#annie-x-jeff
Listening to The Darkest Timeline podcast with Paget Brewster and having lots of emotions (paraphrasing):
PAGET: Frankie and Jeff were supposed to be romantically involved.
ME:
PAGET: But Joel, you put the kibosh on that.
ME:
JOEL: True. I asked.
ME:
PAGET: And I wouldn’t want to mess with the Annie thing. I LIKE the Annie thing.
ME:
I think I owe a ton of paranoid people over a Milady/Milord on LJ a biiiiiig apology. There were a lot of people saying that Frankie was basically “an age-appropriate Annie” and that it was obvious that they were setting Frankie up to be the romantic interest replacement.
Me (then): C’mon. There’s NO WAY they would do something like that. Do you know how shitty that would be? A last-minute swoop in from a new character rather than go with the pairing they’ve been teasing for six fuckin’ years?
Me (today): Well, shit. I don’t know what I expected.
I’m just glad that from the sounds of things Joel and Paget were both solidly against it and shut it down (although a little surprised since I haven’t gotten the impression from Joel that he was a big fan of Jeff and Annie). I’m a new fan, but I’m just continually boggling at how… DUMB this show was with some of its behind-the-scenes decisions, particularly re: romance, and wondering how much of an accident it must have been that anything on that front worked at all.
During the run of the show, Joel never really sided one way or the other. It’s after the show ended where Joel said a few minor things that – if you squint – indicated that he wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of Jeff/Annie, even if he was entirely comfortable playing romantic scenes with Alison.
I think the issue is that Joel had a kind of character-actress conflict. On the one hand, Annie is 18. On the other, Alison very much is not, and is a shitload more comfortable playing romantic than Gillian (not a slam against Gillian…she has come out and said she is hella uncomfortable doing any kind of kissing/romance and was even more so at the start of Community).
It also doesn’t help that sometimes when things would get tremendously weird on-set (which according to the cast happened all.the.damn.time because of their crazy-ass shooting schedule), Alison and Joel would kick back, pretend they were a married couple, and that they were hosing an out-of-control dinner party. (This was also recently revealed.)
I think Joel has kinda-sorta changed his mind on the whole Jeff/Annie thing, in part because “Annie” would be in her late 20s in-universe. Also, because Joel is very much a “give the people what they want” kind of guy, and he knows Jeff/Annie is easily the second most popular pairing after Troy and Abed.
So I’m very much not surprised that Joel was against a Jeff/Frankie pairing. What I am surprised about was that there were actually plans to go there.
Listening to The Darkest Timeline podcast with Paget Brewster and having lots of emotions (paraphrasing):
PAGET: Frankie and Jeff were supposed to be romantically involved.
ME:
PAGET: But Joel, you put the kibosh on that.
ME:
JOEL: True. I asked.
ME:
PAGET: And I wouldn’t want to mess with the Annie thing. I LIKE the Annie thing.
ME:
I think I owe a ton of paranoid people over a Milady/Milord on LJ a biiiiiig apology. There were a lot of people saying that Frankie was basically “an age-appropriate Annie” and that it was obvious that they were setting Frankie up to be the romantic interest replacement.
Me (then): C’mon. There’s NO WAY they would do something like that. Do you know how shitty that would be? A last-minute swoop in from a new character rather than go with the pairing they’ve been teasing for six fuckin’ years?
Me (today): Well, shit. I don’t know what I expected.
Big thanks to @inkentumbls!
The mystery fic that was driving me crazy is Chang-cuffed by ficcingagain on LJ.
It’s as funny and sweet as I remember. I did misremember the reason why Jeff and Annie ended up handcuffed together. And the key was lost rather than hidden. But other than that, I was pretty close. I’ve now bookmarked it on LJ.
I tried Google. I went through the dated archives. I went through tags. I went through multiple other LJ communities. But here it is thanks to the kindness of strangers!
