Community – Recap & Review – A Fistful of Paintballs (Part 1)

photo: nbc

Community
A Fistful of Paintballs (Part 1)

Original Air Date: May 5, 2011

MjL – TwoCents Reviewer
MjL@thetwocentscorp.com

The setting is eerie, dark and disturbed. Greendale appears in ruins. Graffiti is scrawled on the walls, yet as we move closer, it looks more like multi-colored splotches. Then, it dawns on us. We’ve seen this kind of carnage before and the splotches are all too familiar now – another round of paintball has started at Greendale and who knows what the stakes will be or who will survive.

Yes, one of the most creative episodes to grace television returns with higher stakes, new alliances and more contestants than before. Oh yeah, and this year has a western theme as well. Regu-watchers, let’s saddle up!

The bullies pin Fat Neil against the wall, when Annie (the Ace of Hearts) takes the three of them out. As she attempts to leave the scene, Fat Neil tries to take her out, but she has none of it.

The credits get a Fistful of Dollars/Wild Wild West makeover and they look awesome. Honestly, I’m sure I’m seeing tons of references beyond the obvious spaghetti western this is named after, but for the life of me can’t lock em down. Might need some help in the comments.

Annie heads back to her hideout (aka the Chemistry lab) for a rest and a meal – beans ala bunson. She remembers how it all started.

It was supposed to be the dean’s festival to celebrate the end of another semester with a sponsored western themed picnic and paintball game. The sponsor was to provide a prize less desirable than last year, but that’s not how it turned out. We can’t expect things to go normal when $100,000 cash is on the the line.

Annie knows it hasn’t. The man with no name or Abed pays a visit asking her to meet with Jeff on a plan. The magnificent one is dealing with Chang and the mathletes when she arrives. His plan is to get Pierce’s ammo at his cafe hideout. She’s upset by the way everyone has treated Pierce, which Jeff says Pierce caused himself.

the black rider

That’s when he arrives, the mysterious man in spurs named the Black Rider. Armed to the tee, he looks to dispatch the trio, but they narrowly escape.

This brings them to Deputies Britta, Shirley and Bart Troy, who now work for Pierce. They all head to Fort Hawthorne to meet the maniacal one. He wants to send them on a journey to retrieve last year’s paintball supplies to end it all and split the prize.

Hesitant but willing, the group heads out. Jeff and Annie bond a little, when Annie notices and saves Chang from a firing squad. Pursuing him gets her trapped with the Black Rider. A battle ensues after a gun misfire (loaded with blanks) saves her from execution and all parties escape unmarked. The group finally arrives at their destination and find the dean in hiding. They head back with the stash.

Annie arrives first to a decimated fort and calls out Pierce. She confronts him for loading the gun with blanks. He wants Jeff to lose so bad that he’ll load Jeff’s gun with blanks. She wants to duel him for his treachery. He complains that he’s sick of being left out of the group including the card game from a few days ago. Annie explains that it was a vote on whether to keep him in the group. She explains it had to be unanimous, but someone saved him – the one who played the ace of hearts (see above).

The duel is about to continue when the Black Rider shows. Jeff requests a ceasefire until the duel is finished and he accepts with a promise to finish off everyone else. Only Pierce doubles over with chest pains that no one buys but the Black Rider. Shame, shame Rider, it’s the oldest trick in Pierce’s book. He’s out and Pierce escapes. The Rider reveals there’s something much bigger than anyone could imagine going on.

That’s when we see Chang get executed by a paintball mercenary group led by the sponsor’s mascot. She sends them out to finish it…

Holy mackeral. The tension. The drama. The excitement. The insecurities of one man. How are they able to pack all that into one half hour. Each scene was nugget of joy. Who knows how many references I missed. And there’s still a part two coming!!! The more insane the reality of Greendale, the more giddy-inducing the episode. Honestly, people, what references did I miss? Let me know.

Next Week: For a Few Paintballs More (Part 2)

Update: Take a look at these Wanted Posters of the cast from last night’s episode. Click here.