Why I'll miss 'Community': Because Donald Glover crying is never not funny
The first in a weekly series to make the show's impending absence a little easier
Donald Glover as Troy on "Community."
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"Community" technically isn't gone from NBC just yet. On the East Coast, NBC just got finished rerunning "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas," and we'll have at least one or two other repeats before "30 Rock" takes over the timeslot in January and "Community" goes on an indefinite hiatus. As I said last week, this isn't forever. NBC will have 12 episodes sitting around, and some of their scheduling moves are going to fail, and "Community" will be back to at least finish out this third season.
Because I'm unhappy that "Community" is going away for a while, and because I don't want us to forget about the show while it's gone, I have a simple plan: every Thursday night, from now until either NBC announces a return date and timeslot, and possibly until the show is actually coming back on the air, I'm going to do a post like this one featuring a clip or clips that illustrate some aspect of the show that I'm going to miss while it's gone. And we can talk about that aspect, or about the show in general, or just laugh at it, move on and return the following week for more Greendale hilarity.
First up is what I consider by far to be the most reliable source of humor on the show: Troy Barnes sobbing like a little kid, usually while trying to speak at the same time. Some people are just funny criers (Lucille Ball, for instance), and Donald Glover fits well into that tradition. Troy crying always, always, always makes me laugh, and here are two videos: one a montage of season 1 & 2 Troy crying scenes, the other a collection of Troy's unfortunate encounter with LeVar Burton from season 2. Enjoy, and talk about whatever you want, "Community"-wise, in the comments.
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Next 59 CommentsAnnie
December 15, 2011 at 9:42PM EST Reply to CommentI love everything about Community and I can't believe that NBC was dumb enough to push it into a hiatus. Are you tweeting the crapp out of Thursdays at 8pm. We've got plans to twitter trend different hashtags in support of our favorite show. Tonight's was #xmaspterodactyl.
Joe
December 15, 2011 at 10:14PM EST Reply to CommentCould be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the last two in the first video are from season 2, so it's not solely a montage of the first season.
Greg
December 15, 2011 at 10:18PM EST Reply to CommentThis clip is just as funny the third time around. Particularly as someone who sings the "Reading Rainbow" song, unprompted.
pamelajaye
December 15, 2011 at 10:24PM EST Reply to CommentSo I have a question from last week
I noticed Abed saying "I just want my friends and I to have a merry Christmas together"
So Abed's all into the pop culture in a very intense way, but he's not into grammar?
Is it just me? I'm not always rigid about grammar - I was crappy at grammar in school - but the overcorrecting for "me" really bugs me, especially when someone ...unusual or well educated (or either one AND fictional) says it.
All I know is that if this "I when it should be me" virus reaches Sheldon, I *will* pull out my hair.
Truck W... what?
December 15, 2011 at 11:50PM ESTCorbin "So Abed's all into the pop culture in a very intense way, but he's not into grammar?"
December 15, 2011 at 11:54PM ESTDo the two things usually go hand in hand?
Lycro You are watching this show too hard. Just sit back and enjoy it.
December 16, 2011 at 3:09AM ESTNat I think "my friends and I" is correct in the line. Abed and the gang constitute a subject, not an object, so "I" would be correct, not "me."
December 16, 2011 at 4:33PM ESTCould be wrong.
DavidW it didn't really bother me, but Nat, PamelaJaye is correct on the grammar. Abed and the gang are the object of Abed's wanting. The same way you'd say "I want him to have a Merry Christmas" (instead of I want he to...) or "I want them to have a Merry Christmas" (instead of I want they to...)." Since you wouldn't say "I want I to have a Merry Christmas", it should really be "I wanted my friends and me to have a Merry Christmas." Granted, that's an awkward construction, so you could avoid it with something like "I just wanted to have a Merry Christmas together with my friends."
December 17, 2011 at 11:08AM ESTMahmoud Fayed You... posted that exact comment in the Christmas episode review.
December 17, 2011 at 11:09AM ESTWhy are you being so anal about this?
Brendan Noel
December 15, 2011 at 10:25PM EST Reply to CommentI say "The Soul Train Awards were tonight!" all the time and of course no one knows what I'm talking about. Sigh, I will miss this show a lot, but I look forward to more of these posts Alan!
Rinaldo
December 15, 2011 at 10:31PM EST Reply to CommentMy #1 Funny Crier from our TV legacy would be Mary Tyler Moore. But Donald Glover merits mention in that company. He's really good at it. And, as with MTM, probably nobody suspected it when he was first cast.
Gillian
December 15, 2011 at 10:34PM EST Reply to CommentOne of my favorite lines ever from the show is Troy saying "I never cry, but..." on Mixology Certification. So perfect. Write a comment...
jujujulieta
December 15, 2011 at 10:58PM EST Reply to CommentI'M NOT TAKING OFF THIS FELT GOATEE UNTIL I GROW ONE. AND THEN I'M NOT SHAVING THAT GOATEE UNTIL I GET A TRAILER. AND THEN I'M NOT LEAVING THAT TRAILER UNTIL COMMUNITY COMES BACK.
Thorazine, and lots of it Your ideas are intriguing to me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. Also, your medication seems nice, if you were to get back on it.
December 18, 2011 at 7:25AM ESTthe minister This IS the darkest timeline.
