The Great Community Ranking Project

Here are the results from 43 different people ranking and grading Community episodes. We've even asked a few people to write a blurb for each episode. This list is ordered by "average score", which is a combination of a flat grade and rank. I also included the average grade (from F to A+) and the average rank (from 1 to 71). High and low ranks are also included, as well as the standard deviation. Quick note: the lower the episode is ranked, the higher the standard deviation is, so be careful interpreting that number. What's best is to look at how the standard deviation compares to other episodes with a similar score. Finally, many of the average scores, especially in the middle of the rankings, are extremely close. The separation is essentially arbitrary, so don't get too hung up on why the episode ranked 40th is above the episode ranked 41st. Pay attention to the difference in the average scores.


The Opposite of Batman Episodes (Presented by AT&T)

71. Competitive Wine Tasting (220) (Average Score – 37.48)
(Average Grade – 1.67/C-) (Average Rank – 68.2) (High Rank – 59) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 14.28)
Well, one episode was bound to come in last place and it should come as no surprise this came in last. By Community standards, “Competitive Wine Tasting” is a lazy episode, that doesn't fit the show’s scheme. This episode, for the most part, is just completely unfocused. None of the plots connected with each other as well as they could have been. Not only is the lack of focus frustrating, but also the complete abandonment of the “Pierce is evil” storyline. It’s like they completely forgot about it. But out of all this, this episode still has some funny moments like Troy saying, “My emotions, MY EMOTIONS!” and Chang in the background saying, “Snap!”.
- Reuelb5427

70. Contemporary Impressionists (312) (Average Score – 45.76)
(Average Grade – 2.03/C) (Average Rank – 63.5) (High Rank – 27) (High Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 19.89)
“Contemporary Impressionist” is just a flat out weird episode. That doesn't necessarily mean it’s a bad episode, just.... weird. This episode has a good concept, but has problems putting everything together. “Contemporary Impressionist” features some decent character development from Jeff and this episode almost serves entirely as a set-up for future Community episodes (i.e. Evil Abed, Chang mini army). Despite being one of the worst episodes of Community, this episode has some great moments, like Troy and Britta both impersonating Michael Jackson and Britta saying, “You have an unusually high buttcrack!”.
- Reuelb5427

69. Geography of Global Conflict (302) (Average Score – 45.79)
(Average Grade – 2.04/C) (Average Rank – 63.1) (High Rank – 26) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 19.82)
Along with "Asian Population Studies," "Studies in Modern Movement" and a number of other episodes, GCC suffers from pacing and plotting issues. The concept is solid though: a number of major characters evolve in organic and fundamental ways: Britta abandons her hippie poser attitude and actually figures out what she wants to do with her life, Jeff finally articulates how he feels about Annie, and Annie understands his logic, but is not yet ready to accept it on an emotional level. Even Chang changes (ha!): like Britta, he finds an outlet to express his innermost desire, except, of course, the results are less heartwarming and more heart stopping. Sadly, however, only a few of these plot strands are properly developed. While the Model UN bits are very funny ("The tropical paradise of Somalia..."), Annie spends most of the episode in a shrill haze, and Britta's "protests" come awfully, uncomfortably close to something Family Guy may find humorous.
- Semi-bored Torontonian

68. Course Listing Unavailable (318) (Average Score – 50.17)
(Average Grade – 2.23/C+) (Average Rank – 59.3) (High Rank – 20) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 19.32)
What a great opening. That's what sprung to mind while re-watching this Season 3 episode. And it really is. Unfortunately, once that's over, Course Listing Unavailable goes off the rails. We see the group act unusually cruel to Greendale and an all round poorly executed second act drags the whole episode down. There are some fantastic character moments, especially involving Troy, but Chang's riot, his subsequent coup and the study groups expulsion all seem forced. As a single episode, even the emotive moments don't have the pay off as other episodes in the same season, never mind throughout Community's run. Chang as a character reaches one of his low points in this CLU, completely transforming into a cartoonish super villain with his own gang of henchmen and everything. The selfishness of the group which, when aimed at each other, often seems like an expression of love or a cry for attention from one another, turns into a cruel attack on Greendale and the Dean. Course Listing Unavailable makes me think we've been watching a different study group this whole time.
- HectorTheWellEndowed

67. Custody Law and European Diplomacy (218) (Average Score – 50.70)
(Average Grade – 2.24/C+) (Average Rank – 59.7) (High Rank – 35) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 16.87)
A Chang-centric episode is always going to be tricky. Especially since ‘Custody Law’ continues the underwhelming ‘Who’s the Daddy?’ storyline which most fans will agree would’ve been best kept as a one-off joke in a certain Zombie episode. Thusly, the A-story represents a missed opportunity for a real, Chang-less Shirley and Andre episode. The B-story gets some solid laughs out of Enver Gjokaj’s amusing accent but is overall fairly throwaway.
- FezDispenser

66. Basic Genealogy (118) (Average Score – 52.05)
(Average Grade – 2.31/C+) (Average Rank – 60.2) (High Rank – 17) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 16.25)
Basic Genealogy reminds me a lot of Celebrity Pharmacology in a way. Both aren't terrible, but they feel like they belong to a different show than Community; a more standard sitcom, where plot points are based off of keeping secrets and misunderstandings. It doesn't help that the least interesting plot in the episode (with Jeff and Pierce's stepdaughter) gets the most time in the episode, when Katharine McPhee isn't that great of a screen presence (not that that should dissaude you from WATCHING SMASH!). The rest of the plots fare better (though I might have preferred more time spent with them), and Troy and Britta's plot culminates in one of my favorite images of the first season, Troy breaking down while Britta gets switched. For that image alone, I can't give it anything in the C-range, but it still sits in the lower ranks of the show, a perfectly fine episode for many other sitcoms, but kind of a disappointing one for this sitcom.
- TheNarratorReturns

