Anthropology 101

Anthropology 101

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Director: Joe Russo — Writer: Chris McKenna — Aired: September 23, 2010 —Season: Two — Number: One Summary: Jeff and Britta play a game of relationship one-upmanship which could break up of the study group.

Plot

I can tell life from TV, Jeff. TV makes sense, it has structure, logic and rules...and likeable leading men. In life we have this...we have you.

— Abed

It's the first day of the Fall 2010 Semester at Greendale Community College as the various members of the study group prepare to return to class. Britta is apprehensive when she shows up on campus noticing some students staring at her. Troy arrives with Pierce who he now lives with. After Pierce makes a particularly racist comment, Troy posts it on a twitter account he created called "Old White Man Says". Annie and Abed also arrive amused at Troy's latest tweet. Later, everyone meets up in Group Study Room F but they immediately notice Britta isn't there. She then emerges from her hiding place and tells the group she's trying to avoid the gossip mongers of the school after her embarrassing declaration at the Tranny Dance.

And we're back!

Britta apologizes to Jeff for putting him on the spot last year and admits that she only said she loved him because she was competing with Slater. She suggests that they put everything that happened last year behind them and just go to class. In the hallway, she is identified by a group of female students. They explain how they admire her for having the courage to declare her love so publicly. Jeff watches the situation, worried where it might lead. He turns to see Annie standing behind him. He takes her aside and reiterates what he told her several months ago: the kiss between them was a mistake. Annie reassures him that she understands and quickly leaves. Jeff becomes concerned when he sees her steal a glance at him as she walks away.

Discretion is the better part of ardor.

In the Anthropology classroom, Annie and Jeff see Chang there. He denies their claim that he's only there because he misses the study group. When Britta arrives in class, she is cheered on by a number of her new fans. Jeff asks Abed why she's so popular and he explains that from an outsider's perspective, she is the jilted lover. The public usually embraces the underdog. The teacher of the class subsequently begins her lecture. When she asks a question she gets a flip response from Star-Burns. She shoots him with a blow gun dart which paralyzes him. She then introduces herself as Professor June Bauer and gives a visceral description of anthropology that she will be teaching. She hands out the first assignment in which the students are to form separate tribes.

Star-Burns learns a valuable lesson.

Later in the cafeteria, Troy continues to encourage and tweet Pierce's racist remarks. Meanwhile, Chang cuts into the chow line Jeff is in and asks if the study group has found another member for their tribe. Jeff suspects he wants to join the group which Chang denies. Jeff is then refused macaroni and cheese by the cafeteria server who is one of many Britta supporters on campus. Jeff goes to Britta and asks that she put an end to this since his reputation is suffering. Britta refuses as she is enjoying her popularity too much. She decides to keep the drama going and dumps food on his head. Annie tries to console him saying that not every girl at school hates him. Ignoring her obvious overtures, Jeff comes up with a plan to get back at Britta.

'"HIGH ON MY OWN DRAMA?!"'

In Anthropology class, Professor Bauer lays out the specifics of their first assignment. A box filled with nine tools will be handed out to each tribe, and they have to figure out which one is the most critical to man's survival. Jeff interrupts her with a question but directs it at Britta instead of her. He goes to Britta and tells her that he loves her, mimicking her actions at the Tranny Dance. Britta glares at him, fully aware of what he's doing but decides to call his bluff. She tells him she loves him, much to the delight of her supporters, and they both go in for a very awkward kiss. After class in the student lounge, Jeff and Britta are continuing their game of chicken as the study group looks on from the cafeteria.

And so it begins...the most awkward kiss ever known?

Shirley is happy for the pair while Annie is nauseous and Abed disapproving of it. He wanted the group to have adventures like paintball and considers such romantic plots boring. Shirley convinces him that romance can be looked at as an adventure too. Later in the study room, the group discusses the Anthropology project but are distracted by Jeff and Britta's canoodling. Abed interjects himself and offers them an engagement ring to take the romance to the next level. Britta grabs the ring and proposes to Jeff. After he accepts Abed leaves to get a surprise. Shirley is so overjoyed at the development she accidentally reveals Jeff and Britta's hook-up during paintball last year.

'"AH-H-H-H-A-WESOME!"'

The group is shocked and Annie, furious at the revelation, punches Jeff in the nose. She then let's it slip that she and Jeff made out. At the moment Abed arrives with his surprise for Jeff and Britta, an impromptu wedding complete with a priest and a band. A crowd gathers outside the study room and watches as the drama unfolds. Troy puts an end to the falderal by telling Abed what just happened. Shirley is upset and disappointed at Jeff's behavior. Jeff responds that kissing Annie meant nothing and was just him acting on his base animal urges. He says at least he tried to keep it private unlike Britta who took their tryst as a reason to publicly declare her love for him.

