I think we're all just relieved that this is a good sitcom again. That it's able to be a good sitcom again. For me, that's really enough.

I don't see a lot of switching to Shirley. Are you all intimidated by her sexuality?

The AV Club only grades shows by the standard of that show, and season 4 was not this show.

I know that's the joke, I was just wondering if it referred to a specific event from the season.

But realistically if a show stopped and went HEY LOOK ISN'T JONATHAN BANKS AWESOME YOU GUYS? It'd feel like it's overselling.

He'll?

That was inspired. I love it when a sitcom can find an unorthodox use for a musical bit (see also: most Bob's Burgers episodes.)

A-, A-.

Which really is the essence of Community. It's a sitcom, and sitcoms are about people repeating old patterns over and over. They're more about staying the course than they can ever really be about growth.

Was there even a gas leak in season four? I've forgotten.

I don't care what anyone says. The Paintball duology was fantastic and I loved the whole nine yards of it.

Hell I laughed at recognition. When Abed said that the Dean only called him but he called everyone else it was just… yes.

But the Nicholas Cage B-plot felt like a deliberate callback to season two Abed pop culture references (particularly, obviously, the Who's The Boss B-plot, which is probably my favourite pop culture B-plot this series has done.)

They're really only there as witnesses to how utterly miserable his life is.

Both because it says something about the garrulous nature of the character, and also because the show isn't trying to sell us that hard that he's so awesome. If they were all OH WOW THIS GUY IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN OUR OLD GUY, it could rub the audience the wrong way (like 'We made paintball cool again.')

I really thought I'd miss Chevy Chase when I saw his unexpected hologram cameo.

And Ishiro Honda was a second unit director in a lot of early Kurosawa films before he got his big break in Godzilla. In fact, in Stray Dogs, when Mifune is walking around the slums, there's a shot of his feet that is actually Honda's.

Masahiro Shinoda, while we're on the subject.

So you like Ikiru?

I dunno I'd say the late, great Satoshi Kon would be just as worthy as Miyazaki.