65. Celebrity Pharmacology (213) (Average Score – 52.56)
(Average Grade – 2.33/C+) (Average Rank – 59.9) (High Rank – 34) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 15.95)
Celebrity Pharmacology is not among the very small number of Community episodes I actively dislike. It has a number of minor pleasures, as virtually all episodes of Community do. Still, by the standards of the show, this is a very weak episode indeed. The humor is not particularly strong; the clowning around of Pierce and Chang on stage isn't nearly as funny as it could be. There is a rather dumb and inexplicable subplot involving Britta's nephew which is only redeemed by Abed's metatextual disgust for the stupidity of the whole thing; his stony, wordless glare at Jeff is one of the episode's most memorable moments. It's as if he perceives the weakness of the storyline more than the writers did. The Chang and Shirley subplot bogs the episode down even further. Neither Chang nor Shirley comes off particularly well, for though Chang is horrifically creepy, I still find Shirley's remark that it would be inhuman to remind her that she ever stooped so low as to sleep with him rather despicable. I love the relationship between Pierce and Annie as it was developed in Season 2, but even that doesn't quite work here. I find the scene in Annie's apartment rather effective, but I have a hard time buying that Annie would accept Pierce's help so easily, and an even harder time buying that she would allow him to hold it over her head for so long. Pierce's treatment of Annie later in the episode also strikes me as too cruel to the member of the group he would identify as his favorite. Still, I find it impossible to entirely dislike an episode that provides as much insight into Annie's standard of living as this one. The image of Annie living in such a comically girlish apartment above a dildo store is a beautifully surrealistic expression of her circumstances, and for that alone I can rank this episode above the series true low points.
- DavetheDoucheBag

64. Competitive Ecology (303) (Average Score – 53.33)
(Average Grade – 2.36/C+) (Average Rank – 56.6) (High Rank – 22) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 19.08)
When looking at a list of the very best episodes of Community, one may notice that Chang does not appear in a bunch of episodes. When he does, it's usually only briefly, but in a memorable fashion (AD&D, Modern Warfare, etc.) Thus, the fact that almost half of Competitive Ecology deals with a Chang plot that doesn't involve any of the other main characters (except for Dean at the end) is a red flag. While there are some good jokes in Chang's plot, it's hard to care about and it doesn't really feel like a Community plot. My main gripe with the A-story is that the members of the study group don't behave like their characters should. It's disconcerting how much the characters have regressed if you compare this episode to season 1's Investigative Journalism. While there are some good gags such as "palomino" and the list making, Competitive Ecology is ultimately a low-tier Community episode.
- Digifreak642

63. Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts (222) (Average Score – 55.27)
(Average Grade – 2.45/C+) (Average Rank – 56.8) (High Rank – 32) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 16.75)
Applied Anthropology is one of those episodes that I would skip in a rewatch. It's a bottle episode that features the final exit of our favorite Psych professor. Duncan's quick exit immediately after the credits pretty much signals how the rest of the episode is going to go. Shirley's having her baby and it's a major disappointment for those of us that hoped Harmon would laugh at the whole convention and have it happen off-screen.

Chang gets some good lines about the legend of Chang babies and Britta's reaction to the beauty of child birth is pretty funny. Troy, Abed, and Pierce get the C-story and pretty much nothing happens. Annie is also in the episode. The best part about this episode is that the money saved by doing it probably allowed the epic double paintball episode that closes out the season.

Highlights:
- "Throw paper balls at her until she sits down!"
- "All Changs are born with tails"
- Callback to Abed already delivering a baby, and that it wasn't worth mentioning to anyone else in the group when it happened.
- Duncan literally runs for it: www.fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x22/images/Community2x22_0106.jpg

- Thedirte

Broken Toys (Presented by Wal-mart)
These episodes aren't necessarily bad, but there's usually something wrong with them, at least one glaring flaw. We all love Community here, so the lowest ranked will just be the episodes we like that have obvious problems. Also note that the scores are extremely close and will be for most of the rest of the episodes on the list, and any tiny differences are important.

62. Asian Population Studies (212) (Average Score – 61.20)
(Average Grade – 2.69/B-) (Average Rank – 50.3) (High Rank – 18) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 17.65)
Now that's odd: I was expecting this episode to be much higher, given how many notable and vocal supporters it seemed to have. Like GCC it suffers from the same plotting and pacing issues, albeit to a lesser extent. The Winger speech is still the best the show has produced, and Troy's ode to the sexiness of Halloween and rotting pumpkins is PHRASING!!! at its best. Even Chang gets an uncharacteristically solid plot, which allows him to be both batshit insane and somehow integral to the group's cohesion (except for the baffling, lame gag of him on the bookshelf). But the episode is dragged down by the awful, graceless, resolution to the Shirley pregnancy plot. Granted, Troy has never been the most articulate or thoughtful speaker, but even so, his blurting out Shirley's secret qualifies as one of the laziest moments in the entire show - a half-assed payoff to a cringeworthy plot. It's the narrative equivalent of Jeff shrugging Rich off in mid-sentence, except not funny or relevant to the character. It's worse than bad: it's good enough.
- Semi-bored Torontonian

61. Advanced Criminal Law (105) (Average Score – 61.21)
(Average Grade – 2.71/B-) (Average Rank – 53.8) (High Rank – 27) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 11.65)
This is not a bad episode by any means, but isn't that why Dan Harmon so often talks about "pizza episodes?" Even the so-so ones can be delicious. So here is a typical early Season 1 episode where the series was still working to find its voice. Looking back, we can see several now iconic elements are introduced here (Leonard! The Luis Guzman statue! The Dean's first real interaction with the study group!). On the other hand, it's an episode with three largely predictable storylines that never quite transcend classic sitcom tropes. Laugh out loud moments throughout, but episodes before and shortly after used similar tropes for much stranger and more innovative scenarios. You can sense many essential components of the series starting to really jell: Troy and Abed's almost telepathic friendship, the familial vibe of Pierce and Annie, the relationship between Jeff and Britta as something more complex than the standard Sam and Diane "will they or won't they?" coupling. These elements would start to see more fruitful execution within just a few episodes.
- Menocu

