The 25 best episodes of 'Community'

One of the better moments from Season 5. When a couple of app designers join the study group, chaos ensues. That's because their app, MeowMeowBeenz, rates people on a 1-to-5 scale. This divides Greendale Community College. The "5-Stars" are treated like kings, with the "1-Stars" considered outcasts. Series protagonist Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) tries to make his way to the "5-Star" section, while classmate Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) starts a revolution where the "1's" take over. 

It's time for Greendale to celebrate Halloween. Told in a 1970s horror, zombie-movie style, where there's also an outbreak of rabies, the study group is picked off one by one. Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) is mad that Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) didn't wear matching Aliens-themed costumes. But once they are the last two survivors, Abed sacrifices himself for Troy to get help. Not to be overlooked is the jumping cat or when Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Ben Chang (Ken Jeong) hook up.

Consider this a clip show that mocks the concept of a clip show. The group reflects on some of their more wacky situations from the recent past, but the flashbacks don't feature previously seen material. Troy's pet monkey, named Annie's Boobs, stole most of their belongings and put them in a vent. After they see the items, it's time for reflection. They think of all their arguments and believe maybe they should split up. However, Jeff reminds the group how they all work well together. This episode shines in showing how much the group means to its members.

There's a lot going on here. The focus, however, is that the group is helping Annie Edison (Alison Brie) move into Troy and Abed's apartment. Jeff lies to get out of it but runs into Dean Craig Pelton (Jim Rash) at the mall. He forces Jeff to hang out (and sing Seal's "Kiss from a Rose") with him in exchange for not telling the group. 

Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) tries to fix an outlet at Annie's old apartment and paints the room but ends up inhaling toxic fumes and begins to hallucinate. Britta and Shirley, meanwhile, transport Annie's boxes and pick up a hitchhiker. He sings about how Jesus loves marijuana and that he is going to drink blood. It can often be hard to keep up with the group's antics in any given episode, but maybe that's why it's worth watching.

When it comes time for a new Greendale Community College commercial, Abed opts out. Instead, he decides to do a documentary in the haunting style of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse of the commercial's making. (We love Jeff's descent into madness.) The group members are actors in the actual commercial, which also includes Greendale's favorite alum, actor Luis Guzman. The project is filled with tension, and production drags on, but Abed ultimately saves the day.

The gang takes part in a spaceship simulation. At first, they are tasked to clean the simulator (a KFC-branded Winnebago named S.A.N.D.E.R.S.) after choosing the new flag and school motto "E Pluribus Anūs." They enter the simulator but get locked in and towed away, leaving Abed on campus. Abed and Dean Pelton have to help them get back. Meanwhile, the rest of the group is going crazy in the simulator. They eventually make it back to school, where they are met with cheers and applause.

The Christmas-themed episode was the mid-season finale before the show's 2011-12 hiatus. It's also done in musical form. After Greendale's Glee Club is placed in psychiatric care, the group performs holiday-style songs. At the regional competition, club director Mr. Radison (Taran Killam), who is also harboring a dark secret, reveals he wants the group to keep singing afterward. That worries Abed. He has Britta perform in front of everyone, which snaps him out of it since her singing is terrible. Musical numbers such as "Christmas Infiltration" and "Baby Boomer Santa" are truly special.

The Season 2 opener picks up where the debut campaign left off. The gang reunites, and Britta is popular again after confessing her love for Jeff. They attend Anthropology class and meet their professor, June Bauer, played by none other than Betty White. They are tasked with finding the most useful weapon from a box full of them. Jeff eventually plays along with Britta, which makes Annie mad because they kissed last year. Jeff and Britta want to get married, and Annie punches Jeff. The episode is probably best known for the closing "Anthropology Rap" featuring Abed, Troy, and Betty White.

The fifth episode of Season 5 is memorable for being Troy's farewell before leaving the group and sailing the Childish Tycoon. Abed is naturally sad about Troy leaving, so he puts on a school-wide game of "The Floor is Lava." Troy realizes the game is a way for him to stay, and Abed sacrifices himself to the lava. Troy and Britta then "clone" Abed so he can let his friends go. A fine and entertaining send-off for one of the show's most popular characters. LeVar Burton's second cameo of the series is another highlight.

