'Community' Season 3, Episode 17 Recap - 'Basic Lupine Urology'

From pointless computer photo augmentation to arbitrary stacking of objects during police interviews, "Community" got their "Law & Order" spoof episode down to a science. It was so spot-on that if you squinted you may have thought you were actually watching a "Law & Order" episode.

They even got the awkwardly abrupt fades to commercial in there. Brilliant!

The story is this: the group's science project for Professor Caine (returning guest star Michael K. Williams) is a yam that they have to grow in a jar. The problem is, their yam has been brutally smushed. Thankfully, Shirley has seen a ton of crime shows, and so have Abed and Troy, so the three of them take on the investigation as Jeff and Annie prepare to prosecute the perp.

At first they suspect Starburns, but it turns out it was actually Todd (of course!). But then after a lengthy trial, Jeff realizes that Todd made a false confession on the stand, and it turns out it was actually Fat Neil! Gasp! And yes, every episode of "Law & Order" does the exact same thing.

The beauty of this episode is in the details, the kind of thing you see and think "yep, I've seen that on 'Law & Order' a million times." A really nice touch was the constant, pointless activity of the slightly nervous interviewees as Abed and Troy made their investigation. Another was Britta's crack computer work on the photo, which, with a few quick keystrokes, she could make old west colored.

Even the theme song was the "Community" song done in the style of "Law & Order," which was a pleasant surprise.

It was definitely an in-jokey episode, and I'm not sure how it would read to someone who hasn't seen "Law & Order," but I'm guessing there was still enough for it to be funny. Fans of "The Wire" got a treat too, as Michael K. Williams spoke the line "A man's gotta have a code," to which the Dean replied for all of us, "Awesome."

In a surprise ending, Starburns (who has been stealing supplies to run a meth lab) got killed in a car crash/meth lab explosion. For realsies? Or was that just a Law & Order gag? We'll find out next week, I guess.

Oh, and as for that strange title? Urology is the study of urinary tracts and thereabouts, and lupine is referring to wolves. So, wolf... penis... Dick Wolf. As in, the producer of "Law & Order."

Notes & Quotes:

- "I fell asleep in a sunbeam."

- Abed can't tell time on an analog clock! "I'm gifted in other ways."

- "That doesn't make sense, you don't order ketchup, it's a condiment!"

- "Why do they alway-- why do they al-- you go ahead."

- "We agreed to withhold that information as part of a pinkie swear with the witness."

- "A man's gotta have a code."

- "Can I object?" "I'll alow it." "Sustained."