What was great about ‘Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas’ was that even though it was in this fantastical world of Abed’s imagination, we knew all of the action was taking place in the Study Room. In ‘Advanced Dungeons and Dragons’, the characters experienced a similar thing, but unlike the Christmas episode, we the audience saw exactly what the characters were seeing. So it’s really interesting to contrast the two – and actually, I think I preferred this one.
What was great about this episode was that it managed to have its cake and eat it too – we still got all the funny references (here it was Lord of the Rings, fantasy types etc, in ‘Christmas’ it was Christmas cartoons), but we also got to see just what it’s really like for these people when they indulge their barmy sides. Possibly my favourite Alison Brie moment on this show was Annie describing her sexual encounter with the stable-girl as Hector the Well-Endowed, with the others watching on, some horrified, some turned on.
But like others have pointed out, there is an issue arising here – not about the episode itself, but about Pierce, who is becoming meaner and meaner with each episode. It’s not in the kind of cynical way that ‘Community’ can get away with, but just a mean-spiritedness that ruins even the best characters. Mainly, the big question is – at what point do these people say enough is enough? At what point do the Study Room gang get rid of Pierce once and for all? Or are we leading to a scenario where Pierce is given an ultimatum? I’m inclined to go with the former option, as the idea of Pierce being on his final warning has been done before, and he didn’t really change. Maybe what he needs is to be rejected once and for all by this mish-mash of a family he doesn’t appreciate in order to see the error of his ways.
That said, I trust the show to handle the Pierce situation properly. I don’t think the writers would let Pierce get like this if they didn’t have a plan for him.
Outside of my one complaint, there were a million and one other funny moments to the episode, including but not limited to:
• Britta’s worrying over the well-being of the gnome people. Danny Pudi and Gillian Jacobs are geniuses for managing to get through that scene (though I noticed a little twitch on Pudi when Jacobs threw him the line about not putting himself down).
• Troy doing his best to be enthusiastic about the game was brilliant.
• Chang, in his creepy, amazing ‘Dark Elf’ face paint. There’ll be a few PTC complaints about that, surely?
• Though I hate to admit it, most of Pierce’s digs at Neil. I’m a big guy myself though, so I feel I’m allowed to laugh at jokes that might have previously been directed at me when I was at school.
• But I also loved how Neil figured out how to win the game. ‘Eureka’ moments are my favourite moments on TV. When a character figures something out but doesn’t say anything, my brain kicks into gear to work out what they’ve just worked out. Sometimes I can’t get it, and in this case I didn’t, but as I say, I still love the moment.
• Chevy Chase sitting in a throne made out of paper boxes and cones will never not be funny. .
What did everyone else think?