Annie punches Jeff.

Britta angrily responds that she never loved him which causes Jeff to celebrate and declare himself the victor in their contest. Shirley and Annie express their annoyance at their antics causing Britta to state her irritation at Annie going after men she likes. Troy jumps in accusing Jeff of hogging all the ladies which Jeff deflects by mentioning how he's been quoting Pierce on a twitter account. Pierce is upset and attacks Troy leading Abed to pronounce that the show has been cancelled. Jeff turns his anger at the situation on Abed mocking his inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. Abed replies that he understands the difference but prefers fantasy to the reality of Jeff's abhorrent behavior.

'"AH-H-HA!I WIN!I WIN!"'

The next day, Jeff shows up to Anthropology class alone. The rest of the study group is already there still angry with him. Now a pariah, he is forced to take a seat next to Star-Burns. Professor Bauer starts the class and asks the students about the assignment and what they believe was the most important tool. Jeff volunteers to answer and suggests that the tool is respect. Mutual respect between individual members of a group is a necessity; without it relationships will fall apart. Professor Bauer offers up a different answer. She presents to everyone the nine separate tools merged together as a single weapon. Bauer tells Jeff to defend himself with just respect while she attacks him with the weapon. She manages to quickly subdue him and starts to choke him out with the weapon.

That is why you fail!

After blacking out, Jeff wakes up to find himself laying in bed in the Greendale Student Health Center. The study group is there at his by his side and informs him that Professor Bauer had been suspended for her actions. Chang shows up too and admits that Jeff was right earlier; he does actually want to join the study group. Jeff tells them that the group needs time to recover from their latest fight and they'll have to think it over. After Chang leaves, Annie and the others feels sorry for him. Jeff says they will let him in eventually as he believes together the group can survive anything even having Chang as a member. Over in the study room, Chang is manically having an argument with himself whether he wants to join the group or destroy them.

And you and you and you...and you were there.

End tag

Troy and Abed are in the study room with Professor June Bauer performing the "Anthropology Rap".

Recurring themes

Continuity

Continuity lists

Narrative Recurring or debuting plot points in this episode: And we're back!: This episode is the Season Two premiere and picks up the dangling plot points from last season's finale. Previously: The current month on Abed's Greendale Community College calendar features the Greendale basketball team, first seen in Debate 109. A nice gesture: Troy and Abed do their signature handshake when they see Professor Bauer shoot Star-Burns with a blow dart gun. Winger speech: Jeff again makes a speech about friendship and the need to have respect for one another. Middle Eastern Magic 8 Ball: Abed hires a George Clooney impersonator. In Season 3's Contemporary Impressionists, Abed gets into trouble by hiring more look-alike actors than he can afford. Replay: Professor Bauer asks the class what separates man from animals, which is a callback to when Jeff asked the study group the same question in the Pilot episode. People Recurring or debuting characters in this episode: Familiar face: Veteran actress Betty White guest stars as Anthropology Professor June Bauer. The Greendale Human Being is seen with the basketball team in a calendar in Abed's bedroom. Returning students: Mark Millot from the Greendale Gooffaws helps Abed throw Jeff and Britta's wedding. Linda Greene from the Greendale Gooffaws helps Abed throw Jeff and Britta's wedding. Derrek Bideos from the Greendale Gooffaws helps Abed throw Jeff and Britta's wedding. Leonard Star-Burns Places Recurring or debuting places in this episode: This must be the place: The study group reunites in Group Study Room F. In the North Cafeteria Britta revels in her newfound popularity as the woman scorned by a Jeff. While being egged on by her adoring supporters she dumps ice cream on Jeff's head. The student lounge. Anthropology classroom. Greendale Student Health Center. Things Recurring or debuting items in this episode: School supplies: When seen in her bedroom, Britta is wearing a Chacata Panecos t-shirt from the Guatemala protest in "Spanish 101". Jeff's underwear is seen when he is working out in his bedroom. The Foosball table is seen when Jeff and Britta walk with their hands in each other's back pockets.

