Agreed, but I'm thinking she WILL get focus. DH knows what he's doing, and he wouldn't have made such a pointed joke this week if he hadn't planned a follow-up to it.

To me, those sort of character reveals feel totally fitting. Jeff has always acted cool, above the rest of the group's shenanigans, even while participating in them. But we know that while vain, he's also extremely insecure, and reveals like that explain why.

While it didn't show Jeff actually TEACHING in this episode, the first scene DID take place in the Teacher's Lounge.

Yeah. He was teaching Jeff a lesson about moral relativism.

Hahahaha! My thoughts…are French.

But when you know what kind of guy Abed is, he's the sort that would think he could easily bond in three minutes and move on, with his pop culture obsession and saturation. Look at how he acted when he was handcuffed. TV tropes has taught him how to get the result he wanted. First, he made passive-aggressive comments…

I totally didn't. Must rewatch again!

Well I don't think it was necessary for Abed to say "I am angry because Troy's departure has left me vulnerable." Abed missing Troy was all over this episode. From the silence at the table after Abed said he was going to see Kickpuncher, to him glancing at Troy's empty chair while making his costume, to his palpable…

True she did, through manipulation instead of physical force. However, she felt guilty about it afterward. Hickey was sorry that he'd said mean things, but never apologized for handcuffing Abed.

Duncan also gave advice to Jeff in the Psychology of Letting Go about mortality and was spot on with his analysis of Jeff. You can't make that sort of knowing analysis to someone you aren't friends with. Jeff mainly hangs with the study group, but it doesn't mean he and Duncan aren't friends. Would you deny that…

So many comments here it may be fruitless, but I wanted to give my thoughts on something I read a lot in the comments. Which is that Hickey's interaction with Abed felt weird because Abed has had consequences for his actions in the past, and also that Abed's outburst was out of character for him.

Couldn't agree more. S2 disc 2 I can watch all damn day. But I'm really obsessed with that whole season. Advanced D&D, CFS, Intermediate DF, PHM, paintball. Damn dude too much genius.

Don't forget about Critical Film Studies!!

Yep Annie banned glue guns at the apartment.

Italian Fannies.

Mine too. And how lonely he looked while being Kickpuncher in the hallway. It was horrifyingly sad for me.

I still think it DOES acknowledge Troy's absence because Abed talked about him in past tense. Instead of saying "Troy always laughs at this", he uses "laughed" and "I didn't have the heart to tell him."

Going by your argument, any "character growth" at the end to nicely tie up the episode would end up feeling false. If the show didn't have ongoing character arcs, it would be like the majority of other sitcoms out there. And that isn't a compliment.

Since you seem to be against character growth in any form, I am guessing you're a big fan of Family Guy, eh?

Solid A for me.