I’m kinda hoping that someone here bookmarked this story, but somehow I doubt it. It’s worth a shot, tho:
FANDOM: Community
SHIP: Platonic Jeff/Annie with shippy undertones
AUTHOR: Not sure. All I know is that it’s someone who wrote exactly ONE J/A Community fic
WHERE WAS IT: The story was on someone’s personal Livejournal, but a link to it was posted on the Milady/Milord Livejournal (or possibly Community_TV Livejournal, but I doubt it because this Community_TV turned pretty anti-J/A around this point, I think out of self-preservation because Milady/Milord was such a massive LJ community and the J/A ship was drowning out discussion of all other ships in fandom).
WHEN WAS IT: It was posted somewhere between “Geography of Global Conflict” (S3) and before the start of S4.
PREMISE: Told from Jeff’s PoV. Jeff and Annie are “arrested” by Security Guard Chang and find themselves handcuffed together in an “interrogation room.” The cause is some kind of shenanigans have happened on campus and Chang is convinced the Study Group is behind it. Jeff and Annie were nabbed because that’s who Chang found first (I’m pretty sure tasering was involved). As far as Jeff and Annie know, the Study Group wasn’t involved (I think it turns out that Pierce and Shirley are solely responsible, but it was a “side adventure” and not a Study Group thing), but Chang doesn’t believe them and threatens to hold them until they come clean. Comedic interrogation follows that somehow results in Chang hiding the key and Jeff and Annie escaping while handcuffed together. They reach Troy and Abed and convince them to take them to the police station to see if they have the key for the model handcuffs they’re stuck with. There’s another comic interlude where Jeff has to let Troy drive his car because he can’t do it while handcuffed to Annie. For one reason or another, the Police don’t have a key to match the handcuffs because the handcuffs are some kind of unusual model that the police don’t use. In any case, Jeff and Annie are stuck and Cassa TroBedNie at least overnight while handcuffed together. I don’t remember how they actually manage to get out of the cuffs.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO FIND IT: It was a great story, well-written, in-character for S3, and hella funny. Also, the Jeff voice was on the slightly unusual side, in that he is an actual functional adult who has kind of accepted his life had been turned into a Looney Tunes cartoon.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO FIND IT: I thought I had bookmarked it on Livejournal, but I had not. I tried going through the tags on Milady/Milord Livejournal, but considering this was someone who wrote exactly ONE J/A Community story, they don’t have a tag.
FOUND! @inkentumbls got the goods for me.
The mystery fic that was driving me crazy is Chang-cuffed by ficcingagain on LJ.
Chris McKenna, Dan Harmon’s right-hand man, had this odd head canon for S6 where both Abed and Jeff were secretly in love with Annie, and therefore had a low-level rivalry going all season, while Annie was completely clueless about all of it. When people on Twitter went, “WtF?” He backed off and said it was a joke.
Re-watching this season…you only have to squint a little bit to make a case for it.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
Ladders
To set up the season. And for Jeff’s freakout over Annie’s injuries.
Basic Crisis Room Decourm
Some strong Jeff/Annie undertones,
Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing
That Milady/Milord exchange at the end.
Law of Robotics and Party Rights
The scene where Annie offers Jeff some advice about being honest about his feelings.
Advanced Safety Features
Some good Jeff/Annie interactions.
Intro to Recycled Cinema
Jeff forgets that Annie is playing his daughter and NOT his love interest.
Grifting 101
Annie and Jeff butt heads a little bit. Annie ends up eating a little bit of crow.
Basic RV Repair and Palmistry
Abed’s speech at the end with key shots of Annie and Jeff reacting on particularly apropos lines.
Wedding Videography
Jeff spends most of the episode drunk, with the occasional flash of heartbroken. Annie names Jeff as one of the dragons she needs to slay. Frankie has opinions about this state of affairs.
Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television
Jeff’s daydreaming again. Annie has a staring role. The door is left open for future developments.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
Repilot
Necessary to set up the season.
Introduction to Teaching
Very much a Jeff/Annie episode.
Basic Intergluteal Numismatics
Duh-doy.
Cooperative Polygraphy
Not a Jeff and Annie episode. Some interesting Jeff and Annie moments. Plus, Annie’s reaction to Jeff collecting the underwear of his conquests.
