‘Community’ Recap — Episode 4.04, “Alternative History of the German Invasion.”

Community is finally back at Greendale, and the study group is finally confronted with a class taught by a real, actual professor who really, actually wants them to do something—but of course, this is in no way the focus of the episode, because the study group has more important things to do, like launching a vendetta against the German students that showed up back in the foosball episode. They’re back again, and this time, they’re taking the study room with them.

After a small confrontation in their history class, the study group goes back to their study room to find the German kids already in it, promising to leave after that one day, since their favorite Kaffee Haus is closed. But of course, the next day they’re back, and the study group takes action.

They finally get the room back, but at the cost of seeming like tyrants, and have to fix up a few decrepit rooms in the school to win back the respect of the student body, but they manage to do it.

Also, Chang is finally back—or, “Kevin,” as they’re calling him, and having Changnesia he doesn’t remember the completely psychopathic things he did to the school while he was working there. The Dean, of course, does, and tries to prove that Chang is faking his amnesia, but comes to trust him at the end. Is this for the better or worse? Only time will tell.

It’s nice that the series finally had an episode more like the original format, actually set in the school and about school things, even if they are Greendale school things, with nothing drastic on the line and just altogether being a fun episode. It does seem a little bit like the new series is pushing the “heart-warming” endings a little too hard, though, bringing every episode so far together at the end with an “aww” moment. They’re nice every once and a while, sure, but in a show like Community, you really have to pick and choose where you get your emotional scenes.

But, I guess I can’t complain too much, since they’re actually attempting to keep the community aspect of Community instead of turning it into another cookie cutter sitcom. I just wish it seemed a little less forced.

Catch the next episode of Community—next Thursday the 7th on NBC at 8/7c.