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Community Season 1 Episode 3

Introduction to Film

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AIRED: Oct 01, 2009

7.1

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

EDIT

Jeff joins Professor Whitman's class for an easy A grade. Jeff realizes how much work he needs to put in to pass. Britta helps Abed fulfill his dream. Pierce teaches Troy the proper way to sneeze.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

Step backwards?

6.0

By Water78, May 22, 2011

Community,

Introduction to Film, - Unlike some other reviews i have read for this episode i am actually going to review this episode. In this episode Jeff joins a film class which he belives will be an easy A. However he finds it more difficult than he first imaged. Abed takes up film because it interests him. He then makes movie about his strict father. In the end Britta and Jeff and the father watch the video and learn what i means to go over and maybe respect one another. Which isnt always going to happen. Overall there wasnt that much comedy going on in the is episode. More serious parts. Not worth a repeat watch over.moreless
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8.0

By Canogaparkcindy, May 02, 2011

The first really impressive episode of the season. The pilot was good enough, the second episode was okay, but now I can finally say that this episode was great and definitely a step in the right direction.

Community isn't like other comedies, sure it can be cliche at times, but it has a really great script with clever & witty humor from the whole cast. I commend the writers on that one. Community doesn't underestimate the viewer's intelligence with slapstick humor, it actually has quality one liners.

Not to mention this episode had great development and I'm sure kept most fans on their toes with the hinting of the Jeff/Britta relationship, which by the end, I found myself interested in too.

Some things are cliche about Community, but it's definitely not the characters considering just three episodes in, and I could definitely say we have a really great ensemble here, and an original premise. More episodes like these please, and I will definitely see this becoming one of my favorite comedies.moreless
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Britta decides to help Abed fulfill his dream of taking a film course so she gives him the money for the class that his father won't. Jeff finds a cake class to take and then gets in trouble with the teacher for being a slacker.moreless

9.0

By jyarter, Jan 09, 2011

A number of things occur in this episode and each one of the storylines has a positive twist.

First we have Britta, Jeff, and Abed. Abed wants to take a film course. Abed's father won't pay for it so Britta does. Abed's father shows up and becomes angry with Britta and Jeff for influencing Abed. Abed starts acting strangely but in the end everything works out for all of them.

Jeff finds an easy A in a class where the teacher, Professor Whitman played by John Michael Higgins, is a free spirit. No homework, just Carpe diem meaning to Seize the day. Unfortunately the Professor recognizes what an ultimate slacker Jeff is and tells him if he doesn't really let himself be free he'll fail him. Jeff tries all sorts of scams, but in the end Britta comes through for him and saves his grade.

There is a very funny scene where the professor tells everyone to stand on their desk. Of course one of the desks breaks hurting the student pointing out the reason why you wouldn't want to stand on your desk.

The last storyline is Troy and Pierce. Troy sneezes like a girl. Embarrassing himself in front of people a lot. Pierce teaches him to sneeze like a manly man in the usual Chevy Chase style. In the end he helps Troy.

This was a big improvement over last week and probably better than the pilot. The characters are becoming more three dimensional and the story's are more empathetic and personal. Hopefully the numbers will hold up for this show if it continues on the right direction. Thanks for reading...moreless
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I never actually saw the Second Episode, but this episode is really when I felt Community started getting on a roll.

9.5

By DaVulture, Jan 09, 2011

The episode focuses mostly on Abed being encouraged by Britta to become a film maker despite his father's best wishes, and Jeff Winger as bizarre as this sounds ends up in a class with a guy named Professor Whitman who is kind of like Robin Williams character in the movie "Dead Poet's Society." It was overall a pretty funny episode and really showcased the weirdness of Abed's character, he really comes off strong in this episode and I hope come Emmy time they give him an Emmy Supporting nomination for his strong work over the season and in this episode. He plays Abed as though he is a weirdo but yet he is a person trapped inside all those pop culture references. Jeff and the Professor telling him to seize the day is hysterical, and the episode where Community started to really get things right!moreless
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How could you not love this show after this episode?

10

By tvownsLEXIE, Dec 04, 2010

Danny Pudi is genius. This episode provided so much insight into the wonderfully complex character that is Abed, and as long as he is on the show, I wouldn't even consider leaving. I have watched this episode many times, and I must say, his self produced video is heart-breaking every time, even though Jeff and Britta's confused and uncomfortable reactions to it are very funny. Also, it is episodes like this one that show the viewers why it makes sense that Troy and Pierce live together and get along even though they are so different. It was great for Pierce to give sneezing lessons because Chevy Chase really is a talented man, and it doesn't hurt for him to show off his chops. I loved the sneezing lessons because it remided me of how much experience he really does have, and I'm very thankful that he is on this wonderful show.

As a side note, Jeff and Britta's day-seizing kiss was enough of a teaser to keep the Jeff/Britta tension alive, which was especially nice because it was a very cute kiss which would please fans of the couple, but not be obnoxious for fans who don't like the couple. Also, John Michael Higgins took every line that he had and knocked them out of the park. "I'll have... birthday cake!"

