The Best Episode From Community’s ‘Gas Leak’ Season Doesn’t Get The Respect It Deserves

Community received exceptional reviews throughout its run, with the notable exception being the much-maligned fourth season, which spelled potential turmoil for the show. Behind-the-scenes shakeups led to questionable decision-making and creative setbacks, meaning the best episode from its “gas leak year” doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

Community Season 4 earned the nickname the “gas leak year” in response to the criticisms it received. This unfortunate stigma overshadowed the few quality entries it produced, leaving them stuck under the same blanket of vitriol. While the season undoubtedly produced some of the show’s most disliked episodes, there are a few diamonds in the rough that are overlooked because of them. The fourth season of Community features what may be one of its best episodes, “Heroic Origins,” which fans have come to appreciate, despite it often being forgotten as part of the “gas leak year.”

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By Community’s third season, the show was well into its run, having already aired some of its best episodes and finding the best way to utilize its character dynamics. However, there was behind-the-scenes turmoil that led to the series creator, Dan Harmon, being fired. NBC was looking to cut costs, and while Community lived to fight another day, Harmon was ousted due to contractual issues that led the studio to sever ties. There were also comments made about Harmon’s behavior on set, with some complaints lodged over his demeanor.

Community’s fourth season debuted in February 2013 under new showrunners Moses Port and David Guarascio. Loyal fans tuned in, but quickly found the show to be lacking much of the deft humor they had come to love. While the characters retained their quirks, many episodes explored storylines that fans never asked for, often missing the mark when delving into deep character traumas. To fans of Community, it was apparent that the show’s creative driving force was no longer there.

After the declining ratings and poor critical reception of Community’s fourth season, Harmon was brought back when the studios decided to produce more episodes. Season 5 set about course-correcting the show’s mistakes, with the characters explaining the prior season’s downturn in quality as the result of a “gas leak.” Following the hiccup of the “gas leak year,” Community would go on to release some of its best episodes.

The fourth season, although spotty in quality, still delivered one of the best episodes of Community. The season’s penultimate episode, “Heroic Origins,” delves deeper into the connections between Greendale’s study group and explores each character’s past. “Heroic Origins” sees the group discover Abed’s collective research on them. Abed then reveals how he has collected various pieces of evidence that prove everyone in the group had crossed paths before attending Greendale.

The episode features several flashbacks that add context to Abed’s ranting. For example, Jeff wins a case that Britta protests, only to find out that the woman he represented is the same person with whom Shirley’s husband cheats on her. Through these flashbacks, the study group comes to find that they were always meant to meet each other and attend Greendale together. The episode plays up the profound connection between the characters, and the idea that their fated meetings were a cosmic sign directing them to their found family.

Community fans have come to appreciate “Heroic Origins” for nailing the relationship dynamics between characters and elucidating aspects of their past. The jokes felt like a dose of earlier seasons, and the episode’s emotional impact reminded them why they fell in love with the show in the first place. Casual viewers may miss how genuinely impactful “Heroic Origins” is capable of being, especially for a show that rewards close and repeat viewing. While season 4 may have experienced some issues, “Heroic Origins” is a bright spot, endearing the characters to each other through fate and destiny and helping them come to terms with where they are in life.

There Are Other Good Episodes In Season 4

Season 4 of Community lacked the same creative feel audiences had come to know and love, but it still managed to produce a few worthwhile episodes. Many point to Season 4’s Halloween episode, “Paranormal Parentage,” as one of the best, delving into Pierce’s insecurities and Jeff’s potential connection to his father. Still, many of the Community Halloween episodes are considered season standouts. “Basic Human Anatomy” comes late in the season, seeing Annie and Shirley band together to stop another student who is set to be valedictorian instead of one of them, resulting in a story that sees the two acting delightfully out of character.

Another episode that breaks free of the season’s stigma is “Herstory of Dance,” in which Britta throws a dance opposing the already scheduled Sadie Hawkins dance. The episode’s other story follows Annie and Shirley as they attempt to set Abed up on dates for the dances, only for him to meet someone on his own, sparking a romance with Rachel, played by Captain Marvel star Brie Larson. Episodes like these help redeem Community season 4, which offers quality episodes worth seeking out.