Running gags

List of Running gags

Recurring or debuting running gags in this episode: A dollop of whipped irony: The Dean announces the Fresh Start Dance, but then reminds everyone of Britta's embarrassing scene from the prior year. Attention students!: The Dean can be heard giving announcements at the beginning of the show and mentions Britta's embarrassing actions at the Tranny Dance last year. Come sail away: Troy chokes up when contemplating school life without Britta. Changuage: Chang's first time this season where he substitutes Chang for another word: "This subject's talking my Changuage", "Consider yourself Chang-ed" and "Spare a little chang?" Gay, he's so gay!: Chang calls Jeff this when he begins his Winger speech about respect. NOOOOOO!: Annie screams after Jeff accepts Britta's "proposal". Raging against the machine: Britta objects to Troy's metaphor comparing women to donuts. Screw you guys: Everyone quits the group after the fallout from the Jeff/Britta/Annie and Pierce/Troy debacles. Turning it into a snake: Britta does her signature dance move twice in this episode. Her fans are also seen mimicking her.

Pop culture references

List of Pop culture references

References to popular culture in this episode: IMDb: The rest of the study group begins to gush when Pierce asks if anyone else saw Toy Story 3 over the summer. Two Blaxploitation films are mentioned by Pierce: The 1971 film Shaft and the 1975 film Dolemite. The George Clooney impersonator offers to do some Batman lines. Name that tune: A rewritten version of The Cranberries song "Linger" is used as for Jeff and Britta's "wedding". Troy and Abed and Professor Bauer's Anthropology rap devolves into "Africa" by Toto. Pierce references Leroy Brown, from the hit song "Bad Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce. Shout out: Abed compares Britta to the famously jilted star Jennifer Aniston. Abed hires a George Clooney impersonator to be Jeff's best man at his "wedding". Use your allusion: The beginning montage is an homage to the 1990s college sitcom A Different World which used a similar montage for the show's opening. Professor Bauer tells Jeff: "That is why you fail!". This is a direct quote of the character Yoda from the movie Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Chang has a psychotic conversation with himself which is a parody of a scene featuring the character Gollum in the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Well read: Pierce mentions Batman and Jeff mentions Shirley's love of the "Twilight" novels. Britta doesn't hold a high opinion of anyone with a Cosmo subscription. Annie says she reads National Review but it was probably Seventeen.

Meta references

List of Meta references

Meta references in this episode: Everyone's a critic: Abed tells Jeff: "I'm hoping we can move away from soapy, relationshipy stuff and into bigger, fast-paced, self-contained escapades." This was a criticism of the Season One finale which some critics felt was too much of the things Abed described. Much of Abed's role in this episode falls along similar lines. IRL: Donald Glover had been championed by a few online websites as a possible candidate to play Spider-Man in the 2012 reboot of the franchise that they were casting at the time. Troy appears in this episode wearing Spider-Man pajamas as a nod to this. Parody: Troy uses a Twitter account where he quotes Pierce called "Old White Man Says" which is a reference to the twitter account turned short lived sitcom on CBS called $h*! My Dad Says. That year, the sitcom made its debut at 8:30 on Thursday after Community premiered at 8:00. An actual Twitter account was created at the time the episode aired and can be found here. Up against the wall: Abed's GCC calendar doesn't specify the month but he has circled the 23rd as "First Day of Classes". Anthropology 101, the first episode of Season Two, aired on September 23, 2010. When Troy tells Pierce 600,000 people follow the Twitter account, the latter suggests that the followers be told to watch a TV show.

Quotes

“Welcome students, new and old to another Fall semester here at Greendale! It's time for clean slates and fresh starts. Celebrate your fresh start tonight at the Fresh Start Dance in the cafeteria...the same cafeteria where Britta Perry publicly professed her love to Jeff Winger who then walked out on her. Unforgettable! Plus, free punch and "Fresh Start" cookies tonight at the Fresh Start Dance!”— Dean Pelton

“Look at us, going to school together.”— Troy

“I know. We're like Batman and Shaft.”— Pierce

“Batman actually had a guy his name was Robin. He rode around with him.”— Troy

“Troy, Batman's friend didn't have to be Robin, he could have been Shaft, Dolemite, Leroy Brown. Don't let society limit your people.”— Pierce

“My name is Professor June Bauer. This semester, I will guide you to the very threshold of your humanity where you will lock eyes with the shrieking, blood-drenched, sister-raping beast from which we sprang. You will also have to make a diorama.”— Professor June Bauer

“Oh, so I tell you that I love you and you go outside and stick your tongue into a teenager!”— Brita

“What is wrong with you Jeffrey?!”— Shirley

“Well, Shirley, since you have clearly failed to grasp the central, insipid metaphor of those "Twilight" books you devour let me explain it to you! Men are monsters who crave young flesh! The end!”— Jeff

“Everything they do is some sick competition!”— Annie

“Oh like you hate competition! How long did it take you to kiss Jeff after I told him I loved him? Oh, that's right, first Vaughn now Jeff! I better not smile at that wall outlet, or you'll fry your tongue off!”— Britta