Geography of Global Conflict

"Geography of Global Conflict"
Community episode
Episode no. Season 3
Episode 2
Directed by Joe Russo
Written by Andy Bobrow
Production code 302
Original air date September 29, 2011 (2011-09-29)
Guest appearance(s)

"Geography of Global Conflict" is the second episode of third season of the American television series Community. It was originally broadcast on September 29, 2011 on NBC.

Plot

Annie Kim in "Geography of Global Conflict". BJ (denoted with red arrow) appears in over 60 episodes but never speaks.

Annie Edison is shocked to discover a fellow student, Annie Kim (Irene Choi), is just as smart, perky, and tenacious as she is, and she has already won over the favor of her political science class teacher, Professor Cligoris (Martin Starr).[1] Annie E. brings Annie K. to the study group, hoping to make friends with her, but instead the two get into a verbal battle of one-ups-manship, and Annie E. asserts that she will be starting a Model United Nations at Greendale. Annie E. later discovers that Annie K. has stolen her idea of the Model UN, and becomes worried that losing out to Annie K. will send her back to the "dark side." Jeff offers to intercede and discusses the issue with Cligoris. Professor Cligoris says there is only room at Greendale for one Model UN, so they will have a competition to see which Model UN is the better one. Annie E. convinces the study group, sans Britta, to help out.

Britta, meanwhile, has become more committed to her studies, but panics when she sees a flyer for a former friend that is now in prison in Syria. She feels sorry that her friend is being tortured while she is getting a "new life" and starts to act rambunctiously, such as kicking a trash can or staging a demonstration in the school halls. These actions only please newly appointed security guard Chang, but Britta denies that she will actually break a law, preventing Chang from actually detaining her.

The Model UN challenge starts; as the study group gets into their roles, Abed postulates how there can be two UNs, to which Cligoris claims that each UN represents a parallel world. The two teams are given random conflicts, and their ability to work together to resolve the conflict with the best results is used to determine their score. Annie E. and the study group appear ready to win when one of them farts; no one fesses up and the group laughs at it, breaking their attention. Annie gets upset at the group, but Jeff tells her she's acting like a school girl, causing her to run away. Jeff follows her to the study room and apologizes. Annie worries that she is acting like a school girl, but Jeff asserts that he sees her as more mature than that. They realize they have romantic feelings for each other but decide to stay at a comfortable distance, and then return to the competition. Now close to losing, Abed comes up with a plan; as a group, they appear at Annie K.'s UN as representatives from their parallel world, offering to make peace with this UN. Annie K. refuses to do so, but Professor Cligoris sees Annie E.'s actions as appropriate "empty promises" that the UN was built on, and asserts Annie E.'s team the winner.

Their celebration is interrupted as Britta, covered in dolls, disrupts the proceedings. Chang happily tasers her for disrupting the students.

Production

The episode was written by producer Andy Bobrow, his fourth writing credit for the series. It was directed by executive producer Joe Russo, his 17th directing credit for the series.

Reception

The episode received positive reviews from the critics. Steve Heisler, of NYMag, said of the episode, "The problem I’ve always had with Community — admittedly a minor one —is that it’s often so obsessed with wit and style that the show reads as disingenuous. Sure, they’re a hell of a lot of fun, but episodes can feel empty without pathos or a real, grounded sense of empathy. But as last week’s show-stopping musical number promised, this is a whole new Community, and the show is ready to make amends for its past mistakes. (I’m choosing to ignore the part where the dean said the show was going to be just like last year, only with less money.) “Geography of Global Conflict” wasn’t necessarily an unstoppable joke machine like Community at its best, nor was it a tear gas-canister full of emotion. But the episode teased what will likely carry on throughout the season: a reevaluation of character relationships and maybe, just maybe, some real heart. And Tasering."[2]

In its original broadcast, "Geography of Global Conflict" reached nearly 4.1 million households, with a 1.8/5 share in the 18-49 demographic.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.starpulse.com/news/Matthew_Newlin/2011/09/30/community_recap_geography_of_global_co
  2. ↑ http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/09/community_recap_mission_to_ear.html
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