December 19, 2011 at 8:45PM ESTJoanna
December 15, 2011 at 11:07PM EST Reply to CommentI'll be here every Thursday while I wait for Community to return.
bendik
December 15, 2011 at 11:15PM EST Reply to CommentDamn you, Sepinwall! Up until now I thought what I would miss most about Community was my discussions with my (even more nerdy than me!) friends, in which I tried to convince them that P&R is the superior show. But now I realize now that a world without Community would indeed be a cold and cruel world...
Chrissy
December 15, 2011 at 11:16PM EST Reply to CommentOh, god, thanks for this. Troy's full body cry is my favorite early Christmas present.
Paradox
December 15, 2011 at 11:20PM EST Reply to CommentWell I just saw a commercial for "The Show Formerly Known As 'Are You There, Vodka?'" and it looks terrible, so there's one open schedule slot for NBC. I hope.
Gus
December 15, 2011 at 11:36PM EST Reply to CommentThank you... I'll be coming here weekly to discuss this awesome show too... And yeah, Troy crying is one of the comedy gifts TV has ever given to me
pamelajaye I need to check the DVR to see if I have all the eps and start watching from the beginning again. (and just the other day, I got 4 questions wrong on several Grey's Anatomy quizzes - what have I come to?)
December 15, 2011 at 11:47PM ESTJohn
December 16, 2011 at 12:35AM EST Reply to Comment"More fish for Kunta"...I always forget about that line and it always kills me.
Come back, show!
Atta
December 16, 2011 at 12:39AM EST Reply to CommentI thought the show was pretty lame. It started out okay but all the episodes started to be about them proving why they are such good friends with each other. Like the writers themselves were unsure of why all these different people would hang out together.
noclist You are who CBS is for.
December 16, 2011 at 12:46AM ESTNat Noclist: that's not really fair. First, it shouldn't be an insult to like CBS (or similar) shows. Second, nothing about Atta's comment suggests that the show's going over his/her head; he/she just has an issue with character and thematic development. It's not a good argument to say that because someone disagrees, they must be stupid, because that takes your point for granted as true before the argument even begins.
December 16, 2011 at 4:37PM ESTthe minister Nah, he's who CBS is for.
December 19, 2011 at 8:48PM ESTNah Mean
December 16, 2011 at 12:46AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, you're the best--the anti-Britta. You really Alan'd it with this idea.
December 16, 2011 at 12:55AM ESTpamelajaye weren't we using Sepinwalled? (for the good stuff? I supposed if I had been, I'd remember)
December 16, 2011 at 1:31AM ESTMojo CoCo
December 16, 2011 at 12:52AM EST Reply to CommentSomehow I missed the Lavar Burton episode. Holy OMG was that clip hilarious :P
DougMac
December 16, 2011 at 1:19AM EST Reply to Commentgreat idea for a column. Never Forget!
Moz
December 16, 2011 at 1:37AM EST Reply to CommentHa! I saw the post title and thought it sounded exactly like the title of a youtube clip that I just watched yesterday. See, the xbox just got youtube access and lunged at the opportunity to play as many clips of community for a room full of friends and family.
Swearin
December 16, 2011 at 1:55AM EST Reply to CommentAfter seeing Uncontrollable Christmas again, and that last shot of the cast in the reflection of the TV, I'm going to miss the simple joy of watching the camaraderie the cast has with each other. It's sad that NBC is so desperate that they're gambling with the life of one of the only good shows they have left :(
ed w
December 16, 2011 at 1:56AM EST Reply to CommentTroy crying is always funny and often funniest when he's crying about something Annie has done.
jon dunn Social Psychology:
December 16, 2011 at 2:51PM ESTTroy: "Annie - the SOUL TRAIN AWARDS were tonight!? (crying). you promised butt stuff(whispering)"
classic
TheMadLibs
December 16, 2011 at 2:19AM EST Reply to CommentI'm really curious about something and cannot figure out (nor can Google help), so maybe someone (Alan or otherwise) here will be able to help. I'm seriously really curious about advertising budgets/air time for TV shows, and in particular, on NBC. I know I probably am biased and therefore missing ads, but I'd love to see a breakdown of air time/print/online ads for the Thursday block that started this fall. I feel like every three seconds this summer I saw ads for Whitney and The Office, but I rarely saw Community and Parks and Rec. Anyone have an idea?
ocrasaroon
December 16, 2011 at 2:59AM EST Reply to CommentAlan, thank you for keeping the Greendale spirit alive. You are the opposite of the opposite of Batman.
Just not actually Batman.
Col Bat Guano
December 16, 2011 at 4:17AM EST Reply to Comment"My whole brain is crying!" I love these scenes, but I think Troy's reactions to Hector the Well Endowed might top them.
Chanter
December 16, 2011 at 8:16AM EST Reply to CommentAlso never not funny: Troy screaming - see the burning Norwegian troll scene in 304!
Matt W
December 16, 2011 at 9:04AM EST Reply to CommentSix seasons and a movie!
amg
December 16, 2011 at 9:21AM EST Reply to CommentAwesome idea Alan, I'm so excited for this. Great way to show NBC (and the show) how much we all love it. Looking forward to the fun memories each week to make Thursday a little less empty!
PFOJ
December 16, 2011 at 10:37AM EST Reply to CommentBig question is whether or not Alan will include "Annie GIFs" on this list at some point.
belinda
December 16, 2011 at 10:41AM EST Reply to CommentThat is probably my favorite Britta scene as well.
1tomvalentino
December 16, 2011 at 11:01AM EST Reply to CommentTroy hopping around and freaking out after they use a chloroform rag on the security guard gets me every. single. time.
Brian That is my favorite Troy crying scene of all time!
December 16, 2011 at 6:00PM EST- 1
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