10 Most Emotional Community Moments

The episode Re-Pilot is one of the darker ones, and though it’s all constructed around plot necessity, underneath there’s a lot going on.

Jeff sets out to be a lawyer for the little guy, but his business ends up falling apart. Shirley ultimately learned nothing at Greendale and so her sandwich business fails, while Britta ditches therapy to become a bartender. Abed is programming but feels hollow and soulless, while Troy is just drifting by.

Annie, who should have the best trajectory moving forward, is stuck in a dead-end job as a pharma rep. It’s even more crushing that she’s essentially shilling the same pills that almost ruined her life with addiction.

There’s two real emotional zingers in the episode though. In particular, Troy’s drained shrug as the once effortlessly enthusiastic and optimistic kid agrees to sue his school is heartbreaking.

Then there’s Shirley’s quietly desolate ‘Andre left me’ as the group squabble. Having started again after being cheated on, and then taking back her agency to raise her kids with him, it’s heartbreaking. Especially as this time, she brought it on herself with her failing business.