The irreverent sitcom Community ran for six seasons, with the first five on NBC and the final season airing on short-lived streaming service, Yahoo! Screen. The show faced the possibility of cancellation several times throughout its run, hence the makeshift series finales at the end of almost every season.
Despite Community's low viewership from 2009 to 2015, the series had it all: compelling characters, wacky situations, and genuinely heartwarming moments. In the age of streaming, particularly with the sitcom being added to Netflix, Community has seen a resurgence, with millions discovering the show and becoming fans. But which episodes of the beloved sitcom are the 10 best by fans on Ranker?
Contemporary American Poultry
The beginnings of Community bore several similarities to the traditional sitcom format, from episodes that see characters learning lessons, to the will-they-wont-they dynamic between two main characters. However, late in Season 1, specifically the episode "Contemporary American Poultry," Community began to set itself apart.
The episode is a direct homage to Mafia movies such as Goodfellas and The Godfather, as it sees the study group start an elaborate organization to obtain and distribute chicken fingers from the cafeteria, with Abed as their leader. The group becomes powerful, receiving everything they desire (even a caviar-eating monkey) until Abed pulls the plug, hilariously destroying their new amenities.
Cooperative Calligraphy
Community's first bottle episode, unlike most bottle episodes in television, is in fact one of the series' best. Written by Megan Ganz (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Modern Family), the episode follows the group in a fiery debate as they investigate who stole (and keeps stealing) Annie's pens.
Not only does the episode cement the ability of Community to subvert sitcom tropes by having Abed acknowledge that they are doing a bottle episode, but it fascinates the viewer by tearing the group apart only to build them back up stronger. The series excels when its main characters are stuck in the study room for a lengthy period of time, and this episode is perhaps the best example of their individual personalities shining through the mania.
Paradigms Of Human Memory
Season 3's "Paradigms of Human Memory" is a monumentally significant episode of television. The majority of clip-show episodes in sitcoms present old clips from the show that relate to the plot of the current episode, but Community, as is tradition, does it differently.
Part of why Season 3 is the highest-ranked Community season on IMDb, is because it boasts a cast and crew that are on the top of their game. "Paradigms of Human Memory" tells its story through unseen clips of the study group in several zany, bizarre situations. Perhaps the most impressive part of the episode is the heartwarming ending, in which Jeff suggests that their constant bickering is unimportant, as the group is closer than ever.
Basic Lupine Urology
A long-running staple of Community is high-concept episodes that act as homages to other media, and these episodes are often the most beloved. An example of this is Season 3's "Basic Lupine Urology," which draws heavily from Law & Order. The episode follows the study group as they attempt to find the culprit of their smashed yam that ruined their Biology project.
Each character has their own specific role, with Troy and Abed portraying a good cop/bad cop scenario and Annie as a lawyer, for example. The episode is genius in the way that it pays homage to formulaic shows such as Law & Order but in the process crafts a compelling narrative that is also hilarious. Community may have had some lackluster episodes, but episodes like this prove why the show remains so beloved.
Advanced Dungeons And Dragons
The second season of Community features a season-long arc that threatens to break up the fabric of the group. Pierce's constant offensive behavior leads to fighting, and the two-part season finale sees Pierce being phased out of the group. The episode, "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons," perfectly lays the groundwork for this emotional moment.
The episode features the study group's attempt to cheer up their classmate, Neil, by playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons- without Pierce. When Pierce finds out, he displays his worst traits and bullies Neil. Jeff pulls Pierce aside, who tells Jeff that he hates to be excluded, and when he asks if Jeff also likes to be excluded, he exclaims, "Yes!" It is truly impressive character work as it perfectly sums up each of their personalities.
Conspiracy Theories And Interior Design
The writers of Community consistently crafted original, inventive storylines throughout its six-season run, and "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" is no exception. The episode follows Jeff and Annie as they attempt to uncover a Greendale conspiracy that goes "all the way to slightly below the middle."
The final scene of the episode sees Jeff, Annie, the Dean, and Professor Garrity enrolled in several fake shootings, as it is revealed that each of the four has conspired both with one another and against each other. It is confusing in the best possible way, and the performances are truly convincing- particularly Alison Brie in portraying Annie's seemingly fake but arguably-real heartbreak over Jeff's treatment of her.
Modern Warfare
A long-running Community mainstay is paintball-themed episodes. The first paintball episode, "Modern Warfare," from late Season 1 saw Greendale erupt into a school-wide paintball war, the winning prize of which being priority registration for new classes.
Directed by well-known action movie director Justin Lin, "Modern Warfare" is a thrilling 22-minutes of impressive action sequences and shocking moments, some of which had never been seen before in a sitcom. Not only do Jeff and Britta finally get together after a season of tension, but the episode features a heartwarming moment when Jeff gifts his prize to Shirley, proving why this episode is so important in the show's run.
A Fistful Of Paintballs
Community's second paintball episode, "A Fistful of Paintballs," is the first of a two-part season finale, and it features the study group enrolled in yet another campus-wide paintball war, only this time, the prize is $100, 000. The episode is bigger and better than the first paintball episode, and it holds much more emotional weight.
The multiple instances throughout the season that suggest Pierce as the greatest Community villain come full circle in this episode's finale, as it leads to a standoff between Annie and Pierce as the study group watches on. Seeing Annie turn on Pierce after defending him, coupled with impeccable performances from the cast, makes this an essential episode of Community.
For A Few Paintballs More
It was inevitable that Community would parody Star Wars, given how the series consistently pays homage to all aspects of pop culture. The Season 2 finale is arguably Community's best, as it wraps up the season-long arc and is a thrilling, fun-filled adventure on its own.
"For A Few Paintballs More" was directed by Joe Russo of the Russo Brothers, and according to The Washington Post, his work caught the eye of MCU President Kevin Feige, who trusted Joe and Anthony to direct two Captain America movies and two Avengers movies, which went on to be two of the highest-grossing movies of all time. Not only is this episode important in the lore of Community, but it is monumental in its impact on pop culture.
Remedial Chaos Theory
The episode that is considered by a large section of Community fans to be the best episode of the series, is "Remedial Chaos Theory." The episode revolves around the study group attending a party thrown by Troy and Abed at their new apartment, and Jeff suggests rolling a die to decide who goes to get the recently delivered pizza.
The episode then showcases six different versions of the events which depend on who goes to get the pizza. Each version is wildly different, ranging from heartwarming exchanges between study group members to downright chaos as Annie's gun misfires and hits Pierce and the room erupts into flames. "Remedial Chaos Theory" is Community at its peak, as the fully-intact study group interacts with one another in a bizarre situation, and each character is developed in one way or another.