Comments on: Overthinking The Fall 2009 TV Lineup: Community

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:41:31 +0000

Fair enough. It IS a stepping stone to better things, so if that’s the take, so be it.

By: stokes

stokes — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:52:45 +0000

They do suggest that none of the students *wanted* to go to a community college because that’s where they really want to be. There’s a guy who lost his football scholarship to a “real” school because of an injury, a girl who’s recovering from a drug problem, etc. etc. etc. That said, they take care to make you feel like community college is a *good* place for these people to be: it’s not rock bottom, it’s a stepping stone to better things. Whether you find that insulting or not is up to you, I guess. They did make fun of the athletics (“There’s a guy trying out for the track team who’s older than the game of poker!”)

Depiction of the faculty has been mixed. John Oliver seems competent enough and pleased with his lot in life, Ken Jeong seems to have been driven insane by professional stagnation. Like Mlawski said, you’d probably get this mix in any college. The one character who seems like a real community college joke is the dean, and he doesn’t seem to be a major part of the show.

By: mlawski

mlawski — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:36:27 +0000

@Dan: Eh, the show seems to be making fun of other sitcoms more than anything else. Any jokes that seem to be at the expense of the community college could apply just as easily to any university. For instance, last week’s B plot was about how college kids like to organize protests and candlelight vigils and so on at the drop of a hat. It’s not really a dig at community colleges in particular.

Then again, I don’t teach at a community college, so I don’t really know the stereotypes associated with them. Any jokes at their expense may just be flying right over my head.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:13:52 +0000

I have yet to watch this show, but I teach at a community college. Should I be irritated at their depiction of community colleges in general? I’m asking you folks to tell me so I can continue not bothering to actually watch it.

By: Gab

Gab — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:36:20 +0000

I’m curious if anyone can tell yet whether Jeff’s interest in Britta has developed into anything beyond a physical one. He had never spoken to her before making up the study group lie, so it couldn’t have been her “sparkling” personality. I suppose one could say that after she turns him down, she becomes a challenge, so his interest changes into one of the pursuit and the prize. Either way, objectification can still make for good comedy, and so far, I haven’t really been disappointed, either.

Although my opinion on Chevy Chase’s character: he’s adorably pathetic and not *just* a jerk. I don’t think Abed is the only character that’s at least a little Aspy…

By: mlawski

mlawski — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:20:50 +0000

Great article, Jordan! Although I still don’t find Britta’s character all that interesting, I have to give kudos to the writers for having two funny, wacky females in the characters of Shirley and Annie. Sure, they’re types – specifically the easily annoyed black woman who says things like “oh no she di’int” and the annoying, neurotic overachiever – but at least they’re funny types. For me, Abed’s still the character to beat, though.