Community 03/24/11 - "Critical Film Studies"

windracer said:

I liked this episode a lot, but it was Troy's line at the end that really cracked me and my wife up:

"It said 'market price!' What market are you shopping at!?"

I had never seen (or heard) of "My Dinner with Andre" but was pretty sure something was up during Jeff's (still with his Beiber hair) and Abed's birthday dinner. The Pulp Fiction references were great (Shirley makes a mean Sam Jackson), although I expected more, which apparently was the point.

How funny would it be if Abed actually appears in a background scene of Cougartown?

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I think he kinda has to at this point!

Also Troy calling the wine "no no juice" was hysterical!

I was told by a friend years ago that "My Dinner with Andre" was a quirky movie and to watch it sometime. I then saw it on one of the Encore channels and watched about 20 minutes before I realized the whole damn movie was going to be these two ******** talking over dinner in a restrurant. Bailed out after that.

Once Abed dropped that that is what he was doing I about peed myself.

Also loved Troy and Chang opening the suitcase. For a moment I thought they were just going to leave us in the dark as to what was in there but was amused to see the certificate and the lightbulb. Jeff being a little girl. Britta looked good this episode. Too bad I can't say the same for Annie.

Having Pierce walk into the fancy restaurant dressed as the gimp was pretty funny too.

Shirley: "I saw 'Pulp Fiction' on the plane. It's a 30-minute movie about people who like cheeseburgers, milkshakes, dancing, and the Bible."

windracer said:

(Shirley makes a mean Sam Jackson)

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I read an interview where the actress said that once they put her in the PF makeup, she looked in the mirror and saw her father staring back at her.

Shaunnick said:

I was told by a friend years ago that "My Dinner with Andre" was a quirky movie and to watch it sometime. I then saw it on one of the Encore channels and watched about 20 minutes before I realized the whole damn movie was going to be these two ******** talking over dinner in a restrurant. Bailed out after that.

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Did the movie have a similar voiceover in the beginning as this episode had?

I'm just wondering if there were any hints dropped, before the reveal, that would have made someone familiar with "My Dinner with Andre" pick up on what was going on.

windracer said:

Having Pierce walk into the fancy restaurant dressed as the gimp was pretty funny too.

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And then to cap it with "That's what you've been doing this whole time? That's so gay" and storm out. Wearing the leather gimp outfit.

busyba said:

Did the movie have a similar voiceover in the beginning as this episode had?

I'm just wondering if there were any hints dropped, before the reveal, that would have made someone familiar with "My Dinner with Andre" pick up on what was going on.

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Yes.
I was reading the AVClub's review of it, and the reviewer said he had seen "Dinner With Andre" when he was younger so he caught on pretty quickly to the "homage" (I prefer that to spoof)

I love how much range Danny Pudi has on this show. He really became a different character during the Andre homage, down to his mannerisms and the cadence of his voice. Well done! Although I only lasted 45 minutes into Pulp Fiction before I had to turn it off, I know just enough about it to get the obvious references.

Almost unwatchable. I hate when this show devolves into movie parodies.

windracer said:

I liked this episode a lot, but it was Troy's line at the end that really cracked me and my wife up:

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I didn't really like it for about half of it, but after it was revealed, I liked it.

Did anybody realize before they revealed it it was "My Dinner with Andre"?

Shaunnick said:

I was told by a friend years ago that "My Dinner with Andre" was a quirky movie and to watch it sometime. I then saw it on one of the Encore channels and watched about 20 minutes before I realized the whole damn movie was going to be these two ******** talking over dinner in a restrurant. Bailed out after that.

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I should probably try watching this movie sometime. When it came out, I was a little kid, and I remember my dad watching it and it was "really boring". But it comes to mind when I think of something about TV shows and movies... I want "something to happen". That probably SOUNDS to an outsider as impatience, but "something to happen" doesn't mean explosions and stuff.. It _can_ mean people just sitting and talking. (Just sitting and talking can be boring too.) Like even really old movies, which often are even shorter than "short" movies nowadays.. they still sometimes seem to have padding like watching someone drive away for like 30 seconds to a minute.. boorrrinnggg.. But even just watching people talk, if plot goes forward, it can be very entertaining.

Plus, it has the Grand Nagus in it.

I spent most of this episode wondering when the funny parts were going to show up.

Normally I hate wigs but Allison Brie looked much better in hers than with her real hair.

Troy's "market price" break down cracked me up.

busyba said:

I read an interview where the actress said that once they put her in the PF makeup, she looked in the mirror and saw her father staring back at her.

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She was great in that make up!

busyba said:

Did the movie have a similar voiceover in the beginning as this episode had?