60. The Art of Discourse (122) (Average Score – 61.47)
(Average Grade – 2.72/B-) (Average Rank – 50.3) (High Rank – 23) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 18.16)
Setting aside an unshakeable irritation with the teenagers and my own aversion to Lisa Rinna, there are many redeeming and amusing aspects of AOD. Jeff and Britta bond hilariously (you have to bang that kid's mom!) over mutual age-related insecurity, Troy and Abed embark on several Animal House-style freshman year college adventures, while Pierce and Shirley find common ground. Added to the Community universe in this episode: the City College "escape goat," Pierce's "flat-butt and the one Abed wants to nail," Boob-A-Tron 4000, Troy and Abed in togas, Pierce practicing wooing chicks with his guitar, and the cafeteria food fight that featured "Party Where Your Heart Is" from the Season 1 soundtrack. Of particular amusement is the lyric "I hate science/unless it helps me build a robot/specifically the kind programmed to find another party so I can skip Chemistry." The Pierce/Shirley scene in the library is genuinely sweet as they find mutual understanding and respect for one another...until Pierce leans in for the kiss. Even with its share of irritations and tendency to be overlooked -- perhaps owing to its placement between "Contemporary American Poultry" and "Modern Warfare" -- there are plenty of laughs throughout this enjoyable, if lower tier, season one episode.
- JanetSnakehole

59. Interpretive Dance (114) (Average Score – 62.88)
(Average Grade – 2.78/B-) (Average Rank – 51.2) (High Rank – 26) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 12.90)
When it comes to the “weaker” episodes of Community, we are speaking in relative terms (or at least I am, as I think every episode is at least somewhat great). In “Interpretive Dance,” there are plenty of moments that I like to cite, quote, or just think about in real life: Jeff’s line about “six lovable but annoying misfits” appearing as soon as the blinds open, Pierce’s zinger about theatrical dynamite despite cultural unacceptability, the astutely observed conversation about dance being a typically feminine pursuit, to name a few. Ultimately, this episode just doesn’t have a classic feel to it. Jeff’s hesitancy about the boyfriend/girlfriend labeling, though believable, doesn’t go much beyond typical sitcom fare. Like a lot of lesser episodes, “Interpretive Dance” would have been insufferable if it had been an episode of a cookie-cutter sitcom, but it is reasonably enjoyable thanks to the human beings of Community.
- Jmunney

58. The Politics of Human Sexuality (111) (Average Score – 63.61)
(Average Grade – 2.81/B-) (Average Rank – 50.1) (High Rank – 21) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 13.55)
Whenever I rewatch Community I never end up watching this episode. It's a shame, because there's some great stuff to this episode. I like the friendship between Shirley, Britta and Annie! I like Troy and Abed - who luckily get seperated from the main plot! I really love every little detail that the props/set decorating department put into every flier, booth or wheel of remorse - which helps to shape the uniqueness that is Greendale. However: I don't need an episode flat out telling me that Jeff is shallow, Pierce oversells himself or that Annie is comfortable with being uncomfortable about her own sexuality! Community is great with sub-text, but this episode really doesn't do anything to prove that. This episode ends up being an example of the show trying to find its' footing in the original episode order and falling very short of the high expectations we give the show in hindsight.
- Dr. Regina Phalange

57. Intro to Political Science (217) (Average Score – 63.66)
(Average Grade – 2.81/B-) (Average Rank – 50.0) (High Rank – 18) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 13.41)
Intro to Political Science is where the cracks in the Annie and Jeff ship start to show. This episode is the older sibling of another bottom of the list episode, Geography of Global Conflict. The A story pits Jeff & Annie against each other in a political battle to be the leader of GCC's student government and meet Joe Biden during his "Biden' Time, Talkin' About Teaching" tour of community colleges. Wouldn't you know it, Annie is optimistic about being able to make positive change and Jeff is cynical about the political process.

The highlight of the episode is Troy & Abed's coverage of the election for Greendale TV and Eliza Coupe's guest spot as the object of Abed's affection. Britta, Pierce, and Shirley all get some standout moments in the episode, but they are pretty much sidelined. There are some great episodes where two or more characters find themselves on the sidelines, but episodes like this help highlight that this show is at its best when the ensemble is fully utilized.

Highlights;
- The reaction to candidate Britta
- the news ticker on GCTV
- "It's like god spilled a person"
- Jeff's speeches and the way he pronounces Maria
- Troy "Butt Soup" Barnes
- Garrett's profile: www.fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x17/images/Community2x17_0188.jpg
- Thedirte

Pizza is Pizza (Presented by Eugenio's: it's a buy)

These here episodes are that Dan Harmon would deem “pizza episodes”. They’re not particularly adored but sometimes it’s just good to spend some time with these characters at Greendale. Like even the worst of pizzas, these comparatively “weaker” episodes (at least according to our consensus) of Community are still tasty anyway.

56. Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts (311) (Average Score – 65.31)
(Average Grade – 2.89/B) (Average Rank – 46.6) (High Rank – 16) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 14.72)
The episode would be higher had it contain more memorable lines, but the only real standout conversation takes place early on around the study table. I think it’s also worthy to note that for a season that stressed serialization as much as it did, the proposal still feels random, and the product of network interference (“We need a wedding episode to return to!”). The fact that Shirley’s conflict of immediately giving up on her business for Andre also feels a little too contrived for this show, and the character deserved better, though that was frequent with Shirley, sadly. It’s not a horrible episode, but it exemplifies latter day Community indulging in its problematically half-baked story-lines for criminally underused characters.
- AffroSponge88

55. Biology 101 (301) (Average Score – 65.88)
(Average Grade – 2.91/B) (Average Rank – 47.0) (High Rank – 21) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 14.79)
While, in retrospect, Biology 101 does a good job setting the table for the serial of season 3, its overall progression never quite comes together as a solid episode of television. It has its bright spots – the opening musical number is a delight, the Dean’s monkey hotel idea is a gem, and Michael K. Williams is great to watch. On the whole, however, the episode never quite flows well as a narrative, which becomes rather jarring at times. Pierce’s dramatic departure from the group is handwaved within the first two minutes of the episode, the Dean’s confidently proposed orderly new regime on Greendale is dismantled by the end of the episode, and Jeff’s departure from the group, though we would obviously never think that it would be permanent, needed time to breathe before earning his reentry. It’s not a bad episode, but Community has shown itself capable of far better.
- Dr. Clash

54. Investigative Journalism (113) (Average Score – 66.97)
(Average Grade – 2.95/B) (Average Rank – 44.1) (High Rank – 9) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 16.66)
How does an episode with possibly the best cold open in the show’s run end up 54th? Because it’s a good episode. And when it comes to Community, that’s middling. How you feel about this episode likely depends largely on how much you enjoy the Buddy plotline (and, by extension, Annie and Britta wrestling in a kiddie pool.) Somewhat like the Art of Discourse, Jack Black’s obnoxiousness and lack of chemistry with the group is kind of the point, but in the end it’s still obnoxiousness and lack of chemistry. Still, he serves a pivotal role for a one-off guest star. Buddy’s story is also the story of Jeff’s attempt to distance himself from the group to whom he’s become so quickly attached, which succeeds in doing so without hitting a total reset button in the character. More importantly, Buddy leaving for the cool group does for the study group as a whole what the “worst”-ing of Britta did for her character: beat them down just enough to be loveable. Unfortunately, Buddy’s plot does suffocate the Jeff-as-newspaper-editor story slightly—a charming little aside for Jeff, Annie, and Abed, which ties perfectly into Jeff’s pulling-back but isn’t fully explored. Whether that’s an intentional meta-commentary on Buddy as a character-type or just a bit of unintentional imbalance, it’s the difference between “good” and “good enough!” In conclusion, remember: racial profiling may not be right, but it can be economical!
- Walking NPR

53. Advanced Gay (306) (Average Score – 67.01)
(Average Grade – 2.95/B) (Average Rank – 47.6) (High Rank – 17) (Low Rank – 66) (Standard Deviation – 10.52)
For the first two acts, "Advanced Gay" is a delightfully solid episode of Community. It has a lot of laughs in its Season 1-esque group banter, and its two plots are both fairly interesting and very amusing stories. It was probably never going to be an all-time classic or anything, but if it had continued at that level, it could've been one of Season 3's strongest non-concept episodes. Unfortunately, everything falls apart a little bit in the third act, when the show shifts gears and attempts to make signficiant leaps forward in both Pierce and Troy's character arcs. It doesn't really succeed at either, because the general light-heartedness of the episode's first two acts causes important moments like the death of Pierce's dad or Troy rejecting the offer from the air conditioning school fail to deliver the emotional punch the show wants them to. Granted, the show would return to these arcs later in the season, so you can argue that this episode wasn't really meant to close off those stories, but it still gives the episode a strange unfinished vibe. So as a piece of pure entertainment, "Advanced Gay" is a rousing success - but as an emotional character piece, it misses the mark, keeping it below the standards of what makes a truly great episode of Community.
- roare

52. Football, Feminism and You (106) (Average Score – 67.10)
(Average Grade – 2.96/B) (Average Rank – 46.4) (High Rank – 6) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 14.70)
I know this is an early favorite for a lot of people, but it has never particularly stood out to me as either great or bad, I'd probably call it mediocre. Part of it is the focus on Troy, who was not the hilarious, tear-prone, goofball best friend I later came to love (and accept his slight rejection of when he needed to grow up a little). He still seems so ill-defined here. Annie, however, is quite funny, and sort of pathetic, in her manipulations to make Troy into the guy she thinks she has a shot with at college. I mostly remember this episode for its introduction of the Human Being, for which I will always be grateful to it.
- Scrawler

51. Studies in Modern Movement (307) (Average Score – 67.48)
(Average Grade – 2.97/B) (Average Rank – 44.4) (High Rank – 14) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 12.76)
Another "pizza episode"; not up to standards with the series' best but still fun to watch, with plenty of hilarious moments throughout. The Britta-Shirley car ride storyline was the weakest of the four with a resolution that didn't really feel earned. Furthermore, in the case of Shirley, it continued what had then been a trend of her character mostly being used in an episode to act shrill and self-righteous of her fundamentalist Christian ways, a trend which led some fans to question whether the writers were capable of writing anything interesting for her anymore (concerns that would thankfully be proven wrong from "Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism" onward). As for #AnniesMove (tweeting it!), although it's understandable that the show would have Troy and Abed behave immaturelyand self-centered in order to justify Annie's reservations of moving in, their actions really did start to feel more annoying than adorableby the episode's mid-point in a way that felt almost uncharacteristic of the two. That being said, Pierce's shenanigans back in Annie's apartment was a delight, with Chevy Chase doing slapstick in ways which hadn't been seen since early season one, and the show got some good mileage out of Jeff's blackmail-driven afternoon out with the Dean. Plus, who can forget that wonderful 85-second "Kiss From a Rose" montage, not just the highlight of the episode but one of highlights from the entire third season. I doubt that there's any Community fan who can still listen to Seal's biggest hit without also adding in a mention of Jesus' love for marijuana and human blood drinking.
- - Not the Real Randy Jackson

The Duncan Principle Episodes (Presented by Let's Potato Chips)
What does the Duncan Principle have to do with these episodes? Are these episodes psychology experiments? Not to my knowledge, but it would explain NBC's erratic schedule. We're still in the "below average" episode range, yet there's still so much to love. Dr. Ian Duncan, the favorite non-Greendale seven character, is featured in a few of these episode. This might be run-of-the-mill Community, but there's a reason we all consider it a favorite.

