Created by Dan Harmon, Community premiered in 2009. At launch it was easy to think it was just another quirky NBC sitcom about misfits at a community college. But it was so much more. Over its six seasons the show delivered some genuinely groundbreaking television moments and perfectly balanced pop culture homages. It cemented itself as a genre-bending, fourth-wall-breaking, heart-filled cult classic. And it still feels ahead of its time today.
Community is loaded with brilliant, bizarre, and beloved episodes, many of which redefined what a sitcom could do. From paintball wars to parallel timelines, whether you’re a longtime fan or traversing the halls of Greendale Community College for the first time, there’s something for everyone. And we’re here to try and narrow those things down to the 10 best episodes of Community.
10) “Basic Rocket Science” (Season 2, Episode 4)
If Community was known for anything, it was its knack for parody. In this space adventure spoof, the study group’s mission is to launch Greendale Community College’s space program back into orbit, quite literally. But it all begins to feel a little too real when they find themselves trapped inside their Kentucky Fried Chicken-branded simulator rocket. A ruse orchestrated by their rivals at City College.
But far from mocking the space story genre, “Basic Rocket Science” is a love letter to some classic space movies and NASA biopics like Apollo 13. There’s absurdity like the simulator being equipped with an onboard computer system named S.A.N.D.E.R.S. (Systematic Android Network Diode Energy Rocket Systems). Pierce also gets disoriented in zero gravity. Then there’s added emotional depth when Troy steps up as a leader.
This episode gives us a clear sense that the show was taking a massive creative leap. Series creator Dan Harmon credited this episode with helping Community find its identity as more than a conventional sitcom, and as such deserves a spot on this list.
9) “Digital Estate Planning” (Season 3, Episode 20)
When Pierce’s inheritance is called into question, the study group is thrust into a high-stakes, 8-bit video game world designed by Pierce’s late father, Cornelius. This was designed to be a final test of worthiness for Pierce. The episode cleverly blends retro video game aesthetics with Community’s signature character-driven humor, offering a nostalgic tribute to classic gaming. Each member of the group navigates the pixelated landscape, facing digital enemies and moral challenges that reveal deeper truths about loyalty, legacy, and friendship. With its inventive animation, sharp writing, and layered storytelling, the episode stands out as one of the show’s most imaginative and emotionally resonant genre experiments.
This episode was the very last to be filmed for Season 3 before wrapping, and unfortunately it ended in a slightly sour note, due to a heated exchange between creator Dan Harmon and Chevy Chase. There was, in fact, meant to be a whole other scene shot for the end credits. It would have had Abed gifting Pierce a modded copy of the game on a flash drive. In the mod, the virtual version of Pierce would have been playing ball with a giant head of his father, with Cornelius congratulating Pierce every time. Pierce would have then turned to hug Abed as a way of saying thanks. It would have been a pivotal emotional scene to close the episode. But, Chevy Chase refused to shoot it, claiming he was too tired.
8) “Contemporary American Poultry” (Season 1, Episode 21)
Hailed as the moment that Community clicked into legendary territory all because of a chicken fingers heist. Inspired by the mafia classic Goodfellas, the gang seizes control of Greendale’s cafeteria chicken fingers supply.
“Contemporary American Poultry” reimagines Greendale’s cafeteria as the site of an underground chicken finger racket — and Abed as its criminal mastermind taking on his own mob-boss persona. The Scorsese-style voiceovers and slow-motion food shots are pitch-perfect, while the emotional core (Abed using the scheme to feel connected to his friends) adds surprising depth.
7) “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” (Season 2, Episode 14)
In this fan-favorite episode, the group plays a tense game of Dungeons & Dragons to save a fellow student from despair. Tackling inclusion, bullying, and friendship, the episode is simultaneously hilarious, deeply touching, and creatively ambitious. Despite the name, no dice were shown on screen. But the stakes felt real.
“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” is the kind of episode that makes Community special. The show has a real talent for using the framework of a pop culture subject — in this case the iconic tabletop RPG — to explore deep and meaningful themes of depression and empathy, and this episode is a prime example. The group rallies to help “Fat Neil,” and what starts as a game becomes a deeply emotional journey.
