COMMUNITY: Regional Holiday Music

It’s another holiday season at Greendale, and well, that can only mean something horrible is going to bring the study group closer together. From all the buzz, we’re being treated to music this year, and well, that means more shots at Glee in the process. I certainly don’t mind the shots at the other show, so let’s get down to it, shall we?

Abed’s attempts to get the group to watch the 1981 “Inspector Spacetime” Christmas special, all two and half hours of it, is admirable, but I’m pretty sure if it’s as bad as you say it is, it’s not worth all of their time.

When the rest of the gang starts describing their Christmas plans, I have to laugh at Troy more than a little. A Bubby is a Jewish Grandmother, Troy, not Annie’s actual boobs at the movie. But, you know, the Jew in me can forgive him for being uninformed.

As that is going on, we’re greeted to the current iteration of the Glee Club at Greendale prepping for their Christmas pageant, and how that will help with Regionals. Of course it will, club. 😉 Only that’s ruined by Jeff and a very nice Cease and Desist order, one that Chang hands down happily. Lawyered!

I’m worried about the idea of a Christmas pageant, however. Just, it brings back some odd childhood memories.

Entering the second act, the group has decided that the current Glee Club adviser, Mr. Raddison, is like human fro-yo. Not a bad description–he is too sweet for his own good right now. He almost seems worse than Mr. Shue on Glee, which I found hard to imagine.

I wish Abed wouldn’t give into the pull of the pageant, but I suppose that we need a way to get into the songs, so down the rabbit hole Abed’s gone.

By the time that Abed starts working on the rest of the group, it’s already going to be worth the effort though. I mean, having Troy think about celebrating Christmas to tell his family all about its horrors is genius. Plus, it got Donald Glover to rap in the show again. The video felt like everything I’d want to see in a Childish Gambino video, and it probably is one if I went to look.

That plan of Abed’s worked so well, which now leave TroyandAbed to work on the rest of group. Going after Pierce next is really logical, and hilarious. “Baby Boomer Santa” had all the trappings of pulling in any self-absorbed man in his 60s.

When Annie was finally turned, I had hoped for more of a fight, but then I gave that up as she did her work on Jeff. That sexy Santa outfit and really dumb song worked in all the ways that my shipping heart could have imagined. Probably a few more, actually.

Since Abed no longer has to directly recruit the team, I’m going to laugh at how Pierce managed to get Shirley on board–using small children wondering about who was born on Christmas is the best trap for her. Of course, it leaves Britta out until Jeff appears in a cardigan and I can already tell he’s drunk the Kool-aid thanks to Annie.

With the group all ready to perform at the pageant, we learn about Mr. Rad’s plans for the rest of the year–all involving this group actually being the Glee Club. Abed slowly realizes that it wasn’t what he wanted and puts into action a plan that will kill the pageant and save the group from more singing.

Abed’s plan involved allowing Britta to sing horribly and kill the pageant. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Next, it’s clear that Mr. Raddison killed one of the previous Glee Clubs to get the study group back. Morbid, much?

It’s now Christmas, or close to it, and Abed’s got noodles and “Inspector Spacetime”‘s Christmas special. It really is that horrible. My lord! But, it doesn’t matter, because the group has arrived, singing, and planning on spending the day together now.

Happy Holidays from Greendale! But not before a lovely redition of “Carol of the Bells” with Dean Pelton, Chang, Starburns, Leonard and Magnitude. That’s just made of win!