50. Home Economics (108) (Average Score – 67.65) (Average Grade – 2.98/B) (Average Rank – 45.0) (High Rank – 22) (Low Rank – 68) (Standard Deviation – 13.71)
“Home Economics” is simply a fun episode. Watching it is like opening a time capsule to an older, simpler Community: the plots are unambitious, the colors brighter, and the characters even get to go outside! The show was still very much in its infancy at this point, and while it does retain some of the flaws of early season one, most notably the oft-criticized and ultimately dropped romance between Jeff and Britta and a few overly-broad jokes, the lack of melodrama and the episode's general earnestness mostly redeem the missteps. Also fun to see is a large number of supporting characters, including the first appearances of Patton Oswalt's nurse and Abed's Polish friend Pavel. Along with the numerous exterior shots, they contribute to the sense of Greendale being an actual, vibrant school, that has been somewhat lost in more recent seasons. Despite being far from perfect in any sense, the writing, acting, and direction of “Home Economics” has such a palpable sense of enthusiasm that it's impossible not to like.
- Gauephat

49. Social Psychology (104) (Average Score – 67.70) (Average Grade – 2.98/B) (Average Rank – 46.4) (High Rank – 16) (Low Rank – 65) (Standard Deviation – 12.44)
At this point, Community is in the process of finding its rhythm and fleshing out its characters, so nothing particularly exciting or revealing occurs here. Still, this episode does a competent job developing its characters further: Shirley isn't just a well mannered mousey (ex-)housewife, she's a pot-stirrer too; Britta is a woman refreshingly unobsessed with serious relationships; and Abed quietly establishes himself as a master manipulator. Overall, a fun episode filled with a few pretty great moments, mainly revolving around The Duncan Principle, but it offers only a glimpse of the show's potential.
- tossin

48. English as a Second Language (124) (Average Score – 67.80) (Average Grade – 2.99/B) (Average Rank – 44.0) (High Rank – 13) (Low Rank – 68) (Standard Deviation – 15.09)
Like every episode in this range, this one has some great stuff, it’s just that there are 46 episodes we love better. On one hand, this episode serves as a nice bookend to the Spanish class. While it’s dwarfed by the relationship upheaval and emotional beats in the surrounding episodes—Modern Warfare and Pascal’s Triangle Revisited--it’s a great slice of the show’s more everyday campus life. Pierce doing something nice for the group in the way he knows how and the start of Troy’s plumbing arc are little pieces of bigger arcs that will be significant over the next two seasons. On the flipside, it can feel a bit plot-heavy, moving the pieces around between one gigantic episode and another. And because of that, it can feel the characters are doing things that come out of nowhere. No one suffers from this more than Annie. It’s the start of a run of schizophrenia on her part: she reveals Chang’s secret so that they’ll retake the class and keep the group together but a couple episodes later she’ll run off as a hacky sack groupie….but she’ll come back….but a few episodes later she’ll sabotage the rocket “launch.” This is an episode which remains rich with hilarious quotables—pronouncing "guitar" like a hilbilly and the Disney Face spring to mind—but in the end, this episode is perhaps pizza where it’s a bit too easy to pick out the anchovies or the sausage or the peppers. Delicious still, but not as flawlessly blended as the best this show has to offer.
- Walking NPR

47. Pilot (101) (Average Score – 67.94) (Average Grade – 2.99/B) (Average Rank – 44.9) (High Rank – 15) (Low Rank – 70) (Standard Deviation – 12.99)
Four years ago, I watched the pilot's original broadcast on NBC and it hooked me easily. Reasons: Likable dick lead, a blond to rival then-hottest-woman-on-TV-Yvonne Strahovski (who is still pretty damn hot), John Oliver, attractively shot scenes and settings, and a clear and instant chemistry between the cast reflected by the quick and clever dialogue. It does everything you can ask of a sitcom pilot and does it well. So why isn't it higher in the rankings? Well, it only does what's asked. Community shortly morphs into a greater show and it does that by eschewing expectations. The pilot sets the foundation for the rest of the series by introducing its ensemble cast as typical sitcom archetypes to be disassembled later and by skimming on the plot. The result is enjoyable, but orthodox.
- tossin

46. Messianic Myths and Ancient Peoples (205) (Average Score – 68.78) (Average Grade – 3.03/B) (Average Rank – 41.4) (High Rank – 11) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 18.02)
Messianic Myths and Ancient Peoples is a mixed bag of an episode. On one hand, you have the ABED plot. It’s a clever plot, and upon examination, it becomes clear how the writers took great care to interconnect the stories of Abed and Shirley and draw parallels to the story of Jesus. Though this part of the episode gets a bit caught up in its own meta-textuality, it has some funny bits (“I heard the deleted scenes are the scenes, and the scenes are the deleted scenes!”) and manages to be an unconventional, but mostly enjoyable A-plot. The comparative weakness of the episode comes from the B-plot, in which Pierce, feeling unappreciated by the group, finds himself hanging out with the older “hipsters” of Greendale. This plot, which is largely cartoonish in both Pierce’s acting out against the group and in the stereotypical senile actions of the hipsters themselves, comes across as light and played-straight sitcom fare, and suffers when placed right alongside the tonally opposite A-plot. Perhaps it would’ve fared better inserted into a lighter episode, but the jarring clash between the two parts brings the episode down as a whole.
- Dr. Clash

