"Pierce and Troy didn't get along at first but now they're bonding through mutual adolescence." — Abed
Annie: "So we should still study a little more astronomy later, right? Maybe over some milky ways or mars bars?"
Troy: "Or pancakes?"
Jeff: "You'd be surprised at how many of your favourite football players got started at community college."
Troy: "Really? Name one."
Jeff: "Who's your favourite player?"
Troy: "Me. Whoa."
SCORE: 7/10
Pierce's "black hole" comment not being about Shirley is one of my favorite fake-outs. Everyone, especially Shirley, was certain where that was heading, but then actual proves to have some knowledge on real black holes. And then he sticks the immature joke landing when he says his wiener also has the same density of 40 suns.
Dean: Troy, did you know that Greendale has a football team?
Jeff: Did you know they had a football?
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2018-02-25T02:30:17Z
[8.5/10] So much greatness in this one. I really like the main story, where it feels like Annie is manipulating Troy a little, and Jeff is trying to manipulate Troy a lot, but they both end up being the ones changed by the situation instead of Troy himself. (Hello Dan Harmon’s story circle!)
For one thing, you have the exchange between Troy and Jeff on the football field, which is an all-time classic bit of Community dialogue But more than that, you have Jeff using his powers for evil, but realizing through Troy’s enjoyment and embrace of Greendale that the entire reason he did this in the first place was that he was embarrassed to be at this school (the Dean’s posters as leverage are a great touch on that front). Jeff making his peace with Greendale just a bit is a really nice outcome.
At the same time, Jeff pointing out Annie’s own ulterior moments, and her supporting Troy despite her misgivings that he’ll turn into the boy who ignored her in high school is nice mini-arc for her. Last but not least, it’s a really nice outing for Donald Glover, replete with his outsized jock routine and his oddly conservative cheer-raps.
The B-story is really great too. I love the notion that Britta doesn’t speak girl, and so when Shirley is hurt by her lack of women’s bathroom etiquette, Britta tries to “throw her a bone,” messes it up, and manages to offend Shirley. But when Britta acknowledges, mournfully, how bad she is at it, Shirley instantly turns nurturing again and coaches her up. Britta being a good bathroom confidante to Annie is the perfect way to connect the two stories, and Shirley blowing by Annie for the hug and instead embracing Britta after it goes well is the icing on the cake.
I’m less crazy about the C-story where the Dean and Pierce design the school mascot to be as ethnically neutral as possible, but hey, we get the Human Being out of it, so it’s not a total loss! And Abed “laying low” is nice for some quiet comedy as well.
Overall, an early gem from the show when it was still getting its legs underneath it.