Community - S2 E18 - Custody Law and Eastern European Diplomacy

Chang tries to prove he can be a good father and Britta dates a friend of Abed and Troy's.

Spoilers after the jump.

Considering Jeff's remark about it being his "most convincing speech" ever, it seems he cares about this Shirley/Chang nonsense about as much as I do. Much like in episode 10 "Mixology Certification", Shirley tries to hermetically seal her problems and past mistakes away rather than confront and deal with them. It's certainly understandable, Chang is about as suited for fatherhood as Lionel Luthor, but it's off-putting for her very normal boyfriend Andre. Chang meanwhile professes his desire to change and be a more respectable figure but it's as hollow as Shirley's piety. His idea of responsibility still involves criminality.

The "B" story was mostly just for laughs this week, I don't think there was anything to be gained from it. Possibly they might be setting up the idea of Britta "ruining" friends of Troy and Abed for a future storyline where she hooks up with another friend of theirs, or even one of that duo - although there's nothing she could say that would ruin either one because it's likely they already know each others deepest darkest secrets. That Britta is evidently so promiscuous is not a new thing, but it again highlights a certain mental instability within her. Trust Greendale to be harboring a heinous war criminal though. Who knew?

It was funny that she stole the Kickpuncher DVD and had it in her possession presumably overnight at least yet still mislabeled it as "Kickmuncher". To paraphrase Troy, what the hell was that genie dance? It was no less alluring for making no sense though. As much as she tries to portray herself as hip and liberated, she's such an old person underneath. It's a similar story with Annie who presumably organized Shirley's baby shower kept mixing up Zimbabwe and Ghana. Calling a spade a spade for a minute, whether or not Chang is the father, that baby is going to be African-American. They keep throwing in these scenes of Jeff and Annie standing next to or real near each other. Dan Harmon is such a troll! In the extra final scene, I bet Pierce was vastly confused by everyone else with their gadgets what with overcompensating on his calculator. A solid funny episode, even despite Shirley soaking up a lot of screen time.

"Community" airs Thursdays on NBC at 8:00 pm EST.