The Community movie is officially in the works, begging the question of whether creator Dan Harmon will bring back some of the beloved moments from the comedy show. While few details of the plot have been released, it’s fun to think about how some of the best gags and jokes could be revisited on the big screen. The Community movie fulfills Abed’s claim of their show running for “six seasons and a movie,” so there is a lot of pressure to bring these characters back in a meaningful, yet funny way.
A few storylines weren’t resolved by the end of the show’s sixth season, and with the study group going their separate ways, it's important for the Community movie to find ways to bring characters back to Greendale. With the group’s reunion, shenanigans will most definitely ensue, but how and if any of the old gags will fit into the movie remains to be seen. The possibilities are seemingly endless, but there’s no doubt that Dan Harmon will create something funny for viewers.
Paintball Fight
One of Community’s best recurring gags was the paintball episodes that happened in seasons 1, 2, 4, and 6. While each had its own flair and comedic references to pop culture, it would be remiss of Dan Harmon to not try to bring paintball into the Community movie. These episodes were always fun and engaging, plus with a movie budget, a classic Community campus-wide paintball fight could be further developed and not rushed like it sometimes felt in the series.
The Return Of The Darkest Timeline
The recurring sub-plot of the darkest timeline, which started as a result of Community’s season 3, episode 4, “Remedial Chaos Theory," features evil Abed and evil Jeff — who is missing an arm — as well as Troy, who destroyed his voice box and now speaks through a machine. At one point these darker, more evil versions of the study group jump realities and cause issues for the characters in the normal timeline. While it was highly outrageous, it was a fun time, and a great reoccurring gag. The Community movie could go further in depth as to what happened after Troy and Abed’s housewarming party in Community's darkest timeline.
Mockumentaries
Community never shied away from making fun of other shows or different show formats, and documentaries were mocked a couple of times. One of the more famous Community mockumentaries is season 3, episode 14, “Pillows and Blankets,” which sees Troy and Abed create dueling blanket and pillow forts. This is another gag that the Community movie could further expand upon; whether it be Abed’s first film or something that is referenced, it would be great to see.
The Return Of The Ass Crack Bandit
Community season 5, episode 3, “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics,” followed Jeff and Annie as they try to solve the case of the newly reemerged Ass Crack Bandit, and just as they were about to find the culprit, Shirley announced Pierce had died, and the mystery remained unsolved. This storyline could be expanded upon and be one of the reasons why Annie returns to Greendale, as the case is still unsolved.
The Floor Is Lava And Other Campus-Wide Games
Troy’s send-off episode was one of the more interesting insights into Abed’s mind and love for his best friend. To give Troy a proper send-off — and to try to convince him to stay — Abed and the entire Greendale campus play a game of the floor is lava. It was games like these that gave Greendale a personality, and the special effects were great, so the Community movie could improve and expand on this old gag as well as make it a great way to bring back Donald Glover's Troy Barnes.
Troy And Abed In The Morning
One of the more endearing recurring gags was Troy and Abed’s morning show, which was never actually recorded. It not only mocked morning shows, but it usually annoyed their guests when they realized it wasn’t recorded. There are different iterations of the show, some of which include Annie, or their shared apartment. It would be awesome for the Community movie to feature a version of this fan-favorite gag, plus it’d be great to see Danny Pudi and Donald Glover riff off one another again.