Plot[]
| In the study room, Pierce is trying to tell a story to the study group when Britta suddenly snaps, angrily insulting him and threatening him to stop talking. Jeff explains her bad mood to everyone by letting them know that she is trying to quit smoking. Pierce offers to assist by using his expertise with hypnosis. Jeff is surprised when Britta agrees, but she explains that she's letting him help her out of pity. Troy arrives, anxious to show the group something he found posted online by the Greendale AV Club: they're short films called "The Community College Chronicles" created by Abed. The study group becomes disturbed when they realize that not only are the characters and events on the show inspired by them, but that the situations depicted also seem to predict their future.
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| Later in the hallway, Jeff is confronted by Dean Pelton, Professor Whitman, and Annie. They explain that they need his help at the Debate Championship Finals against City College being held that night. Annie's partner is sick, and as a former lawyer, he is the best candidate to help her go up against Jeremy "Soulpatch" Simmons. After a little convincing, namely a faculty parking spot for his Lexus, Jeff agrees to help. Meanwhile, Britta is preparing to be hypnotized by Pierce in the school's music room. It's clear Pierce has no idea what he's doing, but Britta plays along. The hypnosis session ends with Pierce falling and injuring his leg as Britta tries to pretend that she is still under.
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| Back in the study room, Annie tries to get Jeff to discuss strategy, but he is unwilling, feeling that a former lawyer can easily handle a mere college debate. Britta shows up and tells Jeff about the disastrous hypnotherapy session with Pierce. Troy and Shirley then arrive, still bothered by Abed's films. When Abed finally appears, he notices the group is disturbed by his presence and immediately figures out that they saw his films. He explains that his films are simply based on his observations of them and are not predictions of their future. He shows them the latest episode to make his point but only ends up freaking them out even more when Pierce arrives with an injury similar to one that his character suffered on the show.
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| Later in the school's gymnasium, the debate championship begins. The argument is whether man is good or evil. After Annie finishes her opening statement, Jeremy Simmons is introduced. The audience erupts in applause, filled with his supporters from of City College. When it's Jeff's turn to counter, he chooses a more informal approach. He plays to the crowd and the judges and charms them into singing along with him. After he finishes, he is shocked to learn that he received zero points. The debate is interrupted when a basketball coach and his team arrives for practice. Dean Pelton suspends the rest of the debate until tomorrow and urges Jeff to get his act together.
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| Outside the gymnasium, Jeff is furious over his poor performance. Feeling like he had been bested by Simmons, Jeff kicks over a trash can but then denies his angry emotions. This fulfills another one of Abed's predictions. A smug Jeremy Simmons accompanied by his debate partner appears and starts to taunt Jeff. Annie defends him which causes Simmons to start mocking her past Adderall addiction. Jeff puts an end to it by promising Simmons that tomorrow, they'll be better prepared. In the library, Troy is crying after Britta insults him; Shirley remembers the same thing happened in Abed's film and goes to confront him again. Abed once more explains that his prescience is just based on knowing how everyone would react to certain situations. Shirley believes him only after seeing another clip from his film, which has her character being chased by a werewolf as well as the Jeff and Annie characters kissing.
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| In the study room, Jeff and Annie are preparing for the second half of the debate. When Jeff experiences a stress headache, Annie tells him that such things are to be expected and that winning means doing the work. Jeff agrees but offers that she needs to loosen up and go off book if she wants to win. Annie takes his advice and removes the clip holding her hair back. Jeff suddenly becomes aware of how attractive she is. Shirley interrupts and warns them not to kiss as Abed had predicted they would in his film. After she leaves, tension develops which Annie tries to defuse by refocusing on the debate. Unfortunately, her décolletage and the use of a particularly suggestive quote proves too distracting. Jeff quickly exits, not even bothering to grab his phone.
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| Back in the music room, Pierce continues his hypnotherapy sessions with Britta. Supposedly under a deep trance, he notices that Britta is awake. He goads her into lashing out at him by suggesting she join him for a three-way in a hot tub. He tells her that he knew she was faking, indignant at her deception. Britta tells him she was only trying to make him feel better about himself, but Pierce says he doesn't need her pity and storms off. At the debate championship, Simmons finishes his opening argument on the goodness of man. Jeff starts his rebuttal, ignoring Simmons taunts. After Jeff offers up a compelling counterpoint, Simmons cockiness disappears. The debate becomes fierce as both sides present their arguments.
