I knew it wouldn’t last. After Jeff finally committed to his professor girlfriend, she dumped him. But I wish Community would have explained why, instead of just dropping the relationship.

Anyway, it was family day at Greendale College, and I was admittedly stoked for the episode. Relatives are always fun fodder, and have potential to be scene-stealing guest stars – remember when Elaine Stritch showed up on 30 Rock as Jack’s mother?

Last night it was American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee as Pierce’s ex step-daughter, who was grifting the bespectacled dolt out of serious cash. I almost didn’t recognize her, what with her short blond bob.

Jeff hooked up with her on a rebound, but I was totally creeped out by Pierce’s attempt to bed her. Ew. Just ew. And the way things ended, with her refusing to give up her sugar daddy for Jeff, it looks like it was a one-off episode for McPhee.

I was intrigued by Jeff offering to be Pierce’s wingman as a favour to Annie – last we heard, she was dating Britta’s ex but we haven’t seen that storyline continue since. Are there still sparks between them? Their kiss during the debate probably left some lingering feelings …

The rest of the relatives were oddball treats, but none were really standouts – Señor Chang’s brother Rabbi Chang, Shirley’s nightmarish sons. But where was Annie’s family – the show didn’t explain that either.

I didn’t get the storyline with Troy’s old-school, mean grandma wanting to give Britta the switch at all. How weird is it that she wanted to be thrown over the old lady’s lap with her pants pulled down just to prove that Troy’s nana wasn’t as bad as he said?

There was a nice “awww” moment when Shirley’s sons dressed up in Abed’s sister’s burka so she could experience freedom by jumping in the bouncy castle, and was a bonding moment for Shirley and Abed too.

This episode he seemed to reign in his pop culture references and just played it relatively straight. His dad, though, seemed to be back to his old hardassed self after the breakthrough he had with Abed earlier in the season.

OTHER NOTES
• I totally thought Pierce was drawing a Nazi sign in the Pictionary tournament, not an innocent windmill
• Señor Chang getting into fisticuffs with Pierce over the “Nazi sign”
• Jeff showed rare vulnerability to Pierce when he broke down about his breakup with the prof

Thoughts? melissa@tvguide.ca or sound off below

Community airs Thursdays, 8 p.m. ET, Citytv/NBC.



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