(This is the second review in an ongoing project in which I plan to write brief reviews covering every episode of Dan Harmon's beloved cult-comedy "Community.)
Here's where the show really starts to take off. Following a decent, but still slightly tame-by-"Community"-standards pilot, we get to start sinking out teeth into the characters more, and begin to see their interactions in a much deeper, intimate light.
The set-up is a pretty nice one that adequately shakes things up a bit more- after Jeff (Joel McHale) gets assigned to work with Pierce (Chevy Chase) on a project for their Spanish class, tensions rise, as Pierce seemingly is more interested in socializing and becoming closer "friends" with Jeff, instead of just getting things done. Meanwhile, tensions rise between Britta (Gillian Jacobs), an aspiring activist who doesn't seem to really make an impact, and the duo of Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Annie (Alison Brie), as it seems that Shirley and Annie might actually be doing more for their shared cause than Britta.
In addition, we are introduced to Ben Chang (Ken Jeong), the teacher of Greendale's Spanish 101 class. An over-the-top character played perfectly by Jeong, Chang is definitely a character for new fans to watch for, as he becomes arguably as integral to the series as the study-group itself.
The main strength here is the fact that this was the first episode to really "pair off" characters, and to better develop their peer-to- peer relationships. It allows us as a viewer to connect with them in a stronger, somewhat more complete way than the pilot allowed. And it gives a really strong sense of dynamic to not only those "pairings", but also to the study- group as a whole "unit." We see the parts that create the sum. And we get to see how each of them has their heart, their aspirations, their flaws, etc.
I also have to comment that the humor has been ramped up quite a bit from the pilot. The jokes here are faster and funnier, but never detract from the otherwise excellent storytelling that's occurring. It was an ideal follow-up to the prior episode, and it cemented the brilliance of the situation, and the high-quality of the storytelling.
If I had to complain about anything, it's only that as the show is still finding its feet, it hasn't quite nailed the tone yet in this episode. But that is very easily forgivable.
"Spanish 101" gets a good 8 out of 10.
