The third season of the television comedy series Community premiered on September 22, 2011, and concluded on May 17, 2012, on NBC. The season consists of 22 episodes and aired on Thursdays at 8:00 pm ET as part of the network's "Comedy Night Done Right" programming block.

Cast

Starring

Recurring

Guest stars

Episodes

Season three episodes
No. overallNo. in seasonTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd. codeU.S. viewers (millions)
501"Biology 101"Anthony RussoGarrett Donovan & Neil GoldmanSeptember 22, 2011(2011-09-22)3013.93
The study group decides to take a biology class together; Pierce attempts to rejoin the group, and does after Jeff quickly makes enemies with its professor (Michael K. Williams) and is removed from the class. Meanwhile, Dean Pelton finds himself in conflict with Vice Dean Laybourne (John Goodman), the Dean of the renowned Air Conditioning Repair Annex, while in the process of transforming Greendale's management.
512"Geography of Global Conflict"Joe RussoAndy BobrowSeptember 29, 2011(2011-09-29)3023.98
A Model UN competition introduces Annie to a new frenemy in Annie Kim; Jeff and the rest of the group try to help her win and Annie has a big tantrum in the process. Britta goes head to head with new Campus Security Officer Chang, as they both try to fulfill their own fantasies through foolish conflict.
523"Competitive Ecology"Anthony RussoMaggie BandurOctober 6, 2011(2011-10-06)3043.35
While the study group pairs off to build a terrarium, the seven group members have to include an outsider, Todd, in order to make even pairs and their friendships are tested. Meanwhile, Chang relishes his imaginary role as a noir detective and ends up causing a lot of damage.
534"Remedial Chaos Theory"Jeff MelmanChris McKennaOctober 13, 2011(2011-10-13)3033.78
Troy and Abed's housewarming party turns into a surreal, post-modern world with parallel realities; each reality showing the effect on the study group of one character's brief absence from it.
545"Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps"Tristram ShapeeroDan HarmonOctober 27, 2011(2011-10-27)3053.42
In order to determine the odd man out of the group (who, in this case, is apparently a sociopath), Britta conducts a search by having the gang tell scary stories.
556"Advanced Gay"Joe RussoMatt MurrayNovember 3, 2011(2011-11-03)3063.84
When Hawthorne Wipes becomes popular after being promoted by a drag queen, Pierce is excited about a party he's throwing to celebrate the business' success with the gay community, but the affair becomes very different when his elderly father arrives. Meanwhile, Troy is scouted by Vice Dean Laybourne to join the AC Annex.
567"Studies in Modern Movement"Tristram ShapeeroAdam CounteeNovember 10, 2011(2011-11-10)3073.49
The group tries to help Annie move in with Troy and Abed, but things go awry when she becomes frustrated by their lifestyle. Meanwhile, Dean Pelton blackmails Jeff into spending the afternoon with him.
578"Documentary Filmmaking: Redux"Joe RussoMegan GanzNovember 17, 2011(2011-11-17)3083.62
Dean Pelton is asked by the school board to film a new commercial for Greendale, only to spiral into madness when Luis Guzmán agrees to appear in it, all the while Abed films the events documenting the Dean's descent.
589"Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism"Anthony RussoChris KulaDecember 1, 2011(2011-12-01)3093.74
Jeff and Shirley spend time together playing foosball, where the two become competitive against each other. After Annie breaks Abed's special edition DVD of The Dark Knight, she and Troy must cover it up by staging a robbery.
5910"Regional Holiday Music"Tristram ShapeeroSteve Basilone & Annie MebaneDecember 8, 2011(2011-12-08)3113.60
Greendale's choir director (Taran Killam) asks the study group to fill in at the holiday pageant after the glee club is unable to attend, with Abed taking charge to convince each of them.
6011"Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts"Kyle NewacheckVera SantamariaMarch 15, 2012(2012-03-15)3124.75
Andre re-proposes to Shirley; Britta and Annie quickly begin making arrangements for the wedding, Jeff must write a speech, and Troy and Abed attempt to become "normal" for the wedding. Meanwhile, Pierce and Shirley try to get a sandwich shop installed in the cafeteria.
6112"Contemporary Impressionists"Kyle NewacheckAlex CooleyMarch 22, 2012(2012-03-22)3103.87
After Abed racks up an immense amount of debt hiring celebrity impersonators, the study groups helps by working for the company at a bar mitzvah. Meanwhile, Troy attempts to convince Abed the severity of his debt, while Jeff begins experiencing extreme narcissism.
6213"Digital Exploration of Interior Design"Dan EckmanChris McKennaMarch 29, 2012(2012-03-29)3133.48
Vice Dean Laybourne returns to try to win Troy over, manipulating a conflict between him and Abed, resulting in them building competing blanket and pillow forts in the school. Meanwhile, a new Subway shop opens in the cafeteria, and Shirley, Pierce, and Britta attempt to shut it down; complicating matters when they meet a student named "Subway" enrolled at the school.
6314"Pillows and Blankets"Tristram ShapeeroAndy BobrowApril 5, 2012(2012-04-05)3143.00
Presented in the style of Ken Burns' documentary, The Civil War: What starts as a casual disagreement over pillows and blankets soon blossoms into all-out war on the Greendale campus. While insults are hurled and the study group choose loyalties, Jeff tries to negotiate a truce, but with neither Abed nor Troy budging on their principles or real estate, the future looks grim for the duo's friendship.
6415"Origins of Vampire Mythology"Steven TsuchidaDan HarmonApril 12, 2012(2012-04-12)3153.09
The carnival comes into town and Britta enlists the help of the study group to keep her away from her ex; Dean Pelton joins to attempt to convince Troy to join the AC Annex. Meanwhile, Jeff becomes obsessed trying to learn why Britta is so obsessed with her ex.
6516"Virtual Systems Analysis"Tristram ShapeeroMatt MurrayApril 19, 2012(2012-04-19)3162.77
When a final exam is postponed, Annie talks Abed into letting her spend some time in the dreamatorium, where an innocent simulation turns into an examination of the study group.
6617"Basic Lupine Urology"Rob SchrabMegan GanzApril 26, 2012(2012-04-26)3173.21
In a homage to Law & Order, the study group investigate a crime when someone sabotages their biology experiment. When they discover the perp, Annie plans on prosecuting them to the fullest extent of Greendale's Code of Conduct.
6718"Course Listing Unavailable"Tristram ShapeeroTim SaccardoMay 3, 2012(2012-05-03)3183.20
In the wake of Star-Burns' death, and their biology credit becoming invalid after the professor quits, the study group faces extreme feelings of grief. Meanwhile, Chang takes advantage of the chaos and begins to take over the campus.
6819"Curriculum Unavailable"Adam DavidsonAdam CounteeMay 10, 2012(2012-05-10)3192.99
When Abed becomes convinced that Dean Pelton has been replaced by an impostor, he is required to see a therapist (John Hodgman), who attempts to convince the group that they have been experiencing a shared psychosis and Greendale is actually a mental institution. This leads to the group to recall the stranger activities and events that took place at Greendale through a series of flashbacks.
6920"Digital Estate Planning"Adam DavidsonMatt WarburtonMay 17, 2012(2012-05-17)3222.97
Pierce is summoned to Hawthorne Enterprises to discuss his inheritance with his deceased father's former right-hand man, Gilbert Lawson (Giancarlo Esposito). The study group all pitches in to play a video game for Pierce to earn the inheritance, only to have to deal with sabotage from Gilbert.
7021"The First Chang Dynasty"Jay ChandrasekharMatt Fusfeld & Alex CuthbertsonMay 17, 2012(2012-05-17)3202.61
When Chang gains complete control of Greendale's campus, the study group forms a plot to take back the school and rescue the kidnapped Dean, while Troy seeks help from the AC Annex.
7122"Introduction to Finality"Tristram ShapeeroSteve Basilone & Annie MebaneMay 17, 2012(2012-05-17)3212.48
Jeff acts as counsel for Shirley in her and Pierce's sandwich shop case, the latter of which being represented by Jeff's old law partner Alan. Meanwhile, Abed struggles to deal with Troy's absence, becoming influenced by "Evil Abed", while Vice Dean Laybourne continues to try convince Troy of his destiny at the Air Conditioning Repair School.