45. Basic Rocket Science (204) (Average Score – 68.90) (Average Grade – 3.03/B) (Average Rank – 43.3) (High Rank – 10) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 13.08)
Ah, Basic Rocket Science. It's a great concept, of course, and as I understand was hyped considerably before the premiere of the second season, but man, this was kind of an anti-climax. The thing is, there is some great stuff here. The entire cavalcade of KFC jokes (including the genius S.A.N.D.E.R.S.) hit the right spot and are for all intents and purposes hilarious. Even Chang gets some good lines in (the show used him in short bursts here, demonstrating his comic ability to be there and gone in a flash). But the character stuff with Annie is some of the worst in the show's history, demonstrating for the first time the perhaps inability to write a character such as Annie. Still, this is an extremely fun episode, and gave birth to one of the show's longest standing background gag's, the anus flag. Crude visual gag, or subtle, childish finger to the networks?
- Evil Jeff

Good Pizza: Presented by Eugenio's Four Cheese Pizza
Again, no super weird concept episodes here, but Community is plenty enjoyable without the need for such tactics. And try the four-cheese pizza. Leonard approves!

44. Aerodynamics of Gender (207) (Average Score – 69.10)
(Average Grade – 3.05/B) (Average Rank – 43.1) (High Rank – 13) (Low Rank – 63) (Standard Deviation – 13.59)
Aerodynamics of Gender is important to season two as a whole, as it kick-starts Pierce's pill addiction arc. Also, it stealthily packed hints of future episode concepts in the memo column of Abed's targeting system. But it also works as a funny stand-alone episode, as almost everyone gets in a memorable line or two. In particular, it's a great showcase for villainous Pierce. His moment of triumph at the computer with Leonard remains one of my favorite scenes in the entire series. I've seen this episode so often that when a certain formidable boss at work walks by, I hear the same three ominous musical notes that play as Pierce's spy copter pursues Jeff and Troy. Chevy has fun material throughout, with "Dragonflyer, biotch!" "These balls on your butts," and "Tell me how to get this laid back or I'll kill your families!”

Donald Glover has several stellar line readings (particularly with regard to racist Joshua), trampoline-cries, and delivers facial expressions galore.
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0641.jpg
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0711.jpg

Chang feels a little shoehorned in, but is effective and funny when used to escalate tension in the lunchroom takedown scenes.
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0357.jpg
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0357.jpg

The girls score some funny moments as they metamorphose into the same snotty girls they despise. Britta, with "It's like the whole campus is a gutter and we're just spraying it clean," and her macho posturing on the lunchroom table.
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0371.jpg

Annie nails "Knucklewalkers!" "Bring it in for a boob bump, ladies!" and "We'll take em' down...we'll take all these bitches down." And for the longest time, I couldn't hear the name Megan without thinking of Shirley's "stocking up for a bitch shortage." Hearing that line now just makes me really miss Megan Ganz.

AOG concludes with a memorable morning show tag, featuring Starburns "my name is Alex!", Garrett's weather report, and Shelly the turtle.
fishsticktheatre.com/TV/Community/S2/2x07/images/Community2x07_0865.jpg

This episode is packed with laughs and could potentially rank higher. But it's difficult to quibble, as there is so much Community goodness still to follow.
- JanetSnakehole

43. Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism (309) (Average Score – 69.22)
(Average Grade – 3.04/B) (Average Rank – 42.1) (High Rank – 22) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 10.87)
“Foosball and Noturnal Vigilantism” treads some familiar ground (Abed’s Batman impression) and admittedly is not impressive in terms of weaving storylines together (Pierce and Britta hardly appear in the episode at all). But the foosball side of the plot is wholly memorable, thanks to the fodder it has provided for “Jerley” shippers. Jeff/Shirley shipping has always struck me as odd – first of all, since Shirley is married and thus this does not seem to be a legitimately possible pairing, but also, more significantly, because this ship seems to have been championed by people who are otherwise not interested in shipping. Now, I’m not against oddness; in fact, I love it. Besides, Joel McHale and Yvette Nicole Brown do have great chemistry, so as ironic as this shipping may or may not be, its sentiments do accurately reflect how well these characters work together. “F&NV” is also notable for the random anime interlude (a genre homage that was surprising even by Community standards, in terms of how the editing made it so unexpected), the German foosball crew led by Nick Kroll (particularly their human foosball move – fishsticktheatre.com/TV..., and, of course, Annie’s squeal – a moment that has not been meme-ified as much as it should have been (at least Vulture remixed it: www.vulture.com/2011/12... ).
- Jmunney

42. The Psychology of Letting Go (203) (Average Score – 70.00)
(Average Grade – 3.08/B) (Average Rank – 41.5) (High Rank – 5) (Low Rank – 70) (Standard Deviation – 14.54)
A fun episode which gives every character a little something to do, even if it is off in the background. Pierce’s naivety is stretched to the limit but results in a nice character revelation for both him and Jeff. The conflict in the Annie/Britta story feels like it belongs earlier in their relationship and never goes beyond typical sitcom fair. Chang’s influence in the episode is limited to interactions with Duncan and is a pleasant chang(e) from his other exploits this season. Oh, and there was a ‘Hottie Spill’. Couldn’t not mention that, right?
- FezDispenser

41. Pascal’s Triangle Revisited (125) (Average Score – 70.25)
(Average Grade – 3.09/B) (Average Rank – 41.2) (High Rank – 5) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 16.22)
Pascal’s Triangle Revisited is a rather strong, but not transcendent episode of Community. It's not as funny as some of the best pizza episodes or as visionary as the greatest concept episodes. It's rather low key for a season finale. Still, Pascal’s is overall a wonderful episode that offers insight into several major characters while offering some great comic moments to the wonderful comedic duo of Chang and Duncan. This is an especially strong episode for Britta, as it builds upon some of the contradictions in her character that make her such a complex and compelling human being. The moment of this episode that will stick with us, however, is the kiss between Annie and Jeff at the end. It's a wonderfully staged scene. The dialogue leading up to the kiss elucidates Jeff's feelings about Britta and Slater beautifully. The kiss itself seems both surprising and surprisingly natural. The scene has a grace and beauty worthy to end the subtly brilliant first season of Community.
- DavetheDoucheBag

