I think about a world to come where the books were found by the golden ones, written in pain, written in awe by a puzzled man who questioned, "What are we here for?" All the strangers came today and it looks as though they're here to stay.

-David Bowie "Oh! You Pretty Things"

Friday, March 4, 2011

Community


During my first year at Divinity School I struggled heavily with the fact that many have called me a born leader, that I have accidentally fallen into positions of great social power time after time throughout my personal history. Community premiered that very fall and I latched onto it immediately. There could be no story more intimate than the accidental rise to power of slacker Jeff Winger, at least not in comedy - the abrupt leadership of Jack Shephard in the premiere of LOST was also incredibly significant. The relatively weak beginning of Community, especially when compared to such hit episodes as "Modern Warfare" (AKA "the paintball episode"), was overshadowed by the incredibly personal story of the show's protagonist. His struggle with leadership and eventually romance was my struggle also. Community continues to balance quick and witty comedy, Joel McHale's Jeff Winger as a Fletch among Fletches (Pierce Hawthorne is played by Chevy Chase, the original Fletch in Fletch), with just enough deep drama to make it really matter, sticking with you from one week to another. I'm starting to find my way in life. Maybe I can give Jeff Winger some pointers, nyet?

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE this show. I actually liked it from the beginning. The episode where they sing "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tale is probably my favorite.

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