Community welcomes Nathan Fillion - S5E6 "Analysis of Cork-Based Networking" Recap

The Save Greendale Committee is meeting and Annie welcomes Chang, their newest member. Each member receives a massive packet of Greendale's latest emergencies and Britta is angry about so much paper being wasted. They begin talking about "Bloodlines of Conquest," an HBO medieval fantasy series based on a book series (this is clearly a parody of Game of Thrones). Britta is mad about he mention of dragons because she does want spoilers, stating that she only begins watching shows when they are so popular that it no longer makes a statement. When Abed mentions the death of a character, Britta becomes angry, threatening to go ahead and read the books thereby spoiling the show's plot. Abed retorts that that is something an insane person would do. Annie assigned Abed and Britta to update the student census. Annie asks who wants to be on the decorating committee for the midterm dance happening that night. No one is interested until Annie assigns the task to herself, after which everyone offers to join in on the task. She asks everyone if they are only volunteering because they think she will do all the work and everyone lies and says no, except for Professor Buzz Hicky, whose honesty is rewarded with a seemingly easy task: re-hanging a bulletin board that fell down. The meeting is adjourned and Annie states that for every completed task, a star will be posted on the task wall. She goes to put the first task "Have a productive meeting," on the wall but her hand goes through the wall and a bird flies out. Roll opening credits.

Britta has begun reading the books and attempts to spoil the plot for Abed but is unable to do so since he is wearing some serious sound-blocking headphones. Hicky visits the janitor to obtain a drill, a few screws, and a bulletin board but the janitor only tells him that if he wants to hang a bulletin board, he will have to get a work order. Abed approaches a girl to fill out the census but tells her not to speak since he can't hear (because of his headphones). She signs back to him that she can't hear either. He asks if she is deaf and reading lips and she signs back that she is. He spouts some gibberish and tells her she is good since she couldn't understand it. He also signs gibberish to her and the girl smiles and walks off. Britta asks if he is going to have another intense burst of compatibility with a girl that they'll end up never seeing again and he replies that he can't hear her and signs "Banana."

Annie tries to come up with a theme and no one appears interested in helping with suggestions except for Chang, but Annie snaps that his last idea was "murder." Hicky comes in to tell Annie that the bulletin board is a no-go, and she gently taunts his inability to get the simple task done. He states that he knows when to walk away after a life-time of experience with red tape. The taunting continues and Hicky dares her to get it done. She accepts the challenge and slides her massive book of ideas across the table, saying that she is now on bulletin board duty. Everyone else is now in charge of the dance.

Annie and Hicky go down to visit the custodians and charms them with her knowledge of their names and facts about their lives. One puts a work order in for her and states that it should be ready within three to six months. But when she tries to bump up her placement, she insults them by not knowing the difference between janitors and custodians. Hicky tells her he expects she'll give up before being able to get the bulletin board up and she tells him game on.

Abed spots Britta spying on him as he approaches his locker. He goes to open the locker and immediately steps away as a banner drops out with a spoiler written on it. Britta is angry by her foiled plan. He signs "Nice try" to her and she tells him it isn't over. He then signs, "Sandals. Sandals," as she walks away.

Annie visits a custodian party but is turned away despite her attempt to use her knowledge of facts on one custodian's family. Hicky manages to get them in by noting that one of their possessions is not up to code. They are introduced to head custodian, Bob Waite, played by the legendary Nathan Fillion! Waite knows that they're there about the bulletin board and Waite tells them they want their porn sites unblocked at work. Annie remains determined but Hicky doesn't think it'll be worth it.

Abed meets the deaf girl again and signs, "I learned how to say this in sign language." She signs back that he learns quick and that he shouldn't forget that she can read lips but he replies each time with the same and only phrase he knows how to sign.

In the cafeteria, the rest of the gang is still trying to come up with a theme for the dance. Chang suggests the play on words: "Bear down for midterms." The gang is confused and not at all keen on the silly idea but Chang become insistent and eventually emotional, stating that he has paid for his crimes and wants to be taken seriously. He also asks if their dismissal is "a racial thing," to which they all insist that it isn't. To cease his hysterics, they agree to use his theme. They begin making decorations and despite the idea being terrible, they keep at it to keep Chang from getting emotional yet again.

Annie and Hicky meet with a woman in the IT department, and try to bribe her to unblock the porn sites for the custodians. She asks for better parking and Annie tells her that if they do this, everything must get through. When she asks what she means by everything, Annie roars back, "EVERYTHING!" They meet with a parking guy and he wants control over all the bulletin boards from the Dean. Annie and Hicky meet with the Dean who agrees to the idea on the condition that Hicky say the phrase, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy." Hicky refuses to compromise and gets in a fight with Annie. He thinks that she is compromising her integrity and she begins to feel guilty.

Abed and the deaf girl sign to each other a conversation about what Ewoks sound like.

A fellow delivers some sodas is horrified by the dance theme, telling them that a bear broke loose that morning at a kid's birthday party in Wisconsin, mauling several people. Apparently the story has been all over the news. Jeff, Shirley, and Professor are embarrassed and Chang tells them that that must have been where he got the theme from. Later, Annie joins the group to find the theme, "Fat Dog For Midterms." In an effort to salvage their mistakes, they have put bigger ears on all the bears to transform them into dogs. When she expresses confusion over the theme, the gang all employs the same tactics Change had previously used on them, including the "racial thing." She agrees to go along with the idea.

At the dance, Abed and the deaf girl are still hanging out. He signs that their day together has been great. She agrees and continues on to sign that sometimes good days can turn ugly. She compares it to a massacre that takes place on "Bloodlines of Conquest," (the massacre being an obvious parody of the infamous "Red Wedding"). In the Community-verse, this plot bunny is how the last book ends. Britta comes over and thanks her, incorrectly signing "Sugar," and gives her some cash. Abed is deeply saddened and removes his headphones. Britta gloats but then feels guilty after seeing how truly upset Abed is. Abed leaves the dance and sees the same coat check girl, Rachel, he once had a fling with. He apologises for not calling and when she asks him out to lunch, he says no and that he would rather go out for dinner with her right then. They leave together.

A montage of various characters begins. Annie looks sadly at the empty space for the bulletin board. Hicky sulks and looks at his own bulletin board on which there are several documents including a parking ticket, a restraining order, and a newspaper clipping about him being a disgraced cop. Waite tries to access a porn site and is frustrated by its still being blocked. The IT lady researches buying a bike as a solution to her poor parking dilemma. Abed and Rachel eat popcorn and watch television together. Hicky removes all documents from his bulletin board and heads to the dance. He puts it up and drills it to the board. Annie looks on in admiration and when the Dean brings security in to reprimand him, Annie attacks them. The Dean decides against pushing forward with disciplinary action and Hicky thanks Annie for defending him. The dance continues with Chang teaching a Fat Dog dance that he insist isn't made up. One student accidentally knocks the dog ears off one of the decorations and screams that it's a Bear Dance.

In the final scene, we see Professor Duncan runs out of staples and attempts to call a hotline for more. He accidentally initiates Arcadia before getting flustered and hanging up. He hears jet planes fly overhead before finding more staples on his desk.

Community airs on Thursdays on NBC at 8/7c.