SkimIt
Annie's yam is killed in this Law & Order-themed episode.
Murder on Campus
At the outset of this week's Community, the study group's biology class yam has been smashed and stepped on. Fortunately, Shirley, Troy and Abed all have copious experience watching crime shows: they work together to track down a suspect, while Annie and Jeff build a case to maintain their grade.
Catching the Culprit
Troy and Abed make excellent timegathering clues, running through roughly one time and setting card a minute.They learn that the biology lab was locked on the night of the plant murder,but that Starburns had stolen a key. Strarburns is initially hesitant to answertheir questions, but Troy and Abed gain leverage when they find a ton of methlab equipment in his locker.
Starburns reveals that he saw Toddon the scene. Troy and Abed bring him in, but the Dean is unwilling to punishhim: Troy served honorably in Iraq, and has a uniformed uncle speaking on hisbehalf. Fortunately, professor Kane (Michael K. Williams!) steps in, declaringthat everyone should be entitled to a fair hearing. He declares that thebiology class will decide their grade, giving Jeff and Annie the opportunity toplead their case.
Out of Order
When Todd goes before the class,his uncle relentlessly plays up his heroism. Annie, however, focuses on the onetiny blot on his record: his inability to grow a yam. Todd cracks under Annie'srelentless attack questioning, and admits that he killed the yamaccidentally--he only wanted to look at it, and the pot was hot so he droppedit.
Annie's happy to take theconfession at face value, but Jeff senses that something else is going on. Thecrushed roots, he realizes, must have been softened beforehand. He drops theremaining yam's on the floor one by one, and as it turns they all have softenedroots as well--the only exception is Vicky's. Fat Neil had been filling the yampots with boiling water, hoping to throw off the curve and bed his girlfriend.
With the case solved, it turns outStarburns died in a mobile meth lab explosion.
Like all of Community's parodies, this episode did a great job of satirizing theminutia of its subject. Britta's kindergarten level of technologicalunderstanding was particularly on point, as were the numerous crazy courtroomallegations and retractions. Hopefully we'll see more of Michael K. Williamsthis season, as he rounds out the cast perfectly.
Best Lines:
"I transferred, or downloaded Todd's photograph to thiscomputer..."
- Britta, on technology.
"We named the yam Pam. It rhymed."
- Abed, on Pam the yam.
"Hey! Knock much?"
- The Dean, while hula hoopingbehind closed doors
"Todd, you have the right to dowhatever you want."
- Troy, not actually a cop.
"Holy crap! We are definitelydissecting pine cones next year."
- Professor Marshall Kane, donewith yams.
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