The changes continued for Community after its fifth season. Dan Harmon returned for that string of episodes, which is among the best in series history. However, the show was still canceled by NBC. The fans rallied behind an Abed line from season two and got #SixSeasonsAndAMovie trending.
The show was ultimately picked up for that sixth season by Yahoo. It may sound odd since Yahoo isn't primarily known for its television output. Still, it gave Community fans 13 more episodes to enjoy, and with fewer restrictions than on network TV. Other changes came in the form of Yvette Nicole Brown leaving, while Keith David and Paget Brewster were in. These are the highs and lows of this final season.
10 Worst: Grifting 101 (7.8)
While there didn't seem to be any bad episodes in this final season, some were lacking what we've come to expect from the series. A patch of installments near the end dipped in quality before things picked up heading into the finale. "Grifting 101" is the ninth episode.
In it, a clever con man taught the study group and used the course to run a scam on them. It led to an entire episode dedicated to Jeff, the professor, and everyone else running cons on each other. While Matt Berry (star of What We Do in the Shadows) was a good guest star, this story didn't fully click.
9 Best: Intro To Recycled Cinema (8.0)
Abed's obsession with movies and his work on making films was a constant thread throughout the series. By the time the eighth episode of season six rolled around, he was deep into completing a film titled Chief Starr and the Raiders of the Galaxy. Without Ben Chang and his newfound fame, Abed had to improvise.
He used recycled footage and outtake audio of Chang, with Dean Pelton standing in for him in other scenes. Fans appreciated the nods to cheesy sci-fi films, complete with Annie playing a bot named Scorpio 9. Jeff also dealt with an ego crisis when his scenes were cut.
8 Worst: Basic Email Security (7.8)
Usually, Community excels when they follow a simple formula. They put the study group together in a room and let them argue, riff off each other, and bring out revelations through great character moments. Look at episodes like "Cooperative Polygraphy" and "Romantic Expressionism" for example.
"Basic Email Security" attempted that. Greendale's emails were hacked, meaning everyone's private messages were shared, causing problems within the group. However, this was only the sixth episode of the season. It felt like the new characters hadn't been around long enough to make this impactful.
7 Best: Queer Studies & Advanced Waxing (8.1)
A running storyline during this sixth season saw Chang get into acting. He started here by trying to land the lead role in a stage adaptation of The Karate Kid. Instead, he was given the role of Mr. Miyagi while Annie took on the lead. That's where guest star Jason Mantzoukas came in.
As the director, he was extra hard on Chang. It turned out it was because he believed Chang could be great, while Annie would cap out at mediocre. One of the most notable things about this episode, the fourth of the season, is that it was partially directed by series regular Jim Rash.
6 Worst: Lawnmower Maintenance & Postnatal Care (7.7)
Shows have not shied away from telling stories regarding our addiction to the world of virtual reality. Community has done it before but it was never more direct than in "Lawnmower Maintenance & Postnatal Care," the second edition of the season. The easily distracted Dean Pelton refused to leave his VR experience.
The gang got together to find an inventor to help get him out. That led them to Elroy Patashnik, played by Keith David, who would go on to become a series regular until the finale. There's also a subplot of Britta moving into Annie and Abed's apartment, which doesn't go well.
5 Best: Wedding Videography (8.6)
As noted, this final season picked up in quality down the stretch. This penultimate episode saw Jeff's law class become the site of a wedding proposal. Consistent background character Garrett found the love of his life. Abed filmed the proposal and kept the documentary going for the wedding.
That ceremony went horribly awry when the bride and groom realized that they were actually related. At the end of the day, they still got married but it was awkward. The episode also worked for the way Jeff reacted to the wedding around him and his life going forward.
4 Worst: Basic RV Repair And Palmistry (7.6)
Abed was always looking for a way to turn any situation into a movie. He did just that during "Basic RV and Palmistry," the season's tenth episode. The committee group went on a road trip in an RV to deliver a giant hand. It was a delightfully weird setup.
As usual, things didn't go as well as they planned. The RV breaks down and it leads the group to one of those situations where they must face personal issues and come to terms with things in their lives. The narrative technique and time travel aspects were solid but it wasn't anywhere near as good as other similar episodes.
3 Best: Modern Espionage (9.1)
If there's one thing Community knew how to do above all else, it's a paintball adventure. Season one's "Modern Warfare," and season two's "A Fistful of Paintballs" and "For a Few Paintballs More" all rank among the best episodes of the series. Season six took a shot with the eleventh installment of the season, "Modern Espionage."
The previous paintball epics focused on action film references. This time around, spy flicks were the focus. The references included Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Fight Club. While this didn't quite live up to the first two paintball tales, it still delivered in spades.
2 Worst: Advanced Safety Features (7.5)
The seventh episode of season six turned out to be the lowest-rated. "Advanced Safety Features" marked the return of Britta's ex-boyfriend. He was from a strange past storyline where he was the human representation of the Subway sandwich chain. In a similar fashion, the focus was on the Honda car company here.
He managed to convince Britta to engage in a guerrilla marketing scheme. Praise was given to the guest appearance by Billy Zane and the way Elroy was integrated into the story. On the flip side, fans weren't happy with the way Annie and other established characters were sidelined.
1 Best: Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television (9.6)
The series finale of Community. "Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television" worked as a near-perfect way to wrap things up. They were able to give everyone a satisfying conclusion and deal with their futures while also opening the door for a potential film down the line.
The show made plenty of pop culture references, like noting how shows like Friends peaked after the sixth season. Each character got to imagine their ideal "seventh season" and got to say goodbye while moving onto something new. This season saved its best for last.
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