TV Review: Community Finale 3.20, 3.21 & 3.22

NBC rounded off season 3 of their best sitcom with a triple bill, ‘Digital Estate Planning’, ‘The First Chang Dynasty’ and ‘Introduction to Finality’.

By Dave Harvey / May 22, 2012

3.20 Digital Estate Planning

rating: 4.5

Pierce takes the study group to one of his fathers warehouses, expecting some inheritance money but is greeted by his fathers assistant of 30 years, Gilbert, who the study group scream at as he announces himself out of nowhere. Or maybe because it was played by Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bads (former) big bad Gus. Gilbert informs them that in order for Pierce for gain his inheritance, they must all play a video-game that Cornelius Hawthorne helped develop 30 years ago out of spite when Pierce said that video-games were the future. The study group are in, I defy anyone not to be enticed by those gaming booths. The episode then takes off from the opening titles which served as the introduction to the game, Journey to the Center of Hawkthorne, with each character each having their own 8-bit avatar, and the majority of the episode portrayed in game play mode, so immediately nostalgic for anyone over 20. They once again hit the nail on the head with this one, perfectly capturing what its like to play video games with a group of friends, highlights being Pierce spending the first few minutes running against a wall, confused, and Troy just hitting jump. A scary Cornelius head descends on them early on to say the first person to make it to the Hawkthorne throne will win Pierces inheritance. The group decide to work together to help win Pierce his money, but a 7th player, Gilbert, has his eyes on the prize. Gilbert also informs them of the complexity of the game, which gives way to many of the episodes outlandish jokes, namely Annie and Shirley trying to hide the body of a blacksmith Annie accidently murdered, before Shirley kills his wife and then both hiding the evidence by burning the house down. Britta Brittad it again when trying to console Pierce and killing him, I guess theres no hug button. Abed finds love in the form of Hilda, the Blacksmiths daughter, because its the first girl he is able to understand, not to mention the topics she is able to discuss, Holy crap, where have you been my whole life? Abed decides to stay with Hilda to help rebuild her life after her family are murdered. When the study group return they see Abed has hacked into the programming and built an empire, as well as having thousands of children with Hilda, which the study group use to attack Gilbert, who reveals himself to be Corneliuss bastard son and Pierces half brother. The episode had a poignant ending, with the study group deciding to let Gilbert win after all the crap he had taken from his racist father for over 30 years, and Pierce is happy enough knowing he has a brother, which is what hes always wanted. It was a much needed episode for Pierce, who had been largely ignored the second half of the season as the foolish/racist old man. Heres hoping Chevy Chase returns next season, which is more likely now Harmon has been fired. Next episode review below;