Epidemiology

"Epidemiology" is the sixth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Community, and the 31st episode of the series overall. It originally premiered in the United States on NBC on October 28, 2010 as a special Halloween-themed episode. In the episode, the Dean throws a Halloween themed party on campus. During the party, a few of the partygoers become sick from eating a hazardous substance that the Dean mistook for taco meat bought at an army surplus store. The sickness causes those affected to turn into a violent, zombie-like state that can be passed on through bites. As the study group try to escape, the Dean (under orders from U.S. Army Special Operations) locks the doors, trapping them inside with the infected. The episode was written by Karey Dornetto and directed by Anthony Hemingway, and also features the voice of George Takei. The episode's plot is an homage to various zombie and horror movies, with the infected students mimicking stereotypical zombies and various tropes of the genre. The episode received overwhelmingly positive reviews and was watched by 5.6 million viewers on its original airing. Plot Outside the Greendale Community College library, Jeff (Joel McHale), dressed as David Beckham, greets Pierce (Chevy Chase), who is dressed as Star Trek'''s Captain Kirk for the annual Greendale Halloween party. The pair walk inside, where all the songs being played are by the 1970's pop group ABBA and Pelton's voice notes to himself (given that they are using his iPod for the music). When Pierce asks Dean Pelton (Jim Rash), who is dressed as Lady Gaga, where he got the food, Jeff reveals it is old military rations bought at a surplus store. Pierce becomes ill, beginning to sweat and becoming disoriented. Annie (Alison Brie) finds a doctor, they discover that Pierce is running a temperature of 102°F. While Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed (Danny Pudi) attempt to court women with their Aliens-inspired costumes, other partygoers begin contracting the mysterious sickness. Although the student Rich (Greg Cromer), who is a medical doctor, initially assumes it is food poisoning from the rations, Pierce bites Star-Burns (Dino Stamatopoulos) in the arm.