TV Review: Community - "Advanced Gay"

Season 3 - Episode 6

NBC (US)

When Community is good, it's really good. You only have to look at episodes such as this season's "Remidial Chaos Theory" to see that's the case. Even when Community has off nights, it's still pretty decent, last week's Halloween episode being a prime example. "Advanced Gay" lies somehwere in the middle, being neither a classic or an off night, sitting there nicely as a funny and at times heartwarming episode of television.

The main focus of the episode, for the first time this run is Pierce. His company's wipes have become huge in the gay community thanks to a music video from a fabulous drag queen (who Chang ends up going home with in a hugely funny aside). While initially horrified, Pierce relents once he realises show much money there is to be made and markets a new, gayer brand of Hawthorne Wipes. His hyper bigoted father (complete with ridiculous ivory toupee) shows up, and puts a spanner in the works, before Jeff accidentally gives him a heart attack and we end up at a funeral. It's a bizarre plot, with really funny bits and really moving bits, and Chevy Chase really came across as a star.

Elsewhere, Jerry Minor turns up as the Greendale janitor, and we get to see (welcomely) Troy's mad plumbing skills for the first time in ages! This is before he's kidnapped by John Goodman and the Air Conditioning Repair School Annexe. Given the choice between air conditioning repair or plumbing - both of which he has a gift for - he decides to watch TV with Abed instead. This was a remarkably silly plot, which was hilarious. And with John Goodman confirmed for at least 3 more episodes, it looks like it may continue.

Overall "Advanced Gay" was a really good episode of TV, just not a really good episode of Community. Which shows just how far this show has come in just over two years.

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