as a lover of the horror genre, I love when a sitcom can execute a good horror parody.

YES. This show does feature some legitimate character development. A little between Troy and Britta, but most of it from Jeff. Which is always great to see. I did actually get quite a few laughs out of this episode. But unfortunately those moments are far apart, because there's also a rarely flat performance from Abed, and ultimately ends with... Pierce just being Pierce. Which at this point I'm already sick of.

Like I said, big step above the painful season opener. But even just watching this season, I feel off. The show feels off. I don't feel the same comfort I get watching the previous 3 Harmon seasons. At this point the show loses its depth and just feels like a cheap fun way to spend 20 minutes, whereas most of Community has always been more than that to me as well as all the show's fans and supporters.

Ergo. 7/10. Because it could've been, and will get a lot worse.

OBVIOUSLY I have to start this off my addressing the major issue with the maligned 4th season of Community. The issue being that Dan Harmon (the creator and writer of 90% of the series) was absent from the show entirely. It had different writers, and was like watching someone less talented trying to capture the magic of something they clearly don't understand.

The ending of S3 certainly had issues for me, that being the cringeworthy and ultimately super irritating expansion of Ken Jeong's character. But the show still had its signature charm and magic to it.

IMMEDIATELY right off the bat, S4 feels off. Starting with a cheap laugh track, rushing into the "Hunger Games" style competition with breakneck speed. Trying to balance Troy and Britta's relationship, with the madness on campus, new classes, and Abed's anxiety of change. With these terrible writers trying to take on complicated topics, they fail entirely.

Dan Harmon has such respect and love for this show which shows so clearly in the seasons he's responsible for. But THIS? Half of this episode is crappy animated cartoon that, while Abed's breakdowns are often fascinating, deep and strangely beautiful. This one is just... a cringe fest.

You know right off the hop that this is NOT going to be a fun season. Which is a real shame, because Community is a phenomenal TV show, that due to a sloppy season. The show was never the same again.

Unfortunately, rewatching this show NOW... Somehow S4 is even worse a second time.

Totally fine episode. The continuing mystery of "The Flayed" finally blown wide open. Unveiling the monster. But this show continues to do the one thing I can't stand. Having every appearance of the monsters be accompanied by long sequences of flashing lights. Making the whole scene hard to watch. Hard to tell what's actually happening.

It's an overused trope and I wish that they would just let scenes play out. The actual horror scenes in this show do nothing but give me a headache now.

I will admit, I wasn't entirely sold on the Apocalypse at first. But, the last 3 episodes have been AMAZING! Truly impressive work here! I love how we're seeing everything leading up to when the Witches showed up at the end of Episode 3. Bringing back the Coven, The Hotel, and NOW THE MURDER HOUSE!! Seeing all my ladies again, Cordelia, Queenie, Misty. Seeing Misty alive again brought a tear to my eye. What a great moment. Bringing back past seasons of AHS was a great choice for Ryan Murphy and the AHS crew. I love taking these trips down memory lane. Combining the old with the new. It's a great way to keep the show relevant.

I've never given more than 2 episodes in a row of AHS 10 stars. But this is the 3rd straight episode I've rated 10. I am impressed once again.

And I knew the coven couldn't return without Stevie Nicks coming back. Seeing her was a breath of fresh air, and that was an amazing performance from her. Gypsy is the perfect song. A beautiful scene. One of the best scenes of the show overall.

I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE MURDER HOUSE RETURN NEXT WEEK!!