Heads up, everyone – it’s my last week of university, and I’m moving across the country to boot, so I’m overrun with exams and packing and goodbyes. As a result, some of my recaps next week might be a day or two late. This includes tonight’s Big Bang Theory, unfortunately. Sorry in advance. For now, let’s enjoy this week’s episode of Community, even as it slowly approaches its end. After a middling season, maybe they can pull off something great at the final hour.

The study group (including Pierce) are trying to figure out an idea for their history project. Britta’s psychoanalysis isn’t helping. Pierce points out he looks like a Kennedy, Annie claims that they need to take it seriously – though Jeff points out that since Cornwallis didn’t even bother to finish signing his name, he might not be paying close attention on this one. Shirley and Annie both protest that they need the mark, especially after their previous C+, to keep in the running for valedictorian. I love Yvette Nicole Brown, and she doesn’t get nearly enough moments in this series, so it’s nice to see Shirley take Annie down a peg. Finally, Annie suggests a series of banners, which Jeff approves without knowing the topic. All he needs is to pass, and he will do so with the least amount of effort, as befitting Jeffrey Winger.

Shirley shifts the conversation to Troy and Britta’s upcoming one-year anniversary. Turns out they both forgot about it (and Pierce didn’t even know they were dating). Annie suggests that they do something romantic, like go back to Senor Kevin’s for lunch. Wait, Senor...Kevin...something’s going on here. Troy takes the opportunity to announce that it’s the third anniversary of him and Abed watching Freaky Friday for the first time, which produces some muted “awwsâ€, a grin from Abed and a pained look on Britta’s part. He gleefully presents Abed with a six-pack of body-switching movies. Abed rips through the pack of films, and upon reaching the last (Freaky Friday, of course), he loudly wishes that he had Troy’s capacity for emotion. Troy, for his part, wishes that he was more like Abed with all the awesome adventures. After a shared wish to switch bodies for just – one – day (clutching the DVD the whole time), the lights start going on and off, Troy and Abed spin in a circle, and the switch is done. The security guard finishes his “routine light switch checkâ€. Troy and Abed get up from their heap to find that...nothing happened. They are still in their own bodies. Jeff makes a snarky remark. Cut to the opening credits.

In bed with Troy, Britta slowly awakens and wishes Troy a happy anniversary. Troy answers with a robotic acknowledgment – just like Abed would. Hmm. Britta is confused. Is it just me, or does Glover!Abed sound like he’s on helium? I think he’s got the mannerisms down pat, anyway, though Pudi!Troy steals the show. After all their years of working together, those two should know each other. We’ll go with TIAB (Troy in Abed’s body) and AITB (Abed in Troy’s body) to mark which one’s which, okay?

Anyway, they’re freaked out because each one has an important meeting with their study group. However, they are quickly distracted by a quick crotch check. (They’re both satisfied.)

Back with the study group, Annie explains that they’re retelling the American Revolution through banners (heck, I did weirder projects in college), and that each person is responsible for one. Yeah, know way they’ll screw this up. In her typical Type A manner, she has organized all the supplies needed – as well as an “Approval Station†where she and Shirley will decide which ones pass muster. Seriously? Jeff protests that he just wants to pass, but Annie and Shirley retort that they have to beat Leonard. Yep, everyone’s favourite hellraising curmudgeon is running for valedictorian, too, and beating them out. The rest of the study group is derisive. Just then, Troy and Abed arrive, accidentally sit in the wrong seats, and promptly switch. At the slightest of excuses, they explain their predicament. Jeff scoffs at them, and is pissed off that they’re getting in the way of his slapdash project. The problem is, they have to reconstruct the original moment to switch back, and the DVD is missing. AITB will go look for it while TIAB will take Britta on an anniversary date.