Production

The series was renewed for a third season on March 17, 2011. Filming for the season began on July 25, 2011. Jim Rash, who portrays Dean Pelton, was promoted to a series regular after having a recurring role throughout the first two seasons. Michael K. Williams was cast as the study group's new biology professor, who is described as a deeply intense character. John Goodman appears in a multi-episode arc as Vice Dean Laybourne, the head of Greendale's air conditioning repair school, and is a foe for Dean Pelton. Martin Starr guest starred in the second episode of the season as a political science professor and project advisor when the study group take a Model UN class; with Starr possibly returning later in the season. Larry Cedar appeared in the sixth episode as Cornelius Hawthorne, the patriarch of the Hawthorne family and Pierce's father. In the same episode, Jerry Minor returned as the Greendale custodian who previously appeared in "English as a Second Language" and "For a Few Paintballs More". The season's Christmas-themed episode is a musical featuring all original music, with the storyline being the study group having to fill in for the school's glee club. The episode also features a guest appearance by Saturday Night Live cast member Taran Killam. Giancarlo Esposito appeared in "Digital Estate Planning" as Gilbert, a man who Pierce is surprised to learn was a longtime employee for his late, very racist father, and the study group needs to work with Gilbert and Pierce on an issue regarding Cornelius' Hawthorne's last will and testament. The character of Star-Burns is killed off in episode 17 of the season, as portrayer of the character Dino Stamatopoulos simply asked for it to happen. Stamatopoulos also serves as a consulting producer and writer for the series, so he wanted to focus on his main job, as he explained "I'm not an actor". Series creator Dan Harmon explained Star-Burns' death is "not just thrown away", but "triggers the rest of the entire season. Filming of the season concluded in mid-February 2012.

Dan Harmon planned on making the third season more cohesive than the previous, with more connectivity between the storylines of the episodes, as well as to make the show more grounded, with somewhat fewer themed episodes. Harmon also planned out the characters' storylines for the entire season. Explaining the theme of the third season, and Jeff's journey for the season, Harmon says, "Season 3 is about the price that you pay when you figure out that you love a group of people. That's it in a nutshell. It's about the high cost of valuing people other than yourself, and that's the path that Jeff has been on. The third chapter for him is going to be the toughest of all. When you love people, their pain is your pain. Nobody likes having to deal with hassles more than Jeff Winger, and nobody's going to have to deal with more this year."

On November 14, 2011, NBC announced that they were removing Community from their mid-season schedule to make room for 30 Rock, which returned to Thursday nights. On February 21, 2012, it was announced that the series would return on March 15, 2012.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 92% with an average score of 8.3 out of 10 based on 24 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Greendale study group take some of their boldest swings – though not all connect – in this freewheeling third season that nevertheless continues Community's streak as the gold standard for fiendishly clever television."

Home media

The third season was released on DVD in region 1 on August 14, 2012, in region 2 on September 2, 2013, and in region 4 on September 21, 2012.

Notes

External links