Community - Basic Genealogy, 1.18

Basic Genealogy was not as laugh-out-loud funny as last week's Physical Education, but it offered ample character and relationship development. I thought Katherine McPhee was a surprisingly adept actor, and I liked how her storyline affected Jeff Winger's too-cool-for-school exterior.

Things I liked:

• The Dean's farewells to Senor Chang and his Jewish rabbi brother (in full garb, for whatever reason)
• This week's pairings worked well - Troy and Britta, Jeff and Pierce (with a little Annie), Shirley and Abed. Not a lot of group interaction, which is usually what brings the laughs.
• I personally adore Jeff and Annie together. It was nice to see it taken seriously here, and how their relationship has grown.
• Likewise, I love Troy and Britta. I think their last storyline together was the interpretive dance episode, and I've wanted to see them interact more ever since.
• Pierce and his ex-stepdaughter plot reminded me of when 30 Rock's Tracy Jordan met his fake son and wrote him checks. Jeff/Liz Lemon confront Pierce/Tracy about what they think is exploitation, only to find they already know.
• Loved the Human Being and Little Human Being, and Starburns and his kid.
• Glad Prof. Slater broke up with Jeff. I never liked her since she got in the way of Mer and Der on Grey's.
• Was nice to see Jeff cry on Pierce's shoulder! We've never seen that side of Jeff before, and of course it was hilarious.