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Plot[]

“
I usually have one foot out of reality and even I'm freaking out.
”
Abed
The study group is in the cafeteria when Dean Pelton shows up and tells them about the upcoming "Pop and Locktober Fest" dance contest. While everyone else is excited about competing, Jeff is annoyed and leaves accompanied by Abed. He goes to the student lounge is shocked when he runs into a lawyer from his old law firm named Alan Conner. Jeff reluctantly reveals he is attending school to replace his degree while Alan freely admits he's here for a N.A. meeting. Jeff agrees when Alan proposes he ditch class to join him for a drink. Later in the study room , Chang is auditioning in for a spot in the study group's dance team. Troy tells him they'll think about it, as everyone wonders where Jeff is.



Hat Club!
Alan wonders what the school has done to Jeff.
Annie believes they should all should be glad he reconnected with an old friend, but Abed worries that Alan will end up being a bad influence on Jeff. Jeff finally arrives with Alan in tow and introduces his ex-co-worker. Annie recognizes Alan but can't place him. After Alan ends up upsetting Pierce, the two men leave. Later at a bar, Jeff tells Alan how much he misses being a lawyer. Alan encourages him to visit the office and assures him his reputation is better now. They regard him as a legend for conning his way to a job at the firm. He invites Jeff to an office party, so he can see for himself. Back at school, Annie suddenly remembers where she knows Alan.



AFL back to being a douche
Jeff regressing back into a douche thanks to Alan.
They both went to a N.A. meeting where he bragged about getting a colleague fired by sending an e-mail about his falsified credentials to the state bar. Convinced that person was Jeff, the group tells him this when he arrives. Jeff refuses to believe it without proof and tells them he'll be at an office party instead of the dance off. Chang appears, and the group reluctantly agrees to let him join the team. He demands that if he helps them win he be allowed to join the group. The night of the law firm's party, Alan admits he invited Jeff so he could talk to the head of the firm Ted on his behalf. It also turns out Alan also invited the study group although it was just so he could flirt with Annie whom he pulls away for a chat.



AFL A hole in one hand
A hole in one hand.
Jeff tells them all to leave before going to greet his old boss. As he departs, Britta goes over the plan with the others. Once Annie gets Alan's office number, Troy and Abed will break in and try to find evidence of the incriminating e-mail. Meanwhile, Ted and Jeff are reacquainting themselves when Alan interrupts. Ted ignores his brown nosing and instead announces to the party goers that Jeff is back. Over at Greendale, Chang signs in for the study group dance team the "Heather Pop and Locklears" and assures Dean Pelton that the rest of them will show up. At the party, Jeff asks Ted why Alan isn't partner yet. Ted says it's because he dislikes him but might reconsider if Jeff can persuade him otherwise. Jeff then tells Ted how as a kid he admired the lawyer that handled his parents divorce.



2X2 I want to eat your brains
I want his brains!
He was a guy who put his personal feelings aside, focused on the bottom line and looked good doing it. Winning cases ultimately matters more then whether or not you actually like your employee. He summed it up by saying Alan has more then earned a partnership because of this. Impressed with his argument, Ted offers Jeff a consulting job at his firm. Jeff is flattered but before he can respond he notices Britta laughing it up at the bar. When he investigates he finds that Britta is considering an indecent proposal, Shirley is thinking of suing the stripper that stole her husband and Pierce just learned about an island where man is hunted for sport. Up in Alan's office, Troy and Abed manage to find the e-mail on Alan's computer.



2x2 Pierce is excited about hunting people for sport
There's an Indonesian island where you can hunt people!
They are interrupted by the sudden appearance of a Janitor. Troy stalls him long enough to give Annie the opportunity to sneak up from behind. She chloroforms him, knocking him out and causing the three of them to panic over the situation. Abed suggests a plan, when the janitor comes to, they all pretend to be chloroformed as well. However, when the janitor awakens he sees through their deception and Annie is forced to chloroform him again. The trio decide to quickly flee the scene. Back at school, the Pop-and-Lock-a-Thon has been going on for hours and Chang is still dancing. He keeps himself going by dreaming about what it might be like once he joins the study group.