While the episode has faced controversy and was briefly removed from streaming services due to a particularly controversial character moment with Chang, it remains one of the most innovative uses of format and storytelling the series ever pulled off.
6) “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (Season 2, Episode 11)
Claymation. Existentialism. Christmas. Everything you need for a great Holiday Special. “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” dives deep into the inner world of Abed Nadir, reimagining the group in Rankin/Bass-style stop-motion as he processes his loneliness during the holidays. What could’ve been a gimmick ends up delivering one of the show’s most poignant messages about friendship and belief.
An emotional and visually stunning holiday special, many fans marveled at how Harmon and company pulled this off on a network sitcom with a 21-minute runtime. By the end of the episode, even the most skeptical of viewers can’t help but shed a tear watching the blend of comedy, drama, and whimsy beautifully unfold.
5) “Cooperative Calligraphy” (Season 2, Episode 8)
The iconic “bottle episode”, “Cooperative Calligraphy” is one of the series’ most tightly written episodes. The entire thing takes place within the study room with the whole gang stuck in there, desperately searching for Annie’s missing pen. Perfectly paced with razor-sharp dialogue, it’s a comedic masterclass showcasing the chemistry of the ensemble cast as their characters. It’s proof that Community didn’t need anything more than one room to deliver greatness. Abed even acknowledges the trope: “This is the bottle episode.”
4) “Modern Warfare” (Season 1, Episode 23)
The paintball episode that started it all. Directed by Justin Lin of Fast Five and Star Trek Beyond fame, “Modern Warfare” takes the simple premise of a campus-wide paintball game and turns it into a full-blown action movie homage to films like Die Hard. From John Woo-style slow motion to over-the-top standoffs, it became the blueprint for every high-concept episode to follow and set the expectation bar high for every other paintball episode. It perfectly blended action movie clichés and comedic timing. The episode was not only hilarious but groundbreaking, becoming one of the series’ defining moments.
3) “Pillows and Blankets” (Season 3, Episode 14)
Framed like a Ken Burns war documentary, “Pillows and Blankets” documents the full-blown war between Troy and Abed after a disagreement over their homemade fort escalates into chaos and a campus-wide civil war.
Narrated with an overly dramatic flair and scored to somber music, this episode turns a simple squabble into a war of ideologies — and somehow makes it hilarious. It’s a brilliant example of Community’s ability to elevate the mundane into myth. Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, the mockumentary style perfectly highlights the show’s originality and humor.
2) “For a Few Paintballs More” (Season 2, Episode 24)
Season 2’s paintball finale was an event. “For a Few Paintballs More” is the follow up to “A Fistful of Paintballs” with an all-out Wild West mixed with Star Wars-style battle between Greendale students and invading forces from City College.
This episode doesn’t just deliver on action and genre nods, it also deepens the group’s bonds and gives us key moments like Jeff rallying the troops, Pierce’s complicated sendoff, and stormtrooper-esque enemies getting hilariously dunked on. Packed with thrilling action, clever comedy, and dramatic character beats, it’s a legendary showdown that epitomizes Community’s unique storytelling.
1) “Remedial Chaos Theory” (Season 3, Episode 4)
Arguably the most celebrated Community episode, “Remedial Chaos Theory” is like Marvel’s What If, but set around a group of community college students. Brilliantly structured and endlessly rewatchable, this episode encapsulates everything fans adore about Community—wit, heart, and boundless creativity.
The plot is deceptively simple: the group rolls a die to decide who goes to get the pizza. But with each roll, we get to explore seven parallel timelines that all show how the smallest change can send huge ripples through the dynamics of the group.
Whether it’s the infamous “Darkest Timeline” (complete with standard evil goatees) or Troy discovering a fire while getting the pizza, the episode is packed with Easter eggs, callbacks, and gifable moments. The concept of the “Darkest Timeline” from this episode even influenced future storylines. And its innovative structure and character exploration earned it Emmy and Hugo Award nominations.
The post The 10 Best Episodes of NBC’s Community appeared first on ComicBook.com.
