Where'd the Sweetness Go? A Community rant

[em1983]

This is the thing: Jeff is a jerk. We've known that from the beginning, but it was his vulnerability to this strange, lovable group that endeared him to us. So where did that go

Comments

[blond_bear]

Totally agree with everything you've mentioned here. I've been wanting to right a similar rant ever since the premiere but can't organize my thoughts enough to make them coherent for others. From now on I'll just point people here :)

I've got my fingers crossed that Cooperative Calligraphy is a good sign that things are back on track to being the show (and characters) I fell in love with last year!

[em1983]

I'm glad someone agrees. I really saw disinterested Jeff during the lawyer episode when they all go to the party and Annie gets swept off by Jeff's annoying friend. He pretty gestures at her boobs and then touches her and Jeff doesn't look worried or annoyed at all. It just seemed so out of character, especially considering how quickly he jumped at cutting of Buddy when he was singing about Annie's butt. It was like he didn't care at all about any of them.

[blond_bear]

I thought that too...it seemed odd that he was so quick to jump all over Buddy (and quite frankly himself) last season when it came to inappropriate Annie moments but his disconnect in the Law episode meant we didn't even get a twitch of a facial expression. It seemed really off to me and took me right out of the ep and the show. And don't even get me started on the casualness of Jeff tossing out the "I can't believe I made out with both of you" line in the 3rd ep. (filmed 2nd though, I think...)

[capatron]

You really hit the nail on the head in a lot of ways! Last season Community grew on me slowly but surely because of the unexpected ways the group learned from and leaned on each other. Also, once it got its feet comedically it was hilarious. This season, there are still great funny and epic moments, but I feel like the writers are really struggling with the group dynamic. Maybe they sort of "reset" Jeff and all of his relationships in order to keep the tension and keep the show from becoming too predictable? But instead of feeling happily surprised, most episodes I end up a little disappointed and I think you identified exactly the reason why

[aileen_4ever]

So AGREE with your post. I came following your link and you just nail it. I loved the ending of the season finale just because of the last scene with Jeff and Annie, and was so looking forward on watching the development

[crazyqa215]

This is such a smart rant! ;) Seriously though, I agree with this so much of this. So glad you shared.

[westwingwolf]

I'm not in entire agreement with the oddness of Jeff. I don't see it coming out of nowhere. Yes, I think it's odd that he wasn't spending as much time with other characters as he was Britta, and I hated how little interaction there was with Annie. But I managed to come up for some reasonable explanations for it

[westwingwolf]

As for Jeff not worrying about Annie where Alan was concerned, well the episode is trying to sexualize Annie. Most noticibly in this episode, and in Psychology of Letting Go, plus recently in Cooperative Calligraphy. It's counterproductive to have Jeff say "keep away from her, she's too young" in the same episode that has Troy & Abed checking her out. It throws the audience off. He might be thinking it, he probably is, he did request that they find her before they left so there was worry in some form, but in those moments he's in jerk Jeff mode so he's got his priorities which is to not be embarrassed by the group. Again, not nice, but like I said he's closer than he's ever been to his old life and it would make less sense if he immediately said "you're right guys, I thank you for showing me the error of my ways" as soon as they show up. You know plus, no reason for the episode then

[westwingwolf]

Again, sorry just clarifying: I meant the show is trying to sexualize Annie in that first sentence.

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