12 Subtle Jokes And Hidden Details From NBC’s Community

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Thankfully the return date of Community has been announced and on February 7, 2013 we’ll get our fix. If you don’t watch, start. If you do watch, inform others of the amazingness they’re missing out on. When it comes to minutiae, Community is in a league of its own. It’s quite possibly the most re-watchable show on television because of the quick paced, detail oriented jokes and references that even the smartest might not catch the first time around. Of the many, here are 12 magnificent little nuggets of gold from Community that are worthy of recognition and praise.

1. Mr. Huxtable’s Sweater

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd84NpY5Yso]

One of the many things Bill Cosby is known for is rocking tragic, extremely loud and incredibly gross sweaters that resemble the color patterns of a fruity cereal eater’s vomit. When Malcolm-Jamal Warner (who played Cosby’s son on The Cosby Show) guest starred, he wore a similar looking pullover that he states he got from his father.

2. The Three Year Punch Line

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19FMU3M7Jtk?list=PL11D2D159DDF5D216&hl=en_US]

We know how it works, say “Beetlejuice” three times and he’ll appear. Well Community said the name one time in each of the first three seasons. On the third occasion take a gander in the background.

3. In/On Vending Machines And Refrigerators

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpDBZiyk2N8]

During the first season of Community, Troy is stuck in a vending machine at one point. In an episode two seasons later, a fridge covered in various stickers includes one of Troy’s face that’s placed exactly where Troy was in his vending machine mishap.

4. Episode Swap

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeslrkpBl8M]

The episode this scene occurs in was initially meant to be aired third in season three. It ended up airing fourth, which is what the door numbers are referring to.

5. Monkey Business

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV7RGgpmStY]

Annie’s Boobs, the kleptomaniac monkey, can be seen taking Annie’s pen (at :02), which was found later on in his stash of stolen belongings.

6. Danny Pudi On Cougar Town

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWfJYJMrYa0]

Community’s Abed (played by Pudi) once stated that he was an extra on an episode of Cougar Town. That crossover came to fruition on an episode of the ABC series as he played the role of a noticeable member of the background cast.

7. Abed’s Background Storyline

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tP0ubODOUQ]

In the history of television has a series ever given a main character an entire storyline spent amongst the background extras? Abed has a full episode’s worth of action in the shadows, starring in his own subplot.

8. Latvian Independence Parade

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBsn0iP56Pw]

This episode aired on November 18, 2010 – which just so happened to be the actual date of Latvian Independence Parade in real life.

9. Foreshadowing Robocop

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Giq0uJwYMSY]

As Abed scans the building in robot mode there are descriptions of events that occur in past and future episodes being displayed on the sides.

10. Tiny Chang

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-sanS6Y6cw]If you look very closely, you’ll spot the little model of Chang on the diorama, lurking outside of the window as he often does throughout the series.

11. Jeff & The Dean’s Matching Undies

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=587_und_Qys]Jeff exposes a pair of underwear in season one and later on in season three the Dean reveals a pair with the same design.

12. Twitter Beef

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ1-JJzU_0E]

The aforementioned “Gwynnifer,” is the actual Twitter name of a person who had a feud with Community’s creator, Dan Harmon. 

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image – NBC’s Community