COMMUNITY: Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations

I always find the idea that there are two Thanksgivings in North America to be odd, but this year, we’re getting three, thanks to Greendale.

Just before break, Shirley invites the group over to her house for Thanksgiving (in addition to all of Andre’s family), though of course, she’s wary of Pierce showing up and Jeff declines.

Dean Pelton pops in to invite everyone to a Greendale Thanksliving, but also spills the beans about Jeff’s plans for Thanksgiving involve going to see his father. Britta’s taking credit for the decision to have closure, and with the help of some theme music and Britta being Britta, Jeff’s plans for Thanksgiving are now not what he planned before. This is your life with the study group, Jeff.

Jeff’s dad has a very nice older car and just as he sees it, he runs away. How typical. Meanwhile at Shirley’s, Pierce has his awkward moment and then it seems like Shirley’s father-in-law is a real classy guy. Everyone in Shirley’s family is so judgmental and all the gang starts to hide in garage, even to save themselves.

Britta, as per her usual, was at William’s house after Jeff had his freak out and manages to get Jeff back in time for dinner. One very tense introduction and we cut to commercial. But, hello James Brolin! You’re playing the very absent father this season. Much better than a politician, that’s for sure!

Rules are established between William and Jeff, and Britta starts in on the psychology (why did we go to sleeping with each other), and then meeting Jeff’s half-brother turns the room around all together. Willy, Jr has a freak out meeting Jeff (he’s a Devito to Jeff’s Schwarzenegger).

The group at Shirley thinks of ways to get out, and Annie’s attempt at using Aunt Flo to leave fails, because Shirley has a sister-in-law who is a gynecologist.

Jeff’s dinner is no better, Britta’s help for Willy Jr is no use and as soon as William asks Jeff to carve the turkey, Willy Jr wants to run away now.

Abed’s mind has taken to narrating their time in the garage, much like a Ken Burns documentary. There are cards, gum and some nice moments mixed with happiness, but then Pierce starts to think he’s staring in “Showtime at the Apollo” and embraces Shirley’s family.

In a moment of rule breaking, William shares that he thinks leaving Jeff was for the best all those years ago.

Shirley, it terms out, was using the rest of the gang as a buffer against Andre’s family, but that went out the window quickly.

Willy Jr stalked into Jeff’s car after dinner, and there is something underneath the conversation about Jeff wanting Willy Jr to admit how much Willy dislikes William. Back at William’s house, Jeff lets out all of the reason why he’s so emotionally unavailable, and just after his speech, William tries to fake a heart attack for sympathy. Britta happily takes the credit for helping Jeff meet his father.

Shirley, even after the group wants to leave, tells them that family is always going to be there to annoy you, but they are family. Pierce did some horrible impressions at dinner, which helped to bring some of Shirley’s family into the group’s.

Jeff brings a better Thanksgiving to the group–their family of choice–once he heard how bad Shirley’s dinner was. But that’s really what I’ve always taken away from the show: despite the different interests and passions, the study group is a family that will stick with each other through thick and thin.

Shirley’s singing to herself after Thanksgiving and discovers a Shirley’s Sandwich poster, carefully hiding a whole in the back of her garage. After all of Abed’s talk of Shawshank Redemption, that joke makes me laugh.