Jeff sits Annie and Shirley down and explains that they’re taking the project too seriously. Britta runs off to talk to Troy (“tell your boyfriend to talk to his boyfriend,†Jeff yells after her). Annie and Shirley are sent on a mission to find out why Leonard is leading – which seems like a kind of snipe hunt? Clever, Jeffrey. Pierce just has to stay alive – or not. After that, they will finish their doable, passable banners. The group splits.

Britta catches up with the guys in the library. Getting AITB alone, she asks what the hell is going on. AITB plays to her psychologist side. “Abed†is going through some stuff, he explains, and “really needs thisâ€. Britta decides to pencil him in for a session after the “dateâ€, and is more thrilled than ever. She is so easy to manipulate.

Jeff finds the DVD and asks the Dean to give it to Troy and Abed. He explains that they will think he bought it specifically for that purpose (he did), but coming from the Dean it will look more...organic, shall we say? As he explains just how Troy and Abed switched, the Dean grabs the DVD and declares his wish at the same time that Jeff says the words. BOOM. The light switch inspector is walking by, again, and the Dean and Jeff transform.

If there’s an MVP this episode, it is definitely Jim Rash. JITDB is absolutely believable, and hilarious to boot. Jeff is outraged and refuses to join in. Are we going to see his inner Dean emerge soon? Let’s hope so.

At Senor Kevin’s, Britta tries to coax answers about Abed from TIAB. TIAB thinks it’s because his limbs resemble popsicle sticks. He then suggests that Britta “talk to Abed†– which really does not help. The Waiter Who Hates Die Hard shows up, and challenges TIAB to a rematch. Since he is Troy, he is confused. Britta eggs him on by saying that someone who hates Die Hard is insane. TIAB insists that the waiter has the wrong guy. Britta continues to coax the guy into dissing Die Hard, in the hopes that the real Abed will be provoked. TIAB gives him a serious look – and then says that they should order. Sorry, Britta, Troy’s still in there.

Jeff confronts AITB in the hallways. At first vindicated when the man answers to “Troyâ€, his dreams are quickly dashed when AITB explains that he has to be Troy in public. Jeff hands him the DVD, but AITB gives it back, explaining that it’s the remake, which has an entirely different transformation process. A frustrated Jeff tries to trick AITB out of it by simply declaring it over, but to no avail. AITB leads him on a quest for the DVD, Jeff rolling his eyes the entire time. You’ll look back on those college days fondly, Winger.

Annie and Shirley arrive at the Dean’s office, only to be flabbergasted by the spectacle of JITDB. It is glorious. He’s working out, he’s full of himself, he’s dismissive. Someone give Jim Rash an Emmy. Annie gets all flirtatious, of course. Shirley brings them back on topic and asks to see Leonard’s transcript. They need to figure out how he can possibly be in the lead. JITDB says he won’t jeopardize the integrity of the school... “that’s what I’d be saying if I gave a crap.†(My god, he has the McHale voice down! It’s uncanny!) He grabs the transcript. Turns out Leonard got an A in Rotary Phone Maintenance decades ago, and every class since has been pass/fail, giving him a 4.0. JITDB vows to join them and bring the man down. He takes his shirt off, revealing an impressive chest, and throws it at an overcome Annie (Mad Men echo! Mad Men echo!). Shirley wonders what’s wrong with her. Annie, too, is confused.

At the restaurant, TIAB impresses Britta with his vast knowledge of her quirks. She thinks Troy must have told him, but it is Troy, so that can’t be right. She suggests that maybe it upsets Abed to hear about the relationship all the time, and maybe that’s why this whole thing happened. TIAB doesn’t think so. Abed is not “invested†in them. She asks if he tells Abed that things are good. He doesn’t know. She doesn’t know either. TIAB wonders why their anniversary isn’t more special to them. Uh-oh.

Jeff walks in on what appears to be some kind of Sherlock Holmes Club. It turns out to be “Murder Mystery Night During the Dayâ€, with various guys dressed up as famous detectives. Jeff and AITB task them with finding the DVD. They take him to the Lost and Found.

