I don't get that sense at all. In fact, I'd say that Community's shown a relative level of restraint this season, relegating many of the references to side plots and quick gags (the anime fight in Fooseball, the 2001 scene in Biology, Digital Explorations' 1984 / product placement riff). Also, it seems odd to consider…

I loved Jeff's response to the Dean's costume. He looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

Let's ask Abed what grade this episode should get.

How are "children's programmes" unfunny? Adventure Time, anyone?

Naw, Jeff and Annie definitely shared a look there.

I'd chalk that up to Chase just not wanting to be funny in the way the rest of the Community characters are. Wasn't that what the whole feud with Dan Harmon was about?

Actually, the whole body-jumping mechanic of this episode reminds me of the parent issues episode of HIMYM (the one where their envisioning each other as their parents), only played much more effectively to its logical extreme.

I friggin' loved how Abed tied the whole "assuming other identities" thing into the concept of empathy. It really brought home how well structured and purposeful the whole episode was, on top of being a blast to watch.

That's another episode that, while not hilarious, really brought it home in the emotional resonance department. Maybe my affinity for Charlie Kaufman endeared the strangeness of it to me.

I was gonna bring up Studies in Modern Movement (still a criminally underrated episode), but then that largely had Annie reacting to Troy and Abed rather than really stepping out for herself like she did here.

Acting like "kind of a dick" is just proof that you feel comfortable enough around the people you care about to get away with it. It's when you enter full-blown dick mode, which Abed has been inching towards more this season, that measures are called for.

That's a great perspective. I know I cherish a lot of TV shows simply because they serve as bonding agents with family and friends whenever I feel like we're drifting apart.

We'll get you a new favorite post!

"…well, one's dead."

But then we learned a cancer really had AIDS.

"YOU ALL WANTED IT!!!"

I was surprised to learn they weren't written by the same guy, considering they seem to inhabit the same high-concept wheelhouse (a.k.a., Abed's apartment).

"Your the worst."

I'm glad you made the comparision. If any episode proved that Community could be light on jokes and hammer home the emotion, it was Uncontrollable Christmas. This definitely feels like a spiritual sequel.

That poor guy.