As often as Community referenced and spoofed other TV shows, there was only one time the series really managed to cross over into another sitcom’s world (though it came close with The X-Files). In fact, the crossover itself was so obscure at the time that many Community fans probably didn’t even learn about its existence for quite a long time. In a totally unexpected move, Community‘s Abed (Danny Pudi) actually appeared in an episode of Cougar Town, which the character often referred to as one of his favorite shows.
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If you recall, in Community Season 2 episode “Critical Film Studies,” Abed tells Jeff Winger about getting the opportunity to be an extra on the set of Cougar Town. He explains that actually showing up on the set and being near the characters caused him to panic and poop his pants, resulting in him abruptly running away from the scene he was a part of.
Two months after that episode of Community aired, Cougar Town released the second-to-last episode of its second season, “Something Good Coming, Part 1.” If you watch that episode, you’ll not only see Danny Pudi appear in a cameo role, but you’ll notice that he’s actually playing Abed, and his scene is the one he told Jeff about during “Critical Film Studies.”
The scene sees Laurie (Busy Philipps) and Travis (Dan Byrd) talking at a table outside a Subway, with Abed seated at a table behind them. They really drive home that it’s Abed and not a professional actor, because he’s always trying just a little too hard to fit into the scene and act like he’s acting. At one point, he is just staring at Laurie, going as far as to mimic her hand motions.
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Out of nowhere, right in the middle of their conversation, Abed is flushed with panic and abruptly leaves the scene. He causes such a fuss getting up from the table and running to the bathroom that it interrupts the actual scene between Travis and Laurie. That’s clearly the moment he told Jeff about, and fans who watch both shows got the chance to see it unfold.
That marked the only official crossover between Community and Cougar Town, but it wasn’t the only time that Pudi, Philipps, and Byrd appeared in the same episode of television. Both Philipps and Byrd had cameos in Community, popping up in the show’s Season 2 finale, “For a Few Paintballs More.”
Community has always been a show willing to go the extra mile to pay off a good joke. Thanks to Cougar Town, Harmon and the team were able to cross into completely different shows just to give its fans a laugh.
If you’ve ever wondered why Community is so well loved, that right there is a great example.
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Image courtesy of Max