2X2 My brain is crying
"My whole brain is crying!"
Downstairs at the law firm, Jeff escorts Britta, Shirley and Pierce out of the party. Abed, Annie and Troy then arrive and show Jeff the evidence they obtained. Jeff looks at a copy of the e-mail Alan sent but tells them it doesn't matter since backstabbing at his law firm is to be expected. He then repeats what he told Ted: Alan may not be likeable but he's a good lawyer. Jeff tells them he appreciates them all caring but he can't afford to care himself if he wants to return to the law firm someday. He wishes them good luck at the Pop-and-Lock-a-thon and tells them he'll see them later. Jeff makes his way back to the party and finds Alan who tells him that Ted just promoted him to partner.



2X2 Annie's backup plan
Annie's backup plan to get Jeff to return to the study group.
Alan decides to thank Jeff by revealing who it was at the firm that blew the whistle on him. Jeff doesn't show his disappointment when Alan lies and places the blame on somebody else. Back at the Pop-and-Lock-a-ton, the study group arrives and Troy takes over for an exhausted Chang who collapses onto the floor. Jeff then makes a surprise appearance and joins Troy on the dance floor. He explains to the group that while the law firm is where he wants to work, being here with them is where he wants to be. After hearing this, the others rush the dance floor for a group hug. It ends up getting them disqualified from the competition and provokes a delirious Chang into laughing maniacally for all his efforts being wasted.



The Puppet Master
Abed and Jeff demonstrate the Puppet master.

End tag[]

Abed tricks Troy into believing that a tunnel he painted on a wall is really a doorway to a cartoon reality. Community_-_"You_have_to_believe_Troy"_-_Abed_and_Troy

Recurring themes[]

Continuity[]

Continuity lists
Narrative
Recurring or debuting plot points in this episode:
  • History lesson:
    • Jeff's past as a lawyer is explored, and the details behind his disbarment are revealed. Annie mentions her past N.A. meetings.
    • Jeff's middle name is revealed as Tobias in the letter to the state bar.
  • Winger speech: Jeff uses his powers of persuasion to convince Ted that Alan deserves to be a partner at the law firm.
  • Discontinuity: In the Season One episode "Advanced Criminal Law", Troy is smart enough to see through Abed's elaborate prank. In this episode end tag, he easily falls for a prank Abed pulls on him, believing that Abed has crossed over into the cartoon realm.
  • Middle Eastern Magic 8 Ball: When he bumps in to his former colleague at Greendale, Jeff initially lies and claims to be a teacher. This comes to fruition in Season Five, most notably the episode "Introduction to Teaching".
  • Discontinuity When Jeff is discussing the lawyer in his childhood custody case, he says that the lawyer's car was a Mercedes SLK. The SLK wasn't sold until 1996, by which point Jeff would have been in his twenties.
People
Recurring or debuting characters in this episode:
Places
Recurring or debuting places in this episode:
Things
Recurring or debuting items in this episode:
  • School uniform: The study group wears matching dance crew jackets as members of the "Heather Pop and Locklears".

Running gags[]

List of Running gags
Recurring or debuting running gags in this episode:
  • Annie's Boobs: Upon the group's arrival, Alan greets Annie's boobs directly. Later, when Annie complains about only being used as bait and a distraction, Troy and Abed can't stop looking at her chest, resulting in her angrily storming off.
  • Biggest laugh of the night!:
    • Ted shows off the hole in his hand by dropping an olive through it. He later shakes Jeff's hand which causes a loud "pop" sound to be heard.
    • Pierce tries to casually pick up a glass of champagne and ends up knocking over several other glasses.
    • When Annie chloroforms the janitor and knock him out, Troy jumps over his unconscious body and later trips over it while fleeing.
  • Gay, he's so gay!: When Jeff misses a few study group meetings because of Alan, Troy asks what Alan has that they don't. Pierce says a butt for Jeff's wiener.
  • Like an evil genie: Jeff says he talks about a lot of things that annoy him. The Dean accosts the study group almost immediately.
  • Mad or hungry?: Abed describes Jeff not smiling as "your mouth isn't curved upwards" and asks why.
  • Nice outfit: Dean wears Lederhosen in celebration of Oktoberfest.
  • That's you: Britta tries to do an impression of Jon Stewart but Chang recognizes it as Stewart's impression of Johnny Carson.

