Saturday, February 16, 2013

Community - Paranormal Parentage


On the way to Vicki's Halloween party the Study Group makes a detour to Pierce's (Chevy Chase) mansion after learning their friend has locked himself in his panic room after seeing a ghost of his father. Already dressed in their costumes, the group shows up only to have to search the dark and creepy house for the code necessary to release him from the panic room against Jeff's (Joel McHale) objections who believes the entire situation reeks of one of Pierce's usual set-ups.

As Jeff and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) search Pierce's bedroom and Britta psychoanalyzes Pierce's relationship with his dead father, Anne (Alison Brie) and Abed (Danny Pudi) check out Pierce's study when Abed disappears in one of the mansion's secret passages, and Troy (Donald Glover) and Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) wander aimlessly through the halls, lost in the house where Troy used to live.

Although in the end Jeff is proved right, with a slight twist and the return of another of the show's recurring characters, the episode works far better than last week's season premiere. Although central to the plot, Chase isn't necessary for most of the episode which doesn't force the show to add large sequences of filler. And the costumes, expecially Troy's tiger, Shirley's Princess Leia and Anne's Ring girl, are quite a bit of fun. I will say I'm surprised the show hasn't played more with Pierce's mansion in the past, especially with Abed who would finds the entire adventure fascinating.

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