Top 20 Best Community Episodes

"Community" does large-scale adventures better than most sitcoms, but sometimes all that's needed is the study group, a locked door, and a mystery. The most self-aware bottle episode ever, "Cooperative Calligraphy" asks a simple question: who took the pen? From there, "Community" dives into the psyches of its characters, be it Annie's manipulative tendencies, Britta's hypocrisy, or Abed's struggle to understand emotions. The episode pays off storylines, sets up others, and allows Troy to kind of save the day through the power of imagination. As likable as the characters are, they are also deeply flawed, and this episode showcases both of these factors expertly.

Season 2 pushes Pierce down a dark path as he battles irrelevance and drug addiction, most of which culminates in this episode. "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking" represents Pierce at his most overtly villainous as he fakes his impending demise and tries to manipulate the group through a series of bequeathments. Filmed as a mockumentary, this episode covers a wide spectrum of emotions and tones, from the lightheartedness of Annie overthinking a tiara to Jeff tackling some deep-seated personal issues. While "Community" gets pretty heavy at times during this episode, the humor is still on point, especially from Troy.

In a series filled with high-concept episodes, this Season 5 behemoth stands out as being especially absurd. A rating app sends Greendale into chaos, as someone's score comes to define their social rank. Before long, Greendale descends into pure dystopian ideals as the fivers step on those less fortunately rated. "App Development and Condiments" moves at a blistering pace as "Community" sets up a social class system, a corrupt ruling party, and a revolution in approximately 20 minutes. This episode is funny, outlandish, and inventive; it even gives Shirley something to do, which is nice.

The Dean gets to film a commercial starring Luis Guzman and goes slightly insane in the process. Unapologetically based on "Hearts of Darkness," the movie about the making of "Apocalypse Now," "Documentary Filmmaking: Redux" explores the Dean's psyche and relationship with Greendale more thoroughly than any other episode. Although it marks a narrative low point for the character, this episode is the Dean's masterpiece and a splendid showcase of Jim Rash's talent. As brilliant as Dean's descent into madness is, Jeff's complicated relationship with a bald cap might be even funnier.

For every amazing high-concept episode, "Community" has at least one great down-to-earth character-driven piece. After Troy learns that he is about to turn 21 in the most Troy way possible, the study group heads out to a bar to celebrate and drink. "Community" depicts the process of becoming a legal adult in a refreshingly realistic way; Troy is largely confused, somewhat uncomfortable, and there's no big moment when everything clicks. Be it Annie adopting a new persona, Shirley trying to hide her past, or Abed talking about "Farscape," each character is handed something substantial to work with.

Beyond the hedge lies a magical garden that offers peace, tranquility, and a trampoline. "Aerodynamics of Gender" splits up the crew into two standalone storylines, with a large chunk of the episode dedicated to Britta, Annie, Shirley, and Abed taking down a group of mean girls. This plot has some memorable moments courtesy of Abed going full Rowboat Cop, but the episode's true highlight involves Troy, Jeff, and Pierce. Troy and Jeff leave behind their competitive natures and discover bliss through time-warping bounces. The direction and acting are fantastic in this storyline, and it contains surprisingly dark implications.

A fittingly fantastical farewell to one of "Community's" greatest characters. With Troy setting sail for a year, Abed convinces the Dean to initiate a schoolwide game of the floor is lava. As a concept episode, "Geothermal Escapism" doesn't explore too much new ground for the show, but its emotional core is incredibly strong. Greendale encouraged Troy to embrace his imagination and childlike wonder, and this episode celebrates that while also highlighting the importance of facing reality. The episode's final few minutes hit especially hard and highlight "Community's" gift for heartfelt sincerity.

"Community" does, on occasion, practice subtlety with its references, but this ain’t one of those episodes. From the opening title to the twist ending, "Basic Lupine Urology" is a full-blown "Law & Order" episode, and "Community's" commitment to the bit is the main reason this parody hits it out of the park. Whether portraying detectives, lawyers, or a judge, the characters slip into these roles absurdly well. The pacing is on point, delivering the right amount of surprises to make the episode genuinely feel like a police procedural. Michael K. Williams also says that thing from that HBO show.

"Community" was great from the start, but season 1 took a while to fully reveal the extent of the show's awesomeness. "Contemporary American Poultry" can be seen as the moment when "Community" really comes into its own, dedicating a full episode to a movie genre parody. Fueled by a shortage of chicken fingers, the study group installs Abed as Greendale's new fry-father, a position that sparks a significant shake-up in the show's power dynamic. Filled with nods to "Goodfellas," "Contemporary American Poultry" depicts "Community's" ability to blend the bizarre with the real; the storyline might be silly, but the insights provided into Abed and Jeff are not.

There's a conspiracy brewing in Greendale, and it involves a lot of backstabbing. When the Dean calls out Jeff for fabricating a class for an easy credit, the ruse spirals out of control when Winger's fake professor miraculously comes to life. As Jeff, Annie, and Dean go to great lengths to teach each other a hundred different lessons, Troy and Abed create the world's greatest blanket fort that comes with a Civil Rights museum and permits. With two awesome plot threads that interact in clever ways, "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" is simply a good time. Plus, Jeff's glee following Professor Professorson's surprise appearance is weirdly hilarious.