Pop culture references[]

List of Pop culture references
References to popular culture in this episode:
  • IMDb: Abed mentions the 1980 film Bad Influence when describing the effect Alan has on Jeff.
  • Name that tune:
  • Product placement: Troy mentions that Go-Gurt is actually just yogurt.
  • Shout out:
  • TV Guide: Yo Gabba Gabba is sarcastically mentioned by Jeff when he questions the study group's assertion that Alan was responsible for his disbarment.
  • Use your allusion:
    • A post it note saying Smashmouth can be seen on the computer Abed and Troy use to find Alan's email likely referring to the 90's pop rock band Smash Mouth.
    • Alan calls Jeff "Tango", and Jeff calls him "Sundance", references to the movies Tango and Cash and Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.
    • The Dean, displeased by Ben's maniacal laughter, says "He's bringing us down...can we move him?" a reference the The Beach featuring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Trivia[]

  • Teams at the "Pop and Locktober Fest" include the Study Group's team the "Heather Pop and Locklears", the "Poppy Lockstockings", "Papa Don't Lock", "Pop and Locksmiths" and several other teams.

Quotes[]

You know what a therapist calls this kind of relationship?Jeff
A goldmine.Pierce
Co-dependent. You guys don't want me to be happy, you want me to need you. It's getting a little claustrophobic. I used to run full-speed through the boundless wilderness and now I'm in the zoo...where the horizon is wall-paper and the air is stale and nothing is ever at stake.Jeff
In other words, we're not cool.Britta
I never said it. You may have heard it, I may have thought it and it may be true, but I never said it.Jeff
Annie, go back and keep lookout.Troy
Why me, lookout? Why not you guys?Annie
If someone comes up, Kanye and Kumar get taken to jail. You get taken to dinner.Troy
You guys, I'm the smartest one in this whole group and all ive been used for is bait and distraction. [noticed Troy and Abed staring at her bouncing chest] Ugh! Go on your stupid mission. I hope it sucks.Annie
What did she say?Troy
I don't know.Abed
All I heard was "suck."Troy
My whole brain is crying!Troy
Guys, guys! Do you know I actually have a civil case against the bitch that stole my husband?Shirley
Shirley, don't sue a stripper.Jeff
Why not?Shirley
She's a stripper, life sued her and she lost!Jeff
Jealous because we're fitting in with your cool friends?Pierce
No, I'm distracted watching you mutate. Britta, you're not a whore. Shirley, Jesus turned the other cheek he didn't garnish wages. Pierce, do I even need to say this? It is bad to hunt man for sport.Jeff
Bad ass!Pierce
Season Two Episodes

1. "Anthropology 101"
2. "Accounting for Lawyers"
3. "The Psychology of Letting Go"
4. "Basic Rocket Science"
5. "Messianic Myths and Ancient Peoples"
6. "Epidemiology"
7. "Aerodynamics of Gender"
8. "Cooperative Calligraphy"
9. "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design"
10. "Mixology Certification"
11. "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas"
12. "Asian Population Studies"

13. "Celebrity Pharmacology 212"
14. "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons"
15. "Early 21st Century Romanticism"
16. "Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking"
17. "Intro to Political Science"
18. "Custody Law and Eastern European Diplomacy"
19. "Critical Film Studies"
20. "Competitive Wine Tasting"
21. "Paradigms of Human Memory"
22. "Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts"
23. "A Fistful of Paintballs"
24. "For A Few Paintballs More"

Community Season Two DVD

Season OneSeason TwoSeason ThreeSeason FourSeason FiveSeason Six
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