Community (TV Series) Epidemiology (2010) User Reviews

A New Cult Comedy Halloween Classic

[pfeiferlj · 10/10 · 3 November 2013]

Zombies munching to ABBA? I knew this episode was a cult classic the minute I saw it.

"Epidemiology" (S2/E6) turns zombie clichés into pop culture fodder and never. lets. up. Seriously; every actor in this episode has more than one memorable quote.

Greendale Community College faces a "ZOMBIE ATTAAAAACK" that results in the need for "a leeeetle baby quarantine." Unfortunately there is no escape for our heroes, who must fight the zombies and avoid getting' bitten (except, of course, for those who think they're immune because they're "special.")

I'm waiting for a TV station to play this one episode in a loop some Halloween. I'll be sitting on the couch with friends eating a big bowl of hot buttered "Echo Tango X-Ray 9-9-7."

Best. Episode. Ever

[herberttheninjasack · 10/10 · 5 September 2013]

What made this episode for me was the ABBA soundtrack. As someone who listened to nothing but ABBA until age 10, it was not only a nice throwback but it made the episode completely hilarious. It just seemed to fit into the storyline so awkwardly perfectly (along with the occasional recitation from the dean's shopping list.

Not only that, after doing some research I realized this episode aired just days before the series premiere of The Walking Dead, and Jeff looks suspiciously like Rick in this episode... I noticed a few other parallels, but that one was pretty surprising considering the timeline of when the episodes came out.

In honor of "Community"- a review of every episode. (S2;E06- "Epidemiology")

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 10/10 · 19 May 2017]

(This is the thirty-first installment in an ongoing series. I am in the process of writing brief reviews of each and every episode of creator Dan Harmon's beloved cult-comedy series "Community." This project was originally conceived as a response to NBC's cancellation of the series before its renewal on Yahoo's streaming service. As this is a hobby, updates will come incrementally and it may take some time for me to complete this.)

Well, this was certainly unexpected. And yet, very welcome.

But seriously... who'd have thought that such a ridiculous idea as having a zombie-attack on Greendale's Campus set to the rocking beats of ABBA could have worked so well? (Outside of Dan Harmon, of course.) This episode really snuck up on me the first time I saw it back in 2010. It came out of nowhere and struck like a viper, leaving me completely flabbergasted by just how incredible it turned out despite such a ludicrous premise. And it has since gone down as perhaps my favorite Halloween themed sitcom episode of all time. It's just so crazy. Even by "Community" standards. And yet, it works. By god... it works!

It's Halloween at Greendale Community College as the study-group attends a themed dance in costume. But not everything is well. Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed (Danny Pudi) are having disagreements about their costumes, as Troy feels he looks to much like a geek to attract girls. Jeff's (Joel McHale) seemingly-perfect "rival" Rich (Greg Cromer) has returned. And it looks like Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) got the party supplies- including a suspicious "taco-dip"- from an unlikely source... a military surplus store! Soon enough the stage is set, as Pelton's poor choices in a party-supplier starts to turn all the students who ate the "taco-dip" into ravenous, flesh-craving zombies! And thus, the study-group must contend with their carnivorous classmates and try to survive a quarantine until the army arrives! And worst of all... the Dean's all-ABBA Halloween playlist is stuck on repeat over the loudspeakers.

Through and through, this is one of the finest "concept episodes" in the history of the series. A send-up to all things horror and zombie-related, the episode has a great sense of broad humor that supplies near-endless laughs, in addition to some genuinely thrills and chills along the way. From a laugh-out-loud sequence poking fun of the trope of the "false jump-scare" to a tense and thrilling climax that I will not spoil, the episode is expertly written by scribe Karey Dornetto and very well-helmed by director Anthony Hemingway. It's never too serious as to lose its silliness, but also never too silly that it loses a real sense of threat. It really is the perfect satire of horror and makes for a phenomenal Halloween episode that's never anything less than completely hilarious and engaging.

The cast is at the top of their game, and it's a pleasure to see the return of characters like Rich. He's one of the funnier supporting parts thus far, and it's a joy having him back. There's also a really fun sub-plot regarding Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Chang (Ken Jeong), whose costumes are ambiguous at best, and how they bond over the perceived racism they think they see in the other students and a really great through-line about how the army needs precisely six hours to arrive. All the small details and sub-plots lend a lot to the episode and give it some real variety. The soundtrack also plays a key role, and it's shocking how well ABBA's greatest hits compliment the screen. You won't listen to "Dancing Queen" the same way again! There's even a completely unnecessary audio-cameo by George Takei to boot! What's not to like in this episode?

"Epidemiology" really took me by surprise. I loved the first season's Halloween special, but this one blew it out of the water. If there's anything bad I can say about it, it's that it set the bar too high. It's just so perfect that while refusing to spoil them, I don't think any subsequent Halloween special was able to come close. And for that reason, I give a very well deserved 10 out of 10.

Holy crap, they've topped themselves

[Dexter_prog · 29 October 2010]

I can't believe I've just seen an episode SO damn good. Seriously, this is better than the paintball episode.

It's Halloween and everybody is dressed up, some costumes are really crazy. After some time, a virus starts spreading and everybody turns into zombies! There's SO much stuff going on. The episode is just crazy 24/7. It's joke after joke; I couldn't stop laughing.

Jeff, again, made a big part of this episode, but Abed and Troy really made a huge contribution. There's some awesome scenes with the 3 of them, like the scene in the basement with the crazy cat. I swear I laughed so hard I cried.

