Community: "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking"

I found last night's episode oddly satisfying; however,  I am not sure if that is due to the actual quality of the episode or my own dealings with campus bureaucracy earlier in the day.  What makes this episode work best is that it is not really trying to do anything; it is not a theme/genre episode, it is not re-piloting, establishing new characters or saying farewell to old ones---it is simply "Hijinks as Usual" at Greendale. And, in a way, that is oddly comforting.

It is good to see Jonathan Banks fully integrated into the cast now and, had this episode preceded the previous episode, I would have been more willing to by in to his participation with the "Chairs and Lava" game.  For most of the episode, Banks's Professor Hickey is teamed up with Alison Brie's Annie and, honestly, it makes for a good pairing: him the seasoned cynic, her the youthful overachiever.

Without his principle foil, Troy, there was some concern that Abed would be left floundering; however, for this episode at least, it was handled pretty well by having Abed, once again, establish a connection with a girl who we will never see again (a trope that the shows calls itself out on for repeating).  This time it is a hearing impaired student who Abed, not only learns sign-language for, but, also, wears noise cancelling head phones (although the latter is also due to Abed attempting to avoid Britta spoiling Bloodlines of Conquest --- the show's stand in for Game of Thrones---for Abed).
Unfortunately for Abed, it was all a plot by Britta who paid off the aforementioned love interest to spoil the entire series for Abed upon earning his trust; unfortunately for the show, this seems like an uncharacteristically cruel thing for Britta to do to Abed without any real reason.

Fortunately, the dissolution of Abed's relationship paves the way for the return of Rachel, the cute coat check girl, from one of last season's more redeemable episodes, "A Herstory of Dance". And, honestly, if they were going to salvage anything from last year's disastrous season, I'm glad it's her.