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I don't know. I came in about 15 minutes into it. I thought I came in on a scene at dinner that set the rest of the movie, but like I said, it took me about twenty minutes to realize, that was the movie. It really irked me then. Now I think it is hilarious.

I'll say I had no clue that that is what Abed was up to.

As happens a lot with Community, there were some funny lines, but overall the episode was a miss for me. I don't know why the writers of this show continue to write this show where the major premise of the show is based on some small cult thing that the majority of their audience has no idea what it's about. It's as if the writers are doing this for their own amusement and it doesn't matter if the viewers "get it". There's smart writing and there's writing that just goes WAY over the head of most of the viewers. Guarantee to get low ratings. As I said, this is a show that is lucky to be on NBC or it would have been gone already. Luckily there was enough good lines to keep me watching through these types of episode. I love the "no-no juice" line, and the "market place" line.

busyba said:

Did the movie have a similar voiceover in the beginning as this episode had?

I'm just wondering if there were any hints dropped, before the reveal, that would have made someone familiar with "My Dinner with Andre" pick up on what was going on.

Click to expand...

I haven't seen My Dinner with Andre since the mid 80's so I missed the reference until the waiter said something.

And when he did, I smacked myself on the forehead.

And yes, there was a voiceover narration by the Wallace Shawn character in the beginning and the end of the movie.

Count me also as one who was impressed by Danny Pudi in this episode.

Steveknj said:

As happens a lot with Community, there were some funny lines, but overall the episode was a miss for me. I don't know why the writers of this show continue to write this show where the major premise of the show is based on some small cult thing that the majority of their audience has no idea what it's about. It's as if the writers are doing this for their own amusement and it doesn't matter if the viewers "get it". There's smart writing and there's writing that just goes WAY over the head of most of the viewers. Guarantee to get low ratings. As I said, this is a show that is lucky to be on NBC or it would have been gone already. Luckily there was enough good lines to keep me watching through these types of episode. I love the "no-no juice" line, and the "market place" line.

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Pulp Fiction is considered a cult movie?
I don't think so.

JYoung said:

I haven't seen My Dinner with Andre since the mid 80's so I missed the reference until the waiter said something.

And when he did, I smacked myself on the forehead.

And yes, there was a voiceover narration by the Wallace Shawn character in the beginning and the end of the movie.

Count me also as one who was impressed by Danny Pudi in this episode.

Pulp Fiction is considered a cult movie?
I don't think so.

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I think he is talking about My dinner with Andre.

I think it is intersting that even though I ultimately got the joke in the end, I still enjoyed Abed's weird change of character. His Cougartown story, his demeanor, Jeff's bewilderment, allof that was very entertaining.

I guess my point is, I didn't need to know the movie reference to enjoy this episode. To each their own though.

JYoung said:

I haven't seen My Dinner with Andre since the mid 80's so I missed the reference until the waiter said something.

And when he did, I smacked myself on the forehead.

And yes, there was a voiceover narration by the Wallace Shawn character in the beginning and the end of the movie.

Count me also as one who was impressed by Danny Pudi in this episode.

Pulp Fiction is considered a cult movie?
I don't think so.

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No, but Dinner with Andre is. And this episode was really more that than Pulp Fiction.

Shaunnick said:

I think he is talking about My dinner with Andre.

I think it is intersting that even though I ultimately got the joke in the end, I still enjoyed Abed's weird change of character. His Cougartown story, his demeanor, Jeff's bewilderment, allof that was very entertaining.

I guess my point is, I didn't need to know the movie reference to enjoy this episode. To each their own though.

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Again, it's not that I didn't enjoy the episode, there were plenty of funny lines and such, but as a viewer, half of it went over my head because I never saw the movie. Pulp Fiction is a popular enough movie that even those who've never seen it might get some of the jokes about it. But Dinner with Andre is obscure enough that, once again, I had the feeling that the writers were talking above me, that they were writing this for their own amusement, and it doesn't matter if the viewer gets it or not. Some might not be bothered by this, but I DO think it has an effect on the ratings.

Steveknj said:

Again, it's not that I didn't enjoy the episode, there were plenty of funny lines and such, but as a viewer, half of it went over my head because I never saw the movie. Pulp Fiction is a popular enough movie that even those who've never seen it might get some of the jokes about it. But Dinner with Andre is obscure enough that, once again, I had the feeling that the writers were talking above me, that they were writing this for their own amusement, and it doesn't matter if the viewer gets it or not. Some might not be bothered by this, but I DO think it has an effect on the ratings.

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Bu the thing about the My Dinner With Andre bit is that all you really need to know is that the movie is about two guys have a "conversation" over dinner.

In fact, I think that the writers may have intended for the audience not to pick up on it by using Pulp Fiction as a diversion.