Who knew the trick to making a clip show that doesn't suck is to use entirely new clips? While shows use this format to save time and money by stitching together scenes from past stories, "Community" went the complete opposite direction, creating one of its most ambitious and unique episodes. The study group ends up reminiscing about the year's events, many of which did not occur on screen. Not only is this a fun twist on the clip show format, but it also makes the characters feel more real. These people have lives beyond "Community." The episode even gave fans a hashtag that would become a rallying cry and self-fulfilling prophecy: “Six Seasons And A Movie.”

To get his inheritance, Pierce has to beat an 8-bit game made by his Colonel Sanders-looking father. While the study group offers Pierce a helping hand, they are mostly outmatched by Gilbert who's also after the inheritance. "Digital Estate Planning" is one of those episodes that goes a long way in explaining Pierce's personality, as his father is the absolute worst. The animation style is charming, and this episode authentically replicates the style of early console games, right down to the infamous Nintendo hard difficulty. The ending is also really sweet.

Certain stories simply call for stop-motion animation. "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" dives deep into the meaning of the holiday, and it comes up with a pretty moving answer. Abed starts seeing the world in a whole new light, so Greendale's resident psychologist steps in to try and get to the bottom of things and maybe sign a book deal in the process. Paying homage to classic Rankin/Bass specials, "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" injects the gang's animated trip to Planet Abed with plenty of heart and sensitivity, producing one of the most comfortable but challenging episodes of the series.

As usual, the Dean's good intentions backfire in spectacular fashion. With priority registration on the line, Greendale's students engage in a paint-soaked war for survival, where friendships are tested, heroes are born, and Britta and Jeff finally work some things out. The beauty of "Community" is its willingness to go all-in with each of its ideas; "Modern Warfare" pays homage to action movies by matching the genre's penchant for excess, theatrics, and slow-motion explosions. "Community" was a great comedy from its pilot episode, but "Modern Warfare" showed that this series was more than a traditional sitcom; "Community" could be anything it wanted to be.

This is it – "Community's" finale. Going full meta, "Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television" consists of the gang plotting their own season sevens, from Britta being Britta to Jeff imagining the worst possible scenario. Although the whole episode feels like one giant wink to the audience, the meta humor genuinely complements the characters, highlighting their insecurities as they try to convince themselves that everything will be fine. And that goes beyond just the study group; this episode is all about the importance of letting go and moving on, a message "Community" delivers to everyone watching at home. Also, the post-credit scene is something else.

Funny, thoughtful, and vital for the story arcs of several characters, especially Pierce, "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" is an example of "Community" at its very best. Realizing that Neil is struggling with depression, the study group put together a "Dungeons & Dragons" party to try and lift his spirits; unfortunately, leaving out Pierce ends up being a big mistake. Packed with funny lines, sharp wit, and even a memorable visual gag or two, "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" blends comedy with a ton of heart as "Community" intelligently examines Neil's struggles from a place of understanding.

When Abed and Troy have a tiff, Greendale becomes a war zone. Unable to see eye to eye, Abed's Pillowtown and Troy's Blanketsburg divide the campus, each army trying to seize ground over the other. Inspired by Ken Burns' documentaries, "Pillows and Blankets" hauntingly depicts the brutality of war as monsters are created, soldiers are wounded, and feelings are hurt. As usual, "Community" twists a tried and tested formula into an episode that amounts to more than just a genre parody. "Pillows and Blankets" tells an effective story with character growth, emotion, and even a touch of magic.

It's Halloween, Greendale is hosting a party, and the Dean cheaped out on the catering; naturally, this means zombies. Soundtracked by Abba and featuring all the horror movie references in the world, "Epidemiology" is a magnificent love letter to the likes of George A. Romero. From Pierce naturally breaking out as patient zero to Troy embracing his inner nerd, this episode is stuffed with awesome moments that manage to be both funny and intense. "Community" does poke fun at some genre conventions, but "Epidemiology" works so well because it understands what makes zombie films so entertaining to watch. Also, cat.

Take "Modern Warfare," add a touch of Sergio Leone and "Star Wars," and you've got yourself a two-part masterpiece. Once again Greendale erupts into chaos over a paintball game, but this time the madness comes with a black rider and a mastermind with an evil scheme. "Community" is more than a sitcom, as the show transitions from comedy to action so seamlessly that it defies logic. While it doesn't have the shock factor of "Modern Warfare," this two-parter does justice by practically every character, including giving Pierce a much-needed redemptive moment. These episodes also helped put the Russo brothers on Marvel's radar.

This episode is a work of art in every possible timeline. During a housewarming party, the study group has to send one person to fetch the pizza, creating seven unique timelines in the process, and "Remedial Chaos Theory" explores all of them. A high-concept episode filled with hilarious scenes, "Remedial Chaos Theory" plays around masterfully with its premise to grant glimpses at the best and worst traits of the characters. "Community" can be laugh-out-loud funny, sincerely heartwarming, and outlandishly creative, and "Remedial Chaos Theory" is all of these things put together.