Geothermal Escapism
Jeff and Annie team up in a post-apocalyptic world.
Analysis of Cork-Based Networking
Not a Jeff and Annie episode. However, Jeff’s protective instincts once again kick into gear when he runs over other members of the study group to “save” Annie. Plus his willingness to help set up the mid-terms dance.
Advanced Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Jeff and Annie slide into the Dad and Mom slot during the game when they find themselves on the same team. Plus the sweet interaction between them at the end.
G.I. Jeff
Not Jeff and Annie by any stretch. But it’s interesting to note that Annie is the most competent of the G.I. Jeff bunch (besides Jeff himself), and is the only one capable of flying his G.I. Jeff plane when he’s out of commission. Also, Annie’s voice is the first real-world voice that breaks through to him. Less crazy about the age reveal.
Basic Story
Necessary to set up “Basic Sandwich.”
Basic Sandwich
It’s been 84 years…or about fucking time we got some confirmation all up in here. Too bad Annie never finds out.
I had some serious issues with how Jeff and Annie as individual characters and together were portrayed this season.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
History 101
Jeff really doesn’t like it when Annie is mad at him.
Paranormal Parentage
Couples costume. Running argument about Pierce with Annie (as always) defending him.
Conventions of Space Time
I like to pretend that Annie was pulling a con so she could use Jeff’s credit card to order room service and just got in over her head. It’s a much better episode that way.
Alternative History of the German Invasion
Jeff defends Annie in that one scene.
Economics of Marine Biology
I could rant and rave for a very long time about how it’s out of character for Jeff to suddenly become Pierce’s biggest defender while Annie is the one who always treats Pierce like shit. And we’re supposed to buy it, despite three-and-a-half years of the opposite being the case. Despite the fact that we have an episode in this same season showing that this isn’t the case. But still: Jeff/Annie plot line.
Intro to Knots
Strong Jeff/Annie vibes.
Advanced Introduction to Finality
Funny how Jeff/Annie was supposedly all in Annie’s head, hunh? Yeah. This episode pretty much says the opposite.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
Biology 101
Based on some things Annie did in this episode, she still hasn’t forgiven Jeff for all of S2.
Geography of Global Conflict
Jeff’s protective instinct kicks in, Annie goes overboard. Per the DVD commentary, both Alison Brie and Joel McHale were hella confused by the couch conversation and thought Dan Harmon was pulling “secret sex” again, only this time with Jeff and Annie. Turns out the answer is no. Andy Bobrow had a headcanon that Jeff and Annie had a fling over the summer, which Dan shot down. Hard.
Remedial Chaos Theory
Alternative timelines, including alternative Jeffs and Annies.
Competitive Ecology
Jeff and Annie team up for a project. It…doesn’t go well.
Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps
Annie’s take on “Twilight” is worth it.
Regional Holiday Music
Yes, the Sexy Santa Dance is cringey. It’s supposed to be. Except Alison plays it straight.
Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts
How many times does Annie show up in Jeff’s heart again?
Digital Exploration of Interior Design
Annie’s fishing for an apology using a mysterious letter in Jeff’s locker as a way to get it. She fails. Per the DVD commentary, the original concept was that Jeff finds a letter in his locker that is easily the most romantic he’s ever read and is desperate to find the author. Annie agrees to help. Plot TWIST: Annie’s playing him. Turns out she wrote it in the aftermath of “Paradigms of Human Memory” in S2 and she’s trying to get the letter back. It was supposed to mark “a big change in the Jeff/Annie relationship.” It was nuked as a result of NBC putting the series on a mid-year hiatus.
Pillows and Blankets
Jeff and Annie in a time of civil war.
Origins of Vampire Mythology
Not even remotely and Jeff and Annie episode, but important to the overall arc.
Virtual Systems Analysis
Abed-Jeff and Annie. Sort of. Important to the overall arc.
Basic Lupine Urology
Duh-doy.
Course Listing Unavailable
Not a Jeff/Annie episode. But need to watch for “Curriculum Unavailable.”
Curriculum Unavailable
Some nice background interactions between Jeff and Annie.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
Anthropology 101
Cringey as hell, but necessary for the overall arc.