This is over-the-top even for Community, which loves to have fun no matter how far-fetched or wild the plot lines may seem. The group must save Dean Pelton from a seemingly power-hungry Chang, who has taken over the school with his group of child security guards. It dresses up and infiltrates the school, distracting Chang at his birthday party. In reality, the only way to successfully complete the mission is if Troy has members of the A/C Repair School help them. Also, Troy must leave Greendale and become part of the A/C Repair School, where he is destined to become the "Truest Repair Man." The John Goodman cameo is top-notch.

As far as series finales go, Community's should reside among the good ones. Funny yet sincere with plenty of inside-the-show, self-deprecating humor that plays well in this scenario. A running highlight is group members thinking about the next school year or giving personal pitches for a "Season 7" of the show. Like Greendale becoming its own country or Jeff becoming the Dean of the school. Meanwhile, Abed is headed to California to be a production assistant, while Annie is off to Washington D.C. for an internship with the FBI. Thus leaving Jeff behind to finally move on without the group that changed his life. They all meet for one last group hug in the study room before tackling the rest of their lives. 

We find Pierce in the hospital after he overdosed on painkillers. Abed, resourceful as ever, is shooting a documentary of the day's events. Thinking he is going to die, Pierce gives gifts, such as Red Cross donations and the actual presence of LeVar Burton for Troy, who is a fan of the actor's days on Reading Rainbow. There is also a disturbing aspect to the episode. Pierce claimed to have located Jeff's estranged father and brought him to the hospital. That wasn't the case, which caused Jeff to beat on Pierce, who considers their relationship to be that of father and son.

The group takes a lie detector test to see if any of them are responsible for Pierce's death. This causes fractures within the group, as we learn Shirley is a platinum-level donor to a Pro-Life organization. Troy and Abed have been using Jeff's Netflix account, and Annie overcharges her roommates for rent. Meanwhile, it comes out that Abed has tracking devices on all the members, and Jeff keeps women's clothes after he has sex with them. Upon realizing they are collectively flawed, the group learns Pierce's final words and what each of them will receive. An iPod Nano for Britta, oh yeah. Shirley bequeathed a Florida timeshare, scotch for Jeff, and a tiara for Annie. Troy, however, receives $14.3 million in shares in Pierce's company and his boat, which he is tasked with sailing around the world. Oh yeah, Pierce also leaves a round of his sperm for everyone.

Another episode is filed under the over-the-top category. Who would have thought an argument about pillows and blankets would cause an almost Civil War-like scenario at Greendale between Troy and Abed, leaders of Blanketsburg and Pillowtown, respectively? Pierce works for Pillowtown as "Pillow Man." Meanwhile, Blanketsburg boasts Chang and his guards, "The Changlorious Bastārds." The hardships of war fracture Troy and Abed's friendship and cause sadness for students and other study group members — all but Jeff.  

One of the series' most unique and charming episodes because it's done in a stop motion animated fashion like those classic — think Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer —television specials from the 1960s. In this case, the episode's plot takes place in Abed's head and follows the group as they go to Santa's workshop. We learn that Abed's imagination was spurred by the fact his mother won't be able to join him from Christmas, so they can't watch those beloved animated/stop motion shows. Naturally, the group shows some Christmas spirit by telling Abed they are his family and can all spend the holidays together.

An episode of television where the characters are placed inside a video game. Complete with the cheesy, early Nintendo music and grainy 8-bit graphics. The group is tasked to beat a video game to get Pierce's inheritance from his dead father. They are up against Gilbert Lawson (Giancarlo Esposito), who claims he is Cornelius Hawthorne's assistant but is actually his son. Gilbert uses cheat codes to become invincible and kills the group. When the group respawns, it loses bets in poker, burns down a house, and creates a poison potion. Gilbert makes it to the end, where fake Cornelius wants him to say he isn't his son, but Gilbert refuses and ultimately gets his father's inheritance. Another uniquely creative concept that helped Community stand out among its sitcom competition

In this mob-themed trip, Abed creates a chicken-finger mafia to get people more of the in-demand, tasty delicacy served at the Greendale cafeteria. Jeff, however, is mad that everyone is listening to Abed and not to him when it comes to the plan. Jeff was going to sabotage his classmate but learns Abed is helping everyone because he wants to connect with people. Of course, Abed can't do anything halfway, so he completely dives into the mafia stereotypes (think a funny version of Goodfellas), which, obviously, makes for more of a good time.

