"I think I got half of it, which got me through the half I didn't." "Like the first season of The Wire."

February 18, 2011 12:10 AM

What are the pop culture references cited in Season 1 of the TV show Community?

Additional related question: Can you recommend other TV shows similar to this (the humor, clever writing, pop culture references)?

posted by pleasebekind to media & arts (16 answers total)

Can you recommend other TV shows similar to this (the humor, clever writing, pop culture references)?

Frisky Dingo
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:47 AM on February 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

Can you recommend other TV shows similar to this (the humor, clever writing, pop culture references)?

Spaced.
posted by synecdoche at 5:55 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Can you recommend other TV shows similar to this (the humor, clever writing, pop culture references)?

Phineas & Ferb
posted by mikepop at 6:01 AM on February 18, 2011

Ha! I never would've thought of Phineas & Ferb but I'll second that and also add in 30 Rock. As for Season 1, you mean the ENTIRE season? I'm not sure they really hit their stride until this year, it's been great.
posted by Blake at 6:13 AM on February 18, 2011

Cougartown.

No, really.

No, really.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:16 AM on February 18, 2011 [3 favorites]

Seconding Cougartown. Yes, it has a horrible name, I think they considered changing it before the second season started, but it really is a very funny show.
posted by ridiculous at 6:24 AM on February 18, 2011

re Cougartown, the writers felt they were trapped in the name.

The opening "theme" is nothing more than showing a postcard-like view of Florida for a few seconds with a big postcard-font COUGARTOWN across it. In the second season, they started adding little bits of tagline in tiny script above it where it used to say "Welcome to". Things like "The ever-increasingly inappropriate-titled" and "It's ok to watch a show called" etc.

There are a couple of meh episodes but overall I can third the recommendation. Lots of good writing in there.
posted by mikepop at 7:07 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think most of these pop culture references are from Season 1.
posted by lucysparrow at 7:08 AM on February 18, 2011

I think that Arrested Development also hits the same mark for me.

Also, if you like the Frisky Dingo suggestion, also check out Archer, which is made by the same folks.

It's a real shame that Community is likely done after this season. They're could do so many more solid seasons!
posted by utsutsu at 7:20 AM on February 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Psych has somewhat similar meta and pop culture humor. Try season 3 episode 2 titled "Murder? ...Anyone? ...Anyone? ...Bueller?"
posted by valeries at 7:54 AM on February 18, 2011

Farscape! Super fun pop references, plus the bonus of Henson puppets, crazy aliens and some sexy australian accents.

Also, I believe Farscape got a nod a few months ago in an episode of Community.

I think you should take that as a sign.
posted by Zoyashka at 8:28 AM on February 18, 2011

To answer your first question, the pilot was a take on "The Breakfast Club." Can't really remember what others there were right now.
posted by Gilbert at 11:21 AM on February 18, 2011

30 Rock is similar to Community in humor style and references.
posted by haveanicesummer at 11:59 AM on February 18, 2011

I think only about half of the entries in lucysparrow's link are from the first season.

In the first season Halloween episode, Troy dresses up as "Raw" Eddie Murphy, and I think the joke never went beyond the costume itself.

Episode 21, Contemporary American Poultry, was in some ways a take-off of Goodfellas.

As for other shows, I'm a huge Office fan, and Community's first season perfectly filled the void of hilarity left behind by the Office that year. Both shows have been excellent this season however. It's not nearly as reference-heavy, but both have that mix of smart and dumb humor, and an ensemble cast of surrogate-family-type characters.

Undeclared is another one, and took place in college also, albeit with more traditional college-goers. But Community strikes me as being much more fast-paced, and creative.


It's a real shame that Community is likely done after this season.

How dare you.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 11:17 PM on February 18, 2011

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and for the links. Might keep this open for awhile for more suggestions on shows.
posted by pleasebekind at 3:57 AM on February 22, 2011

Just to update this, in case anyone is looking from the future (hello!), I found what I'm looking in TV Tropes:

• Community (main page)
• Episode recaps
• Characters

The show also has its own Community TV Tropes Tumblr.
posted by pleasebekind at 12:02 PM on July 30, 2011