“Congratulations: it’s me.”

Indeed, after nearly a year off the air, it is Community, so congratulations to us.  But, while it is back, it is also unequivocally different – no surprise, considering it lost its creator, a handful of writers, and a few producers.  The characters are still the same characters, and the plots are not too dissimilar from those of the previous seasons.  It was the subtle things that really made a difference – shots are closer than before, the music cues aren’t quite what they were.  It’s not necessarily worse – just, different.  Honestly, though, Community had already become a different show than it originally was.  Season 2 was different than Season 1, and Season 3 was different than Season 2.  But it wasn’t like those changes had previously happened between season finales and the subsequent season premieres.  So this change is much more sudden and jarring.  Could this change ultimately work?  “History 101” is more promising than not.

If there is anything significantly wrong with this episode, it’s that it’s overstuffed.  There are four separate plots, plus Pierce just sitting around doing his own thing.  The multi-cam version of the show within Abed’s head is an unqualified success.  Fred Willard as Pierce in this version is an inspired choice, especially considering that he was one of the actors originally considered to play Pierce.  The Greendale Babies within Abed’s head in the multi-cam show within his head is also a treat, with Britta making for a particularly cute baby.  Abed constructing the Winger speech for the Jeff in his head felt appropriate.  The Hunger Deans plot felt a little rushed, though I actually appreciated that it really had nothing to do with The Hunger Games.  I think that was the joke.  The Annie-Shirley senior prank plot was small-scale, but it did provide some nice character moments.  The Troy-Britta fountain plot barely even qualified as a subplot.  I’m basically neutral on Troy and Britta as a couple, but I will say it probably would have been nice to see some of the progression that apparently progressed offscreen.  The Chang scene was … intriguing.  The Dean moving in next to Jeff struck me as something the Dean would totally do, and it could work as a clever way to keep things moving along should Community get a fifth season and move beyond Greendale.  Shirley’s “Oh, Lord, NOOOOOOO!” at the end provided the biggest laugh of the episode. B+