Jeff was never honest, especially when he made up his night classes to get credit. When Dean Pelton questions him about a questionable class in conspiracy theories, Jeff has him meet the instructor, "Professor Professorson." The ruse causes chaos — more than the usual amount we come to expect from a Community episode. Another highly memorable sub-plot of the episode is the ever-growing blanket fort constructed in Abed's dorm, which captives the entire Greendale campus.

Community loved paying homage to other popular and classic TV shows and movies. Here, the inspiration — or parody — comes courtesy of Law and Order. The group must find out who smashed their yam in Biology class. The prime suspect becomes classmate Todd (David Neher. Todd dropped the yam when he burned his hand on the container. Jeff realizes that all the yams have been boiled, except one. And why? We also learn the real name of middle-aged Greendale student Star-Burns (Dino Stamatopoulos).

Following a study session, Annie loses her pen, and no one can leave until she finds it. During the hunt, we learn disturbing things — like how Abed tracks the ladies' menstrual cycles and everything Pierce has dropped in his leg casts. The lengths the group goes to find this pen are extreme. Eventually, we find out that Troy's monkey took the pen and hid it in the vents — as is his normal practice. More chaos, but plenty of fun and worth re-watching again and again. Also, among Pudi's better performances in the series. 

The first of the two-part Season 2 finale. It's a nod to the famed Spaghetti Western films, but with a paintball twist. The group is split: Jeff, Annie, and Abed meet up, and then they run into Troy, Shirley, and Britta, who are hunting the trio for Pierce. They go to Fort Hawthorne, Pierce's safe haven, and have dinner. After a run-in with "The Black Rider," their mysterious and dangerous opponent, they return to Pierce and vote him out of the group. In a shocking twist, rival City College planned it all and is going to take over Greendale.

In Part Two of the second-season finale, the episode takes on more of a Star Wars feel. The group and other Greendale students unite to stop the City College Stormtroopers and win the paintball war and the coveted $100,000 prize money. Eventually, all of the Greendale students are eliminated, except for Pierce. He manages to win the war for his school, thus atoning for his betrayal from Part One. Community fans can go back-and-forth about which part is better, but together, they make for some highly entertaining television.

One of the most popular and controversial episodes during the series' run. In an attempt to make a downtrodden "Fat Neil" (Charley Koontz) feel better, Jeff and the group play a game of Dungeons & Dragons (a boyhood favorite of show creator Dan Harmon). They don't invite Pierce, which naturally infuriates him and causes the group's elder statesman to sabotage the game. Netflix and Hulu removed it from their streaming services in 2020 because Jeong's Chang is in blackface while dressed up as a dark elf.

If there's one Community episode that defined the creative genius of the show, it's this one from early in Season 3. At a housewarming party for Troy and Abed's new apartment, Jeff rolls a die to see which group member will grab a pizza ordered for delivery. In the realm of this conceptual episode, Abed states that a possible outcome is a new timeline being created depending on who the die chooses to retrieve the delivered pizza. Perhaps most interesting is when Troy gets the pizza, Pierce dies, Troy loses his voice, Britta has a blue streak in her hair, and Shirley is an alcoholic. Chris McKenna won an Emmy Award for writing the episode.

The paintball craze at Greendale began with this first-season classic. It honors a number of different action/war movies. With priority class registration on the line for the winners, the group teams up but is quickly ambushed by the Greendale Glee Club. Some members make it out, like Jeff and Britta, who address their sexual tension. Chang, however, shows up and takes out himself and Britta, giving Jeff the win. As an example of just how much group members care about each other, Jeff gives his priority registration to Shirley so she can spend more time with her kids.