A shirtless JITDB runs angrily through the hall, closely followed by Annie and Shirley. He confronts Leonard about the transcript. The old fart makes a run for it, and JITDB declares that the job is done – now Annie and Shirley can just resent each other instead. I don’t think they bargained on that one.

At the Greendale Lost and Found, which resembles the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Jeff and AITB and one of the detectives begin their search. Jeff soon accuses AITB of knowing exactly where the DVD is, and hiding it so they could keep up the game. He pleads with him to end it. AITB declines, saying he has to keep going for Troy. It’s adorable. AITB turns back to searching, commenting that this is at least better than a date with Britta. Soon he comments on how he doesn’t understand Troy’s relationship at all. Instantly, Jeff gets it.

Britta asks TIAB how long he has felt like this. Both TIAB and AITB (intercut) talk of how Troy wanted it to be easy, and doesn’t think it should be like this – like they’re going through the motions. He doesn’t want to lose friendship. Soo...he switched bodies with Abed in order to get away with breaking up with Britta. Stay classy, guys!

Jeff admits that, even though the body switching thing was dumb, he wishes he was able to commit to a friend so completely – or to a relationship. He says there’s no shame in the end of the relationship, but Troy needs to put himself out there and end it. Anything else is cowardice.

Britta and TIAB are pretty bummed, though Britta maintains that ABED HAS TOTALLY BEEN A TERRIFIC FRIEND TO US BOTH ARE YOU LISTENING. Jeff and AITB run in. The latter declares that he knows why Abed had to go “high-conceptâ€, but that Troy’s fear is no reason to pull off this charade. He holds out the DVD. They make a wish, Jeff turns the light on and off, and everything is back to normal. This recapper is very relieved that she doesn’t have to keep track of peoples’ bodies anymore. Troy apologizes to Britta for his conduct, and asks to be her friend.

Back at Greendale, Annie laments her second-place status, but admits that the best woman won. Shirley revels in it. Abed and Troy decide the body-switching was fun, but for stupid purposes. Annie asks Britta how lunch went. Britta tells her it was good, and you can see that there is truth in it. They are met by Pierce, who got bored and did the entire project while they indulged in shenanigans. (Another way of writing Chevy Chase out? Clever.) Annie’s feathers are ruffled, but she goes to take a look anyway – and they are wonderful. Pierce says the whole thing took less than half an hour. Group 1, Annie 0. They declare an “early weekend†and are about to leave when the Dean shows up to apologize, saying “I thought I knew what it would be like to have Jeffrey inside of me.†(Tobias Funke, your long-lost twin.) Jeff isn’t putting up with it. The Dean admits that it brought out the worst in him, and manages to repeat “have Jeffrey inside of me†about six times. Okay, we got it, it would have been funnier if he’d said it once. He concludes that since he scolded Leonard, he now has to grant him three wishes. Annie and Shirley look like they’re about to keel over. Troy comments that they all need to be scolded by the Dean immediately, and they follow him out of the room. As they’re about to go, Britta grabs Troy’s hand...and hugs him. It’s honestly a really touching moment. My heart twists a little, knowing our time with this wonderful group is running out, fast. Fade out.

Closing credits: Troy and Abed do outtakes from their body switch. No, that’s not production bloopers – it’s Troy and Abed’s outtakes. Yup. Jeff gets them to shut up, only to be interrupted by the Dean, who has joined in on the outtake game. Troy and Abed tersely tell him it’s over.

Great performances and a concept that led to a necessary plot point (the break-up) in a highly creative manner. I was never feeling the Troy-Britta thing anyway, so I’m kind of glad it happened. Could have had more jokes, but all in all, it was fun. Special points for Jim Rash’s all-around excellence. Big Bang Theory recap follows tomorrow (sorry guys, exam at 8 AM), but until then, stay in your own bodies!

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