BWW Recap: Time for 'Basic RV Repair and Palmistry' on COMMUNITY

Wow, what an episode, or should I say, what a bottle episode. "Basic RV Repair and Palmistry" was about the study group going to sell a 19 foot fiber glass hand tied to the roof of Elroy's RV. A hand that the Dean impulse bought much to Frankie's dissatisfaction. However, this episode wasn't about a hand, but a very meta look at the show, which could potentially be nearing an end.

The central theme of "Palmistry" is Abed. Abed tries to flash back to "Three Weeks Earlier" since the "the episode" started not at the beginning. However not everyone enjoys Abed's reality, or lackof one, where their lives are a television show. Jeff even yells at one point, "I'm sick of it! It's a show. It's not a show. It's your show. It's my show. It's a good show. It's a bad show. I'm sick of it. I don't want to hear the word 'show' again." Abed's attempt to solve everything using show format does cause for a very dfiferent structure.

The episode was less about the RV running out of gas/battery, and more about the members of the group themselves: the Dean who tries so hard to make Greendale better, in his own crazy way (I mean a hand? "Give your brain a hand"??); Frankie, who just wants everyone to be happy and everything to go as planned; Jeff, who still struggles with himself and his compassion towards others, especially Abed; and Abed, who, like I said before, struggles immensely with seperating television with reality. With the fate of the show unknown, and with Ken Jeong and Paget Brewster signed on to other shows, COMMUNITY seems to be addressing itself in the show. The uncertainty of the futures of the study group mirrors the uncertainity in the show.

The more this season has progressed, the more I have come to absolutely adore Paget Brewster's Frankie. She is caring and strong and confident. Her ability to help Abed save the day was incredibly sweet. She cares about Abed, and about all of them, and is willing to do anything to help them succeed and feel better (steel drums anyone?) In contrast, Jeff has yet to see the error in his ways, trying to use force to make Abed "act normal." He believes Abed is lying and enjoys what he's doing, whereas Frankie can recognize that Abed feels alienated and needs to be treated differently. She knows that he is different, but she also knows that doesn't make him any less important or sane. She treats Abed with respect and uses his own ways to help him to succeed, and I think that is an incredibly important thing to show to viewers. Frankie realizes that Abed isn't going to be changed, unlike Jeff who believes that he can be fixed with enough slaps and force. I really hope Paget Brewster returns if the show is back for a 7th season (or a movie), because her character has become immensely important to the show.

I really enjoy bottle episodes because, although supporting characters are absent and they tend to be not as funny, they always do a great job of making things feel fast and interesting and heartfelt. I have always related to Abed, and his inability to accept change, so his speech at the end of this episode was very touching. Thanks to Frankie, who convinced Abed he was sent from the future and in the flashback already, Abed was able to coax the Dean out of the RV with his speech about what the hand truly meant. He told the Dean that the hand is a reminder that we need to hold on and let go equally, because if we do one more than the other, we lose both. That speech affected me, as someone who has a hard time letting go. I think that speech can even apply to the show itself, since most of us have had difficulty letting go of COMMUNITY and admitting it will come to an end soon. Through all of the changes the show has had and all of the uncertainity, us fans stuck by it, and it will be a very difficult goodbye.

Finally, before I finish, I have to say that the show has delievered yet another incredible tag. A man who wanted a giant hand as a way to make up for the son that he lost due to giving him a too-big kite? Brilliant.

Favorite Quotes from "Basic RV Repair and Palmistry":

-Elroy: "I will drive my house off a cliff!"

-The Dean: "I've never seen anything like it--the needle is invisible!"

-Annie: "Abed, we're all on your side, so if you're also on your side, it seems petty."

-Elroy: "There is a bright side to this, most conventional weapons don't require electricity."

-The Dean: "I'm an adult, and you can't make me not cry!"

-Jeff: "What's wrong with me if that's hot."

-Elroy: "I'd be lying if i said i didn't poop."

-Wife from Tag: "I'm going to walk the dog and eventually leave you."

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Make sure to leave your comments/favorite moments below, or tweet me at @k8linmilligan! I'll see you next time as I recap the newest episode of COMMUNITY, only on Yahoo! Screen!

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