40. Introduction to Film (103) (Average Score – 70.29)
(Average Grade – 3.09/B) (Average Rank – 41.0) (High Rank – 11) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 13.50)
The earliest episodes of Community are often considered to be a weaker episodes. And while they’re not as polished or experimental as later episodes, there’s still something about those early episodes that showed so much promise. Intro to Film is probably the best of the initial five or six episodes, it was not doing anything particularly groundbreaking but it nicely showcased Community’s emotional side (Abed’s movie) and it’s funny side (everything Professor Whitman does). And early in the shows run it showed that they were not afraid to get serious when it came to the characters. Plus it’s funny. The scene in the study room before the credits has two classic moments (“That’s the most racist thing I’ve ever heard” “Pierce will beat that in one minute” and “How about I pound you like a boy that didn’t come out right”) but the rest of the episode most of the humor comes from Professor Whitman’s Dead Poet Society routine (Abed’s father gets some great lines in too “You go back to hosting American Idol”). But the episode is not without its flaws. This obviously is still an early episode, not all the characters feel fully developed yet and they were not utilizing the whole cast that well yet (particularly Annie and Shirley who have barely anything to do). Pierce teaching Troy to sneeze like a man is not much, it’s not very funny and it’s kind of forgettable (I always forget about it when I think of this episode). But while not every part of the episode is perfect, the show still showed that when it comes the important scenes it can deliver. In particular the scene where Abed shows his movie. It makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you laugh again, makes you cry again and then makes you laugh one more time. Not the best episode, but a good one, with a few fantastic moments that make it Community.
- Bongoes

39. Beginner Pottery (119) (Average Score – 70.70)
(Average Grade – 3.12/B) (Average Rank – 42.2) (High Rank – 16) (Low Rank – 70) (Standard Deviation – 12.60)
Almost every episode where the group takes additional Greendale classes is enjoyable; especially episodes that allow Jeff to grow as an individual. I understand why this episode sits outside the top 30 since it doesn’t push many of the creative boundaries that Community excels at so well, but it’s just a funny season 1 episode. Jeff’s A-plot provides great humor from Abed narrating Jeff’s thoughts to Jeff doing the hilarious guy-on-guy “ghosting” with Rich. The B-plot with Pierce and the others is played mostly for laughs, but it gave us a small story with Shirley that was missing too often during season 1. Season 1 of Community was masterful at weaving multiple plots together without sacrificing the quality of them. This feat allowed Pierce to give his most genuine, empathetic speech of the series to Jeff (something that was truly missing from the following seasons) that allowed both characters to solve their separate problems.
- thefunjustneverends

38. Spanish 101 (102) (Average Score – 70.76)
(Average Grade – 3.12/B) (Average Rank – 41.2) (High Rank – 15) (Low Rank – 68) (Standard Deviation – 11.56)
On first viewing, Spanish 101 was a revelation. The pilot was an exercise in character introduction and togetherness, but Spanish 101 was the show's first jaunt into pure absurdity. While there would be better moments to come in terms of all of these fine qualities, there is much to be said for this episode's role in hooking so many people to this show, as it was the first moment so many of us realized we were in for more than a simple sitcom. Everything in the last act is ramped up from the slightly heightened reality of sitcoms to the complete insanity of cartoons, and yet, it never truly breaks down your suspension of disbelief, culminating in that out-of-the blue tag that would grow into the most widely celebrated pairing on the show. On subsequent viewings, Spanish 101 can also be seen to include artful character-based comedy as well: witness the reaction shots from the class during Two Conquistadors. Troy and Shirley are openly offended, Britta is flabbergasted, and best of all, Abed is so into it. It would have been so easy to just give us a blanket response from the whole crowd, but they took the time to give us a few details just for a little extra consistency. It's that sort of attention and care that would make this the best sitcom of its time.
- glazomaniac

The Conspiracy of the Slightly Above the Middle Episodes (Presented by Illuminati Lamps Inc.)
Here we are: at the halfway mark. These are, roughly speaking, average Community episodes, as much as that sounds paradoxical. Of course, these groups are not perfect: if we were to use these rankings to highlight the average episodes of Community, we certainly shouldn't cite the Introduction to Finality as one. And interestingly, the First Chang Dynasty clocks in not far behind. But in between we do have four low-key, low concept examples of Community. The dividing line of average (given 71 episodes, 35.5) runs betwixt Communication Studies and Origins of Vampire Mythology. What do those two have in common? (Or perhaps it is a coincidence; in fact the difference between episodes in the middle is so slim that it's essentially arbitrary.)

37. The First Chang Dynasty (321) (Average Score – 71.08) (Average Grade – 3.14/B) (Average Rank – 38.8) (High Rank – 10) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 16.78)
The First Chang Dynasty is a fine episode that happens to feature two of my least favorite things about Season 3. The "Chang takes over Greendale" plot just never did it for me (I understand that Greendale is something of a live-action cartoon, but middle schoolers? Really?) and the "Troy and the air conditioning repair school" was a good idea, but seemed randomly deployed during the season (long stretches without its mention would go by, and suddenly it would play a key role in the action). However, despite these connections, it still manages to be a very solid episode. The overall tone is breezy and fun, and I got a kick out of all the details of the break-in. It's not the best, but it's far from the worst.
- TheNarratorReturns