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| After Professor Whitman praises Jeff and Annie's teamwork, Dean Pelton informs them that Greendale is in the lead. It's City College's turn to rebut and Britta, who is in the audience along with the rest of the study group, can't take the pressure and leaves to go smoke a cigarette. Simmons then decides on a desperate gambit, he uses his wheel chair to move at top speed towards Jeff. An abrupt stop launches him straight at his opponent who instinctively catches him. Declaring that because he was caught by someone who hates him, man is good. Thinking quickly, Annie offers her own rebuttal by grabbing Jeff and kissing him. He drops Simmons, and Annie declares that he was horny and dropped Simmons; therefore, man is evil.
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| The head judge then declares Greendale the winner and the students in the audience cheer. ("Home") As the celebration continues outside, Abed tries to convince Shirley that just because the kiss happened doesn't mean a werewolf will appear. As proof he mentions in his next film Pierce is revealed to be a genius. Abed then hears Britta calling Pierce a genius due to him curing her addiction. Cigarettes disgust her now because all she can think of is being in a three-way with him. Upon hearing a remark from Professor Whitman about a full moon tonight, Abed rushes off to find Shirley. Jeff and Annie then exit the gymnasium. He congratulates her victory and goes in for a hug but there is still some awkward tension. She insists he pats her on the head and they both then run off in different directions.
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End tag[]
| The actors who play Troy and Abed on "The Community College Chronicles" are being directed by their real life counterparts. However, the original duo are unable to get their onscreen duplicates to do the La Biblioteca rap to their satisfaction.
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Recurring themes[]
Continuity[]
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Running gags[]
| List of Running gags |
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Recurring or debuting running gags in this episode:
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Pop culture references[]
| List of Pop culture references |
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References to popular culture in this episode:
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Meta references[]
| List of Meta references |
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Meta references in this episode:
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Trivia[]
| The Community The Complete First Season DVD commentaries for this episode revealed that a minor subplot involving Annie's attraction to Simmons was deemed unnecessary once the chemistry between Annie and Jeff was shown to be strong enough to carry the episode by itself. A full script of the episode containing the original versions of key scenes including the Simmons/Annie interactions as well as an extended debate sequence where Simmons uses a baby for his rebuttal can be found HERE. |  |
- Abed reads the "Greendale Observation Mirror", a predecessor to The Gazette Journal Mirror featured in "Investigative Journalism".
- A sign at the City College table indicates they were the Division III Debate Champions in 1998, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Quotes[]
- “Britta, I'm saying this because I care about you and you're my friend: You need to start smoking again.”— Jeff
- “By Zeus! What sort of jackassery is this? We're in the middle of a championship debate!”— Professor Whitman
- “Look, six months ago I was a lawyer. I wore suits. I used to say stuff like "objection" and "sidebar." Now I'm losing a community college debate to Jeremy "Soul Patch" Simmons”— Jeff Winger
- “Maybe Simmons is right, you really are all sizzle and no steak. You probably couldn't beat him if you tried.”— Annie
- “What do you mean I can't beat him? You and I are going to study harder than we've ever studied before and beat City College tomorrow!”— Jeff
- “Really?”— Annie
- “No. Who am I, iCarly?”— Jeff
- “Zero for Winger, ba na na na na na na, was a big shot law-yer, ba na na na na na na, now he's a L-o-o-o-o-o-o-ser!”— Jeremy Simmons
- “Little Annie Adderall, was an outcast in high school...”— Jeremy Simmons
- “That's it. Dude, we are going to debate the living crap out of you.”— Jeff
- “Man is a collection of base animal urges, to act on them and experience sinful pleasure would be morally no different than taking a breath.”— Annie quoting Hobbes
- “We make an amazing team!”— Annie
- “I know! We're so in-synch. We're like a perfect duet or great s-e-e-Hey Professor Whitman!”— Jeff
| Season One Episodes | ||
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1. "Pilot" |
14. "Interpretive Dance" |
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| Season One • Season Two • Season Three • Season Four • Season Five • Season Six | ||
