Community/Recap/S3/E21 The First Chang Dynasty

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
< Community‎ | Recap‎ | S3


They're just plumbers. Really. In case of doubt, look at their mustaches

Chang has kidnapped The Dean and replaced him with a 'Doppledeaner'. The study group attempts to free him on the night of Chang's "25th" Birthday Party, but the school has become a near-impregnable fortress, and in order to save the day Troy might have to make a great sacrifice.


Tropes appearing in this episode of Community include:

Murray: And where is that key?
(Answer Cut)
Troy: Well where is it?
Murray: Oh, sorry; that was clearer in my head.

  • Anti-Advice: It's pretty clear Jeff considers anything Pierce might have to say on any subject this (not, it has to be said, without reason), as demonstrated when the two give farewell advice to Troy:

Pierce: Never wear a rubber.
Jeff: Never listen to Pierce.

Jeff: We're done right? Done? Done? Done? Done?

    • Yet again, the study group's season two-developed skills in making dioramas comes in handy as they build a replica of Greendale. Although Shirley objects to some of the levels of detailing:

Shirley: You had time to make a working water fountain, and I'm a pine-cone?

  • The Caper
  • Cassandra Truth: Officer Cackowski is skeptical when the study group tells him of the "doppeldeaner" and promises to arrest them if they trespass at Greendale.
  • Catch Phrase: "Oof baboof!"
  • Character Development: Another glimpse of how far Jeff has come; when presented with an option that would easily enable them to enter Greendale to stop Chang but would mean forcing Troy to join the Air Conditioning Repair Annex, Jeff immediately rejects the easy option (something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago) and agrees with everyone to plan an elaborate heist and possibly risk jail if they get caught rather than risk losing Troy.
  • Comically Missing the Point

Troy: (after Chang tells his entire Evil Plan) Chang, you're insane. You're still into keytar?

    • Also, earlier, when Officer Cackowski scoffs at their claim that the Dean has been replaced by a 'Deanelganger'.

Jeff: Well, when you say it that way, it sounds ridiculous.
Troy: Yeah, the word we used was 'doppledeaner'.

Board member: Only a matter of time until everyone finds out what happened here. Nobody can sit on something this big.
The Dean: I'll sit on it. When I became dean, I made a pledge to swallow this school's failures and spit out degrees, because that's. What. Deans. Do.

      • Also reminiscent of a video of Tupac Shakur in which he states that he drinks 40s and smokes blunts "because that's. What. Niggas. Do."
    • Chang's method of ruling the school is also very Stalinist dictatorship-inspired.

Britta: It's just like Stalin back in Russia-times!

Pierce: Is that me in my swami disguise?
Jeff: No, Pierce. For the last time, you're in the getaway van because your swami act is notoriously horrible.
Pierce: A. That is racist! B. Swamis can't drive; they're Indians.

    • Jeff gets in on the act as well:

Jeff: Don't get so dramatic, Troy. The answer is simple; [Dramatically] we just have to plan an elaborate heist!

  • I Can Ex-Chang: Of course, when he's finally caught Chang can't explain. So he just legs it out the door instead.
  • Insistent Terminology:
    • It's a prescription throne. Chang has back-mumps. (Don't look them up. They're very obscure.)
    • When Officer Cackowski scoffs at the idea of Chang replacing the Dean with a a 'Deanalganger', Troy immediately lambasts him... because the term the study group used was 'doppledeaner'.
  • Just Between You and Me: Chang cant resist telling the group about his Evil Plan after capturing them.
  • Karma Houdini: Chang doesn't get any comeuppance, despite keeping the dean held prisoner and nearly burning the school down. Although the next episode apparently subverts this, since Chang is revealed to be living in the City College air-vents, suggesting he at the very least lost his job and is no longer welcome at Greendale.
  • The Ladys Favor: Britta gives Troy a lock of her hair when he leaves to join the AC Repair School.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: The Changlorious Bastards suffer this when the study group get the upper-hand against them, as they're subjected to various indignities common to childhood pranking (stuck in a room suddenly plunged into the dark, menaced by bigger people, getting Stuffed Into a Locker, etc). Considering that in their appearances to this point they've basically been acting like insufferable power-mad little brats, it's rather fitting.
  • Napoleon Bonaparte: Chang is dressed like him for his birthday party.
  • No Celebrities Were Harmed: Jeff is disguised as Ricky Nightshade, a rock 'n' roll magician with obvious overtones of Criss Angel.
  • Non-Fatal Explosions: Annie tries to discuss, but apparently, Chang has no idea how fire works.

Annie: You're going to burn down the school and kill everyone!
Chang: Fire can't go through doors; it's not a ghost.

  • Perky Goth: Britta's magician assistant persona.
  • Police Are Useless: The study group goes to the police first to try to report Chang kidnapping the Dean and taking over the school. Not only does the cop refuse to believe it, but warns them that he'd arrest them if they went anywhere near the campus. Although in his defense, the scenario was pretty difficult to believe.
  • Portmanteau: Doppeldeaner, copera, policical.
  • Power Walk: The study group do this down a hallway after they rescued the real Dean from the basement. It was a bit premature.
  • Propaganda Machine: Chang's posters and TV ads
  • Race Against the Clock: The group marks time at the beginning of Chang's big solo: they have only nine minutes left.
  • Riddle for the Ages: Subverted, Abed immediately tells everyone that Troy whispered, "I know you hate when people do this in movies."
  • Sarcastic Clapping: Chang, when he captures the group, which he lampshades.
  • Ship Tease: Troy/Britta gets teased a few times.

Britta: Troy, we are not losing you to save the Dean or Greendale. [Meaningfully] Or anything. Ever.

Chang: You think they'll believe the Greendale Seven and the worst dean ever over the guy who just nailed an awesome solo?

Abed: Which wire do I cut?
Troy: There's only one.
Abed: I hope to God I'm right.

  • Xanatos Gambit: The study group intentionally make things look like the plan has derailed in order to obscure the real plan. Unfortunately, they didn't count on a further derailment.
  • Zettai Ryouiki: Britta's magician assistant disguise which is a rank B.