In several of my reviews, I have discussed how an episode has worked or not worked in relation to the templates Community has set in previous episodes. But it seems appropriate with “App Development and Condiments” to mix it up a little bit and frame my analysis in relation to another show. This episode is the first one credited to former American Dad! writers Jordan Blum and Parker Deay. (Their AD! credits include the Avatar-riffing “Virtual In-Stanity,” my choice for the best episode of that season.) “AD&C” had the tone and structure of a typically excellent AD! episode, which begins unassumingly but then gradually, though ultimately completely, transforms into a new normal. The best example of this is the best American Dad! episode of all time – “Rapture’s Delight” – and it is surely no coincidence that that episode was written by Chris McKenna and that McKenna is now back on the writing staff and an executive producer of Community.
Now, indeed, it is not like Community has not had plenty of episodes in which Greendale morphed into something else. But “App Development” felt different than your Modern Warfare’s, or your 2-part Season 2 paintball finales, or your Pillows & Blankets’, or your Geothermal Escapism’s, and thus the extratextual comparison. In American Dad!, the total restructuring of the show’s universe is essentially ignored in subsequent episodes, whereas in Community, it is made clear that the campus needs to be cleaned up. This episode is still recognizably Greendale, but there is a jump that leaves the origin of some major elements unexplained. Greendalians taking something new way too seriously didn’t need an explanation, but everyone dressing like they were in a dystopian future could have used one. I suppose there was some foreshadowing in that regard with Abed explaining that 3’s and 2’s wore neutral colors to make it look like they didn’t care. But, overall, there was a sense of “we’re not even going try to come up with a bizarre explanation, because we’re just THAT confident in this concept.”
“App Development” wants to talk about manipulation, and that theme is set up with the seemingly innocuous tiff of Jeff neglecting to invite Shirley to a group dinner that he knows she will not be able to attend anyway. Shirley responds with typical passive-aggression, but Jeff, being just as much of a master manipulator, shoots her down immediately. Then it is this battle of wills that runs through the dystopian version of Greendale. I can get along with the idea that dystopias are failed utopias formed by leaders whose manipulation went unabated, but I am not sure a fight over common courtesy could legitimately lead to all that manipulation.
Of course, that is not what really caused the segregated school environment. Instead, it was the on-site beta testing of the “MeowMeowBeenz” app that allows everyone to rate everyone basically on the basis of just how good a person they are, and Jeff and Shirley’s conflict just happened to be running through this testing ground. It is clear to anyone who spends a good portion of their time on the Internet – which presumably includes most of Community’s audience – that “MeowMeowBeenz” is inspired by Reddit and comment systems that have the capacity to make the evaluation of people devolve into simple upvotes and downvotes.
Once again, though, I am not entirely sure that MeowMeowBeenz would lead to a Brave New World. Sure, everyone on Greendale would take things too far, but there is a big jump from public shaming in the cafeteria to flowing white robes and futuristic, sterile dance parties. (I do buy that Starburns would wear Sean Connery’s red leather diaper from Zardoz, but I would have believed that possibility before this episode.) Ultimately, however, I don’t care too much about logic, because this homage to Logan’s Run and the like was just too awesome. I initially kind of got a Season 4 vibe of, “concept episodes are just what we do, so we might as well do this concept,” but unlike Season 4, there was the appropriate amount of follow-through in realizing this concept. (I don’t want to knock Season 4 too much, because homages are so ingrained in the DNA of Community at this point. If the show is being honest with itself, then homages simply cannot be completely avoided. I guess I’m a little wistful for the days when we could be truly surprised by the boldness of the homages.)
Among the great moments afforded by the dystopian milieu was the mere presence of Tim Heideceker and Eric Wareheim, who seem like the kind of people who would just spontaneously come into existence in a situation like this. But the best moment had to be Jeff’s stand-up. I’ve never seen Joel McHale perform live, but that was clearly the performance of someone who knows what to do with a microphone. Comedy that makes fun of comedy is a well that never runs dry, and this standup routine specifically hit on overly esoteric comedy that is inexplicably successful. In doing so, this scene further built up the world of this episode, establishing in no uncertain terms that 3’s “sure do love dem apples,” allowing for this dystopia to be much more lighthearted than the typical cinematic version.
Jeff and Shirley’s tension is resolved a little neatly, though there certainly was plenty of truth in the two of them realizing how alike they are. I feel like they have made that realization before, but when you are as self-involved as these people sometimes tend to be, you may need to have that realization more than once.
There are some great character moments for just about everybody in this episode, with Abed loving the objectivity of this new order and Annie loving the very order of it all. Meanwhile, Hickey is beautifully constipated in his frustration (so he just gives up and pretends it’s his birthday).
And I haven’t even talked about Britta and her own subplot. As embarrassing as being forced to wear mustard on her face could have been, it was actually empowering for her. Perhaps it is unfair that a soft image makes a difficult message go down easier, but there are certainly more painful ways of being softened than having a condiment smeared on one’s face. And Britta could stand to learn that she could sound more elegant than she does when insisting that “we don’t have to worship a calculator.” Also, Annie was right to admonish any invocation of Hitler, though giving Britta 2 MeowMeowBeenz for it was a bit harsh.
As much as I enjoyed this episode, and as much as I have enjoyed every episode lately, I am still wary about this season overall. What I’m wondering is, Is Season 5 building towards anything? Because all previous seasons had some guiding structure that was for the most part beneficial. Season 1 had the backbone of Jeff and Britta’s will they/won’t they and the simple nature of everyone getting to know each other. Season 2 had Abed losing touch with reality and Pierce becoming a villain. Season 3 had Chang taking over the school (as controversial as that storyline was, it did provide structure) and everything in general becoming dark. Season 4 had Jeff graduating and … a couple other things that were more or less dropped completely. Now, in Season 5, everyone is back in Greendale, for an indefinite amount of time. Jeff is teaching, and the implication is that he could be there for a while. Everyone else is re-enrolled, and a timeline for their graduating for good has not been established. Maybe this season is lacking a clear destination on purpose, which could be fine, but that hasn’t been what Community is all about up to this point. It’s taking some re-calibration on my part as a viewer to get used to that, which could work out eventually, but right now, it’s weird being in limbo in which I love this season, but also I don’t? Maybe it’s also a matter of high standards.
Other funny moments I didn’t get to:
-The MeowMeowBeenz sound effects were incredible.
-The Save Greendale Committee is working on adding grass to the soccer field.
-The way Abed saying “Ohhh” in response to Shirley being upset over not getting invited was much flatter than everyone else’s Ohhh’s.
-I loved the way Chang tapped Hickey’s arm during the MeowMeowBeenz pitch.
-“I should go Number 2 soon.” (What was that line supposed to mean, by the way? Did Bixel – played by Brian Posehn, who killed it – have an app that told him when to use the bathroom?)
-Garrett controlling Starburns is like “toast bossing crackers around.”
-“As long as you’re happy, I’m unsettled.”
-Britta: “You’re punishing me for being alive!” Leonard, with one of his all-time best retorts: “That’s the general idea, baby.”
-How about that tag? Mitch Hurwitz, everybody! I especially loved the way Annie said “Koogler.”
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