Accounting for Lawyers
Not a Jeff/Annie episode, but Annie holds an important key to solving the mystery of Jeff’s disbarment.
The Psychology of Letting Go
Not at all a Jeff/Annie episode, but necessary for the overall arc for the tension with Britta.
Basic Rocket Science
Per the DVD commentary, it’s around this episode that Jeff and Britta started their secret sexcapades. Jeff comes to Annie’s defense in this episode. Fans still debate over whether Jeff lied to protect Annie or was telling the truth.
Epidemiology
Not at all a Jeff/Annie episode, but lays some of the groundwork for “Asian Population Studies”.
Cooperative Calligraphy
For THAT fight scene between Jeff and Annie.
Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design
Duh-doy,
Asian Population Studies
Another duh-doy.
Celebrity Pharmacology Studies
Not at all a Jeff/Annie episode, but fills in some important background on Annie.
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
Annie is the one that got Jeff to intervene to begin with.
Intermediate Documentary Film Making
Not at all a Jeff/Annie episode. Jeff gets protective of Annie. Also fills in some important background on Jeff. Turns out both Jeff and Annie have a history of parental abandonment. This weirdly never comes into play for their friendship/UST.
Intro to Political Science
Per the DVD commentary, the writer’s room had fallen behind and needed to come up with an episode quick. This script (which had Annie and Jeff battling it out through proxies) had languished undeveloped because the plot was too complicated. So they quickly stripped it down, and had Annie and Jeff battling each other directly. The reasoning was they could throw a half-assed script together, throw Jeff and Annie in the foreground, let Joel McHale and Alison Brie sell the shit out of it, and then call it a day.
Competitive Wine Tasting
A key scene between Jeff and Annie sets up Annie’s heartbreak in “Paradigms of Human Memory”.
Paradigms of Human Memory
My heart still breaks for Annie.
Fistful of Paintballs
Some nice Jeff/Annie scenes.
A Few Paintballs More
To close out “Fistful of Paintballs,”
Someone asked this over on Milady/Milord, as there used to be an “Episode Guide to Jeff and Annie” floating around on Tumblr that somehow got nuked.
I decided to come up with a list for them. I’m so pleased with it, I’m going to post it here.
Obviously the commentary for these episodes are not the actual plots of the episodes, just justification for why they belong on the list.
Pilot
If you listen to the DVD commentary for this episode, Annie was originally set up to be Jeff’s primary antagonist who’d narc him out every chance she got. Think Tracey Flick with a chip on her shoulder and Jeff as a target in her unforgiving sight. This characterization never made it out of “Pilot,” but you can see the intent is there.
Spanish 101
For the first ever Milady/Milord exchange at the beginning.
Football, Feminism, and You
Funny thing about this episode. If you listen to the DVD commentaries, it was considered a Troy/Jeff episode, with Annie/Jeff being a distant subplot. Whoops!
Introduction to Statistics
Per the DVD commentaries, the little dancing scene at the end is what convinced Dan Harmon to at least play with the idea of Jeff/Annie.
Home Economics
Not a Jeff/Annie episode. But I think it’s interesting in that it kind of highlights why the original pairings of Jeff/Britta and Troy/Annie aren’t particularly healthy.
Debate 109
Duh.
Investigative Journalism
Not going to lie. The journalism storyline irritates. And Annie’s apology to Jeff at the end makes me want to pull my hair out. But it is undeniably a Jeff/Annie episode.
Romantic Expressionism
First example of Jeff deciding to mess with Annie’s love life. That, and Britta knowing that the easiest way to manipulate Jeff is to play the “Annie is in danger” card.
Physical Education
For Annie perving on naked Jeff.
Basic Geneaology
Jeff repeatedly going to Annie for advice throughout the episode.
Beginner Pottery
Lays the groundwork for Season 2′s “Asian Population Studies”
English as a Second Language
Not strictly a Jeff/Annie storyline, but one that is important to the overall arc.
Pascal’s Triangle Revisited
Dat cliffhanger, though.
