Community Season 3 Episode 8 Recap: Documentary Filmmaking: Redux
Dean Pelton shows the study group the old television commercial that promotes Greendale college and lets them know he has received $2,000 to make a new commercial. The dean tells the gang he has chosen them to star in the commercial with him as the director. Abed refuses to be in the commercial, instead choosing to make a documentary of the making of the commercial and making Dean Pelton uncomfortable in the process.
Dean Pelton begins with a stripped down script that seems almost as hokey as the original. Pierce wants star treatment, demanding that he get a trailer and unless his demands are met he will not play the insignificant role he has been assigned in the commercial. Annie is the script girl who doesn’t totally appreciate her working title, preferring to be referred to as an assistant. Shirley is the single mother giving advice to new students, while Troy and Britta are sharing a hug showing how new students can make friends.
Jeff has been cast as Dean Pelton and nails him perfectly, complete with short sleeve shirt and tie, mincing movements, high voice, and bald cap. Dean Pelton thinks Jeff is brilliant in the role, upsetting Jeff who was hoping to insult Dean Pelton by his impersonation and thereby getting out of the commercial. Jeff convinces Dean Pelton to film his scenes in front of the statue in honor of actor Luis Guzman, who attended Greendale college. Jeff knows if word gets out to Guzman’s agent that the statue of his likeness is being filmed without his permission it will halt production, and Jeff knows just the Dean Pelton impersonator to leak the news. Jeff’s plan backfires when Luis Guzman calls Dean Pelton and agrees to be in the commercial.
Dean Pelton begins to get so involved in the commercial the few days it takes to film grows into two weeks and goes over budget. Dean Pelton decides his dean character should have a full head of hair and fires Jeff when Jeff refuses to take off his bald cap because method acting has him so into his role. Jeff runs off the set crying while Dean Pelton orders Jeff’s understudy Chang, who is wearing a blond wig, to take his place. With high profile actor Luis Guzman scheduled to be in his commercial Dean Pelton’s ego gets the best of him and he begins to order retake after retake of scenes, driving the study group crazy until they all quit.
When Guzman finally arrives to work with Dean Pelton he shows him the draft of the Greendale commercial. Guzman is horrified by the abstract, violent commercial and tells Dean Pelton he does not love Greendale. Dean Pelton melts down when he realizes he is the only person left on the set. In another movie homage Dean Pelton strips down to nothing, burns paper then marks his face with the ashes much like Colonel Kurtz from Apocolypse Now. Pelton has truly gone crazy with power.
The college board members arrive to see Dean Pelton’s commercial and the dean reluctantly puts the film in, only to see a superb commercial cut with Abed’s documentary takes and parts of Dean Pelton’s film edited perfectly together. The board members are thrilled with the new commercial and Dean Pelton thanks Abed for his help. When Dean Pelton approaches the study group to apologize they forgive him and envelope him in a group hug.
