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Community/Recap/S1/E02 Spanish 101


In Spanish Class the students pair off to do a oral presentation involving simple Spanish phrases. Jeff's attempt to be paired with Britta backfires when he finds himself partnered with Pierce instead -- and Pierce's unorthodox presentation ideas threaten to drive a wedge between them. Meanwhile the ladies in the study group get into activism to raise interest about freedom of speech in Guatemala -- however, Britta finds that Annie and Shirley have much different ideas about activism to her.

The Community episode "Spanish 101" provides examples of:

Britta: You guys realize he was beaten to death, right?
Shirley: That's where we got the idea from.

Chang: (points to Pierce) F. (points to Jeff) F Minus.
Pierce: What? Did you say 'S'?

  • Foreshadowing:
    • Chang seems awfully desperate to convince everyone that he's a "Spanish genius."
    • Pierce doesn't adequately answer his own question, "What's the moist towelette business like?"
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar: Chevy's section of the opening credits cootie-catcher has a drawing of a woman with bare breasts. The censors caught this later on and his drawings were changed to lips and "eyeballs" for the next episode.
  • Global Currency Exception: Jeff tries to bribe Abed with $50, but Abed instead wants his shirt.
  • Ho Yay: Repeated mentions of "sausage fest"
  • Hypocritical Humor:

Pierce: You know, Jeff, you can't pursue people so desperately; it creeps them out. (pause) What don't we go get a beer, I'll give you some advice, and we can have what the kids are calling a sausage fest?

Dean over P.A.: To whoever is growing a small patch of cannabis behind the gymnasium, congratulations you have won a cruise. Report to Security to claim your tickets.

Britta: Believe me, everyday in that country people are being killed for speaking out, and the worst part is when it's all over--
Abed: Spoilers!
Britta: --it's going to be as if it never even happened. Hey Abed, real stories--they don't have spoilers. You understand that TV and life are different? Right?

  • Soundtrack Dissonance: Aimee Mann's somber "Wise Up" plays over Jeff and Pierce's Spanish surreal presentation, complete with robots and silly string.
  • Strange Minds Think Alike: Abed really gets Pierce and Jeff's presentation. No one else does.
    • Abed is half Palestinian, watching a presentation that is "surprisingly and gratuitously critical of Israel".
  • Strawman U: The entire candle light vigil/silent protest subplot.

Shirley: I never went to a real college; I want to be political.

Chang: Every once in a while, a student will come up to me and ask, 'Señor Chang, why do you teach Spanish?' They say it just like that. 'Why do you teach Spanish?' (Beat) 'Why YOU? Why not math? Why not cryptography? Why not martial arts?' I mean, surely, it must be in my nature to instruct you in something that's ancient and secret, like, oh, building a wall that you can see from outer space. Well, I tell you why I teach Spanish: it's none of your business, OK? And I don't want to have any conversations about what a mysterious, inscrutable man I am. Oh heehee, oh huh huh. I am a Spanish genius! In español, my nickname is El Tigre Chino.

  • What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?: Jeff and Pierce's multi-costumed, multi-propped Spanish presentation, which gets horrified looks from the students and F/F- grades.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Shirley and Annie quite accurately peg the hypocrisy in Britta's objection to their protest about Guatemala:

Shirley: Sounds like someone has a case of ' likes to use politics to be make themselves feel special but doesn't ever want to do anything'... itis.

Abed: Conflicts like this will ultimately bring us together as an unlikely family.
Troy: You have horrible breath right now.

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