It's only the first episode of the show's freshman year, but they're already producing such great episodes!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Joel McHale	Jeff Winger
Ken Jeong	Señor Ben Chang
Gillian Jacobs	Britta Perry
Danny Pudi	Abed Nadir
Yvette Nicole Brown	Shirley Bennett
Alison Brie	Annie Edison

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

John Michael Higgins	Professor Whitman	Guest Star
Iqbal Theba	Abed's Dad	Guest Star
Matt L. Jones	Coffee Delivery Guy	Guest Star

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Episode Photos

Joel McHale as Jeff Winger on Community ...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Joel McHale as Jeff Winger and Gillian J...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
John Michael Higgins as Professor Whitma...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Danny Pudi as Abed on Community from the...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)
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- The caption reading the line "I think the wrong person just left" in Arabic mistakenly translates 'left' as in the direction not the verb which makes no sense when read in Arabic.
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QUOTES (11)
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- Shirley: Isn't Abed's dad a hardcore Muslim? They're not as understanding as Christians, you could get your head cut off with a salami sword.
  Annie: Shirley! That's the most racist thing I've ever heard.
  Shirley: Was I racist?
  Jeff: Pierce will beat that in one minute.
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- Professor Whitman: Death, so-called, is a thing that makes men weep. And yet, a third of life is spent in sleep.
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- Abed: I'm interested in making movies, but my dad says all media is Western propaganda that negatively stereotypes Arabs.
  Troy: You should see Aladdin. Jafar was a badass!
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- Professor Whitman: Only when we stop stopping our lives can we begin to start starting them.
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- Professor Whitman: (to Jeff) If you don't genuinely seize the day before the end of the week, then you will be seizing an F for the semester.
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- Britta: Hey, how's it going? How's your film class, buddy?
  Abed: (pointing the camera at Britta) It's cool. Our first assignment is a documentary. They're like real movies but with ugly people.
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- Abed's Dad: (to Britta) I love women, but I'm getting a major B-word vibe from you.
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- Britta: Raising [Abed] means letting him follow his dreams.
  Abed's Dad: Dreams are for sleeping.
  Britta: You don't know that!
  Abed's Dad: It's clinically-proven!
  Britta: So is polio!
  Abed's Dad: You lost me!
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- Abed: I have to make some adjustments to my film. Jeff, I think you should play the role of my father.
  Jeff: I don't want to be your father.
  Abed: Perfect. You already know your lines.
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- Professor Whitman: What do you mean, Jeff? What does your life mean? How long does it take you in the morning to-- to make it look like you have bed head? How many sweat-pants-sport-jacket combos did you try before you found the one that said 'I don't care'? Seize the day, Jeff, for real. Go running naked in a hailstorm, kiss a girl in the middle of the day, fly a kite, but do it for yourself. Or you won't just fail my class. You'll fail life.
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- (Troy sneezes in a high-pitched tone)
  Jeff: Hey, Troy sneezes like a girl!
  Troy: And how about I pound you like a boy? Oh, that didn't come out right.
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NOTES (5)
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- Yvette Nicole Brown ("Shirley") and John Michael Higgins ("Professor Whitman") also worked together in the 2009 movie The Ugly Truth.
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- Yvette Nicole Brown ("Shirley") and Iqbal Theba (""Abed"'s dad") also worked together in the The War At Home episode "West Palm Beach Story".
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- John Michael Higgins ("Professor Whitman") and Iqbal Theba (""Abed"'s dad") also worked together in the The George Carlin Show episode "George Expresses Himself".
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: October 1, 2009 on Citytv
  Latin America: February 18, 2010 on Sony Entertainment Television (a.k.a. Canal Sony)
  Sweden: February 15, 2010 on TV6
  Czech Republic: December 25, 2012 on SMICHOV
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- Although credited, Ken Jeong ("Señor Chang") didn't appear in this episode, making this the first episode without all the credited regular actors.
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ALLUSIONS (6)
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- Professor Whitman: The motto of this class: Carpe Diem!
  
  "Carpe diem" is a phrase from Horace's Latin poem which goes "Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero." When translated to English, it reads: "Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in the future."
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- Abed's Dad: (to Jeff) You go host American Idol.
  
  Abed's Dad is referring to the host of the singing reality competition show American Idol, Ryan Seacrest, who often wears dark jackets over T-shirts and stylishly messed-up hair, much like Jeff does.
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- Jeff: Goooood morning, Professor Whitman.
  
  "Gooooood morning, Vietnam!" is the popular catchphrase of Robin Williams in his role as US Air Force Airman Adrian Cronauer, DJ of the Armed Forces Radio Station, in the 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam.
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- Jeff: Shazbot!
  
  Shazbot (pronounced SHOZZ-bot) is the Orkan curse word popularized by Robin Williams as Mork, an alien from the Planet Ork, in the late-'70s/early-'80s comedy series Mork & Mindy.
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- Character Name: Professor Whitman
  
  The character is most likely a reference to Walt Whitman, who is considered to be one of the most influential poets in American literature. He is best known for his collection of poems entitled Leaves of Grass.
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- Visual Allusion: Professor Whitman asks all the students to stand up on their desks.
  
  Near the end of the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, the students climb onto their desks as they shout "O Captain! My Captain!" in honor of their dismissed English teacher Mr. Keating.
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