Director: Rob Schrab — Writer: Carol Kolb — Aired: 4/21/2015 —Season: Six — Number: 7 Summary: An ex-boyfriend lures Britta into Honda’s guerilla marketing campaign; Jeff wants Elroy to like him.
No, no, no! That's my sandwich name. I'm my own man now. I'm a free, reliable, quality man, named Rick.
— Rick
In the study room, the Save Greendale Committee are going over plans for the upcoming alumni dance. Next on the agenda is Chang's PowerPoint presentation, followed by Frankie's lecture on "Guerrilla Marketing". It's a sales technique that is now a problem at Greendale, evidenced by Pelton announcing his need to buy a Honda. Once the meeting ends, Elroy quickly leaves, and Chang suggests it's because he hasn't found his role in the group yet. This leads to everyone commenting on how much they miss Troy. Frankie asks why he was special, and Jeff tells her he played the steel drums. Later in the hallway, Annie warns Britta that her old boyfriend is in the school parking lot.
Chang's Power Point presentation.
Britta rushes off to see him and finds that he's still a corporate tool except this time he's working for Honda. He cuts short a presentation he was giving and reintroduces himself to Britta as "Rick". Although he claims to be here for her she realizes his main purpose is to sell his company's brand. Britta watches Rick convince Dean Pelton to upgrade a new Honda he bought for a more expensive vehicle. Despite her disgust, she ends up joining Rick in the backseat of his SUV. Over at Jeff's office, Annie and Abed tell Jeff about their plan to befriend Elroy. He accepted an invitation to join them in playing a '90s board game called "The Ears Have It". Back in the parking lot, Rick and Britta's afterglow is interrupted by Dean Pelton. Rick asks Britta to hide while he deals with Craig who just made multiple Honda purchases.
Rick and Britta are reunited.
While Rick is distracted by the "level seven susceptible", Britta exits the car and storms off. In the study room Jeff finds Annie, Abed and Chang playing a spirited game and enjoying each other's company. Elroy leaves upon his arrival which Chang points out and has Abed speculating that he doesn't like Jeff. At "The Vatican", Britta is tending bar when a customer shows up. She convinces him to buy scotch only to learn he's in cahoots with Rick who enters the bar. Rick introduces his Honda boss and proposes that Britta becomes his marketing partner. Although this will allow them to be a couple in public, Britta is reluctant to force people to buy unnecessary things. Ricks boss points out she already does this by bringing up the scotch Britta got him to buy. Britta accepts their offer and seals the deal by kissing Rick.
Rick and his boss have a proposal for Britta.
The next day the new couple are in the cafeteria and together convince Todd to consider buying a Honda. Annie, Abed, Chang and Elroy were seated at a table nearby watching the pair in amusement. When Jeff tried to join them Elroy got up to leave. Before he went, Abed gave Elroy an exclusive CD of his favorite band "Natalie Is Freezing" which Jeff makes sure to remember. Elsewhere, Frankie stops by Dean Pelton's office and finds him surrounded by an overwhelming amount of Honda products. Once Frankie scolds Pelton for his gullibility he breaks down crying and she tries to comfort him. That night, Britta brings Rick over to her parents house for dinner. Things go well until Rick starts to covertly sell George and Deb on Honda vehicles.
Frankie comforts Dean Pelton.
Back at school, the committee is finishing the Alumni dance decorations in the cafeteria. Jeff shows up and announces he booked the band "Natalie is Freezing" for the event which infuriates Elroy. He calls Jeff out on his obvious attempts to win his favor and leaves just as the band arrives. Meanwhile, Britta and Rick argue as they drive home from her parents house. She's upset he's always on the job and he's frustrated she can't understand that's who he is. Britta demands to be let out of the car and makes her way back to the Vatican for another shift. Elroy shows up for a drink at the bar and tells her their favorite band is playing at Greendale. He admits he dated the lead singer Julie which ended so poorly he hasn't let anyone close to him since. Britta sympathizes but advises him against shutting everyone out.
The not so happy couple.
Rick then appears and declares that he'll quit his job for Britta. They go to the dance where Rick overhears Frankie mentioning the Dean wanting to buy a fleet of vehicles. Over Britta's protestations, Rick leaves to do one last big score. In the Student lounge, Elroy gets some closure when he tells Julie how much she hurt him and also manages to make up with Jeff. Meanwhile, Britta finds out Rick was set up by Pelton and Frankie. As security escorts Rick off campus his Honda boss tries and fails to comfort Britta. Afterwards, the committee attends the concert and sees Frankie on stage playing the steel drums. Elroy and Jeff later share a drink at the bar as Britta sadly cleans some glasses. Somewhere far away, Rick is driving his Honda as tears fall from his eyes.
Britta is playing "The Ears Have It" with her parents, having come over for some company because she just broke up with Rick. Deb and George have difficulties in learning the rules, but once they get the hang of it, they begin to communicate with cryptic clues relating to their acquaintances, which are incomprehensible to Britta. In the end she storms out of the house.
That just happened: Natalie Is Freezing give a live performance of "Pillar of Garbage".
Britta directly mentions hallucinating one of Natalie Is Freezing's music videos in Elroy's RV as seen in "Basic Crisis Room Decorum".
Britta says she wants a non-financial reason to text her parents, implying that her relationship with them has improved since "Lawnmower Maintenance and Postnatal Care". She later brings Rick to see them and then they play The Ears Have It.
School song: Natalie Is Freezing give a live performance of "Pillar of Garbage".
Britta and Rick disagree on the quality of Avatar.
Deb mistakenly calls AvatarThe Aviator. George corrects her by calling it The Avatar.
However, Britta and Rick both love Chariots of Fire, with Rick even alluding to one of the movie's lines: "When I run, I feel His [God's] Pleasure."
Product placement: The entire episode features many Honda products.
TV Guide: An El Chavo del Ocho stuffed doll is seen in the background at the Vatican.
Use your allusion:
Rick says that "Subway" was his "sandwich name," an allusion to the historic idea of a slave name.
Britta, Rick and Todd discuss going antiquing in a Honda, which comes from a 2015 commercial for Honda Fit. It's one of the commercials shown when watching Community on Yahoo! Screen.
Up against the wall: Honda is the official sponsor of Community in Season Six.
Background check: The first scene of the episode has "GC607" written on the chalk board behind Annie and Elroy. This references the episodes production number and order in which is was aired/streamed.
The full text says "Its totally blank! Lets not mess that up unless GC607"
Everyone's a critic: Both Elroy and Frankie are compared to their predecessors, referencing the fan discussions and criticisms about the recent changes in the cast. Chang speculates that it is unclear whether Elroy is "Black Pierce", "Old Troy", or "Shirley without a big purse". Later, Elroy speculates that the song "Pillar of Garbage" is about him, echoing Pierce's reaction to the song "Pierce You're a B" that Vaughn sang in the first season. Similarly, Frankie asks what was so special about Troy, and immediately falls for Jeff's prankish answer by mistakenly learning to play the steel drums in order to fill Troy's place.
Trivia[]
In the episode Jeff's line about Troy playing the steel drums is clearly dubbed. On his Twitter account, Community creator Dan Harmon admitted the line was originally "kettle drums" and only realized the instrument in question was actually steel drums after filming was done. You can read the explanation HERE.
Frankie plays the KettleSteel drums.
Quotes[]
“Guys do you feel like Elroy doesn't like us as much as we like him and each other?”— Annie
“He probably doesn't know his role yet. Is he Black Pierce? Old Troy? Or Shirley without a Giant Purse?”— Chang