Seriously, go watch this episode if you have not already seen it. And remember, this show is gonna be a classic, if it isn't one already

Watching it now, second best episode so far!

[Br4ve-trave1or · 10/10 · 27 May 2018]

I know its may 2018 and I'm recieving community having making my way through the second season now but it's the most fun I've ever had since The office and arrested development.

Since I watch Brooklyn 99 constantly, I know how big of a theme Halloween episodes are and even dating back to The office.

But THIS, not only is the second best concept episode, but it comes close to s1 ep23 modern warfare! Actually, to be fair they're tied because of the zombie tropes and making it soooooo original. By this point I'm the show, I'm noticing every episode connects to a homage and/or pop culture, something I've never seen.

But this breaks the rules by its brilliance! It actually makes this episode get away with being silly but not silly enough to ruin it and make it seem like the best rendition of a zombie outbreak and settled within 30 minutes. The best wink was Troy making it to the end alive! Or when the two bromance turn they give each other dabs to show even walking dead their true friends.

It all starts with a taco meat number that the "bus and truck stop" Dean says over the phone and it affected the school and guess who's the first one to show signs. Hes the one who looks ridiculous in his star trek costume.

The best quote from Troy as he goes to save it and sees the turned Jeff coolly standing against a wall stabbing randomly into his cell phone and Troy says, "Jeff still cool as a zombie, figures." Jess responds by saying, "Maaaaaa"

Its non stop balls to wall and the whole time you think I've never seen something this superbly captured and executed. Season 2 started out a little slow compared to the rapid fire episodes of season 1, but seems to be gaining its traction

And of course Rich was brought back dressed as a banana that Pierce made a point part of it sticking up. I loved this episode and I rate very strictly usually an 8 for great and none for amazing. This one gets the first 10 since modern warfare.

The movie references are so attractive to this show. How come community was never advertised to me explaining that it's a series that's a creative force and separates it from any comedy ever, that has you thinking of theories of a bigger picture going on with abbed being that this is how he sees life.

The simulator episode was for him a apollo 13 moment. Theres so many references that I cant stand it. It's one if the reasons I love Brooklyn 99 because of the pop culture.

This show was massively marketed wrong sending the wrong message because I make it my job to watch the best seasons and I always assumed this was something entirely different never hearing anyone explain the pure genius involved. Doby believe me watch modern warfare and this episode!

Epidemiology

[kieronspiteri · 10/10 · 29 April 2022]

As a sitcom and horror fanatic , I absolutely love this episode. From the zombies to the ABBA music playing in the episode its everything I wanted to see in a sitcom episode.

Halloween

[safenoe · 10/10 · 17 January 2022]

Epidemiology has spiked in Google trends since 2020 and this 2010 Community episode has to be one of the best for sure. The dynamics between Shirley and Chang, Troy and Abed, the rest of Greendale is to behold for sure.

This was the second of four Community Halloween episodes.

Six seasons and a movie please.

Loved this, just improbable

[ItsEmaBitch · 6/10 · 18 September 2021]

As someone who loves every show there is that includes zombies, this is by far the coolest plot-so I loved this. But, zombies shouldn't have a place in this show, it just messes with the fact that this should be somewhat based in reality. If this was some of the characters imagination, a dream or something like that I would be fine with it. But the fact that that government guy wanted to kill them all, they were all zombies and then somehow lowering the temperature cured them and their memory was erased... It just doesn't belong in this show which I truly find great.

One of the Lesser Episodes

[giantpanther · 5/10 · 27 March 2012]

In principle this episode is okay as far as jokes provided, but I just have a problem with the general principle in the over-arching community storyline that this episode causes. This show does get wacky, and over-exaggerates a lot of the groups experiences, the paintball episode could be an example as could the mafia chicken fingers spoof but both of those episodes worked for me because they didn't go too far.

This episode's weakness lies in the fact that we really have to buy that they all got a horrible zombie virus and then got their memories of the evening erased. That was just taking it too far for me, I still want to believe that Community is based somewhat in reality. I like to think that for all of the absurdity the plot and characters of community are based in at least a semi-reality. This zombie episode kind of squashed that for me, I almost have to ignore it in the larger community plot line.

Okay, they all get turned into zombie's, biting each other, the dean sees this all go down but then later doesn't care. The memory erasing, it was all a little too far. And some would argue that the paintball episodes of season one and two surely cross some lines, paint splattered everywhere, the society and culture rapidly falling apart and mini towns being set up like Pierce's wild west. But in that case I own that up to the fact that when you are playing paintball you really do allow that element of absurdity into your mind where you do think you are in a sort of war-zone and everything is over-dramatized.

I really like this show, just not every episode, but most of the episodes are great, and the characters are hilarious. I am definitely on board as someone who is actively participating in keeping this show on the air for as long as possible. But this particular episode I almost have to choose to forget because I find it out of place with the feel of the show.

Community Favorites

[grahamisaweirdo · 7 May 2020]

#3/10

I love this episode so much it's hilarious and so absolutely random and I love how there are zombies in this universe and after this it's never mentioned again. It's handled in such a great way.

Why did he call me?

[anarchistica · 6/10 · 23 August 2022]

It's a basic zombie movie condensed into 20 minutes. Not very creative or interesting or even funny. The few good jokes (Shatner, key phrase, Troy's quote above) are just enough for me to give it a pass.