And OF COURSE this experimental episode was co-written by one of the best writers from Community, Harmon's protege Megan Ganz. I am eagerly waiting for her to gain some more cred and pitch her own show in a year or two, she's definitely one to look out for.

Yeah, you his the nail on the head there. That is why I love looking for Harmon's streamlined circular version of Campbell's Hero's Journey in [pretty much] all the [often seemingly trite and stake-less] plots on Community.
Best stories work DESPITE, not BECAUSE of the familiar underlying Hero's Journey.

Oh yeah - he had at least *two* of his patented bursts of sheer joy last night. Every episode is improved by having Jesse L. Martin cackle with glee at Flash doing something cool. I wonder how long it will take for tumblr to have a fuckyeahjoewestlaughing .gif blog going.

A Boston Brand Books of Magic reference! Highly appropriate!

Speaking of Fusco, the last two episodes have me confused: does he know about the dueling machines? The dialogue they keep having in front of him always makes me think he's gonna start asking further questions, if he is still in the dark, but they never come. What does he think Samaritan is, just a subcontracted…

The first part of his bit there, where he is like a disturbed messiah, preaching how "We should all BE Aristocrats…" left a lasting impression on me. His watery gaze looking somewhere beyond reality, channeling deep truths about sexuality and shame… powerful stuff, capped with a really filthy and quirkily specific…