36. The Science of Illusion (120) (Average Score – 71.15) (Average Grade – 3.12/B) (Average Rank – 37.6) (High Rank – 12) (Low Rank – 66) (Standard Deviation – 15.07)
This episode is essential to our modern-day conception of Britta. There were rumblings all through season one, but this is the moment the previously hinted-at "buzzkill mythology" and the attendant idiosyncrasies are firmly established through Britta's touching and ultimately fatal (for frogs) attempts to add "possesses humor" to her list of known traits. But hers is not the only tale of self-perception and definition. Annie and Shirley's story is especially welcome in retrospect given the show's hit-or-miss record with their characters. Their jostle to the top of the bad-ass heap begins as sweetly, funnily incongruous and becomes revelatory. Abed, too, provides a memorable turn as a sciatica-ridden African American police chief in the real-time buddy cop movie he sits at the helm of (itself a harbinger of real life-pop culture mashups to come). The great thing about this episode is that everyone gets a little something to do, and it all coalesces beautifully into the table scene that starts as an impromptu tribunal, morphs into an orgy of tears, and crescendos with Jeff designating Britta's true role in the group: its heart. A synthesis of pathos, humor, and pop culture, this is a wonderful distillation of the show at large.
- snowmania

35. Origins of Vampire Mythology (315) (Average Score – 71.22) (Average Grade – 3.13/B) (Average Rank – 39.0) (High Rank – 5) (Low Rank – 69) (Standard Deviation – 13.96)
In a season often called too wild, this was decidedly grounded, but only in a Community-specific way. Britta's ex-boyfriend Blade is coming to Greendale because he's working the carnival, and she asks Annie to keep her away from him. The Community twist on this simple plot is Troy and Abed are immediately reminded of the movie Blade. In a post-modern tapestry, you are always entwined with pop culture. It's not a throwaway episode because there are plenty of classic lines, some of which are still echoed in our very own comment section: "Won't change how mustard tastes." "She's from the 80's. She still uses her phone as a phone!" "I need help reacting to something." There's also a John Goodman appearance, setting the groundwork for an Abed-Troy division and the true repairman repairs man arc. Of course, as an "average" episode it's not perfect. There's a throwaway plot with Chang and Pierce. The Winger speech isn't his strongest. And I'm probably alone in this, but I didn't like the goofy shared romantic look between Britta and Troy at the end. (And I certainly hate the idea of those two together.) As a last note, did the Dean really imply he was whipped by an imaginary douche? I don't want to know what that means.
- Capt Blicero

34. Communication Studies (116) (Average Score – 71.35) (Average Grade – 3.14/B) (Average Rank – 40.4) (High Rank – 5) (Low Rank – 67) (Standard Deviation – 12.37)
Complete opposite of my other S1 episode blurb, I get the sense that I'm one of the few people who really likes this one. It's not great but definitely good, in my book. It is certainly one of the most traditionally sitcommy episodes the show has done. And it hits the Britta/Jeff shipping element much harder than I would ordinarily be inclined to like. But Jeff and Abed being paired up for any sort of adventure is pretty much irresistible to me, especially one which results in my having the name "Molly Ringworm" in my vocabulary. Also, the uncomfortable in-person aftermath of a drunk dial is definitely a real thing that I've experienced and I thought it was very well mined for comedy here.
- Scrawler

33. Early 21st Century Romanticism (215) (Average Score – 71.84) (Average Grade – 3.16/B) (Average Rank – 39.4 (High Rank – 22) (Low Rank – 60) (Standard Deviation – 10.52)
Jeff vs. BNL! Yes, they’re that fundamental. This is another great Community holiday episode and unfortunately probably the last Valentine’s Day episode of the series. No matter how much Jeff has changed since the beginning of the series, he’ll always try to remain distant from the group as shown in earlier and later episodes. The Jeff/Duncan pairing is always a pleasure as it lets Jeff open up and actually have fun and lets Duncan use British slang to continually say “vagina.” Even Chang isn’t that bad in this episode! I enjoyed Britta being condescending to Annie only because her self-righteousness dooms her at the end. The Troy and Abed story was adorable and solidified that great relationship that had been built throughout the series. The Winger Speech at the end is a microcosm of the Jeff character: it may be frightening to express your feelings or to feel vulnerable, but it’s okay to like someone – or a group of people – unconditionally, or say “I love you” and mean it.
- Thefunjustneverends

32. Introduction to Finality (322) (Average Score – 72.32)
(Average Grade – 3.18/B+) (Average Rank – 35.2) (High Rank – 7) (Low Rank – 71) (Standard Deviation – 17.93)
"Introduction to Finality" is aptly titled, since it only scratches the surface of any real closure for the study group. If anything, it's more of a theme for the episode. Endings seem so concrete and important, but when viewed more closely, are really something more complex, moments of lives in flux, even beginnings. Abed will never simply be over his sometimes antisocial tendencies, Troy won't just pick between his friends and his career, Britta won't just be a success or a failure as a psychologist, and Jeff won't just finish his time at Greendale and close it off to return to the person he used to be. This realization, that as Gore Vidal put it "there are no ends, only means," takes the agency away from the group's circumstances (and deterministic fates in other timelines) and gives it back to them. So that Shirley putting Jeff ahead of her own goals, her own potential happy ending, "changes the whole game." Introduction to Finality isn't an ending, just an introduction to what endings might mean. It isn't a great Community episode, but it does have the greatest Winger-speech, and maybe the greatest openly spoken moral in TV history. It also has the best moment in any Community episode, when Alan tells Jeff he got him fired from his old law firm (thus setting the events of the show in motion) and Jeff replies "I know, and I never got a chance to thank you." Which is Dan Harmon's sublime farewell, but not his ending.
- Unregistered Guy Named Eric

Links to the original comments:
71 - 63: The Opposite of Batman Episodes
62 - 57: Broken Toys
56 - 51: Pizza is Pizza
50 - 45: The Duncan Principle Episodes
44 - 38: Good Pizza
37 - 32: The Conspiracy of the Slightly Above the Middle Episodes