S03E03 · EP 52
season 3 · 2011-10-06

Competitive Ecology

written by Maggie Bandur · directed by Anthony Russo · 3.35M viewers · image Community Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

20 scenes · 2 threads
scheme 14%absurd 10%awkward 6%deadpan 6%humiliation 6%investigation 6%petty grievance 6%tense 6%chaotic 5%angry 5%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Todd disrupts study group
B · Chang detective fantasy
01

Every scene

20 scenes · our breakdown
2 · Dean's office · act1Dean shows baby photos

Dean shows baby photos to Jeff and Abed in his office.

00:02–01:20scheme
3 · biology classroom · act1Professor assigns terrarium project

Professor Kane assigns terrariums and lab partners.

01:20–02:46scheme
4 · biology classroom · act1Study group rejects Todd

Study group tells Todd they do not want him as a lab partner.

02:46–04:02social_rule_violation · humiliation
5 · security office · act1Chang asks to be detective

Chang asks his boss to become a detective.

04:02–04:22scheme
6 · security office · act1Chang investigates Britta

Chang interrogates Britta in his noir fantasy.

04:22–05:44investigation
7 · biology classroom · act1Study group works together

Study group works on terrariums and discusses spending time together.

05:44–06:08obsession
8 · biology classroom · act1Shirley shows baby photos

Shirley shows baby photos and argues with Pierce about sugar.

06:08–06:33petty_grievance
9 · security office · act1Chang finds matchbook clue

Chang finds a matchbook and investigates it.

06:33–07:12investigation
10 · outside biology classroom · act1Britta and Jeff discuss partners

Britta and Jeff discuss changing partners while others spy.

07:12–08:15scheme · betrayal
11 · study room · act1Group argues over partner selection

Study group argues about how to fairly assign lab partners.

08:15–10:03scheme · petty_grievance
12 · security office · act1Chang orders matchbooks

Chang calls matchbook company and is confronted by his boss.

10:03–10:41scheme · investigation
13 · study room · act1Abed reveals popularity rankings

Abed reveals his algorithm paired people by popularity.

10:41–11:41scheme · humiliation
14 · security office · act2Chang receives matchbooks

Chang receives matchbooks and has a revelation.

11:41–12:32investigation · obsession
15 · study room · act2Group turns on each other

Study group argues and insults each other over the rankings.

12:32–14:46petty_grievance · humiliation
16 · study room · act2Chang finds Veronica's message

Chang finds a threatening message from Veronica.

14:46–15:38threat · violence
17 · study room · act2Todd explodes at group

Todd yells at the study group for their toxic behavior.

15:38–16:54confession · comeuppance
20 · biology classroom · act2Professor punishes study group

Professor Kane punishes the study group for breaking Todd.

16:54–18:04comeuppance
21 · Dean's office · act2Chang becomes head of security

Chang quits and is offered the head of security job.

18:04–19:39scheme · coincidence
22 · study room · act3Group reconciles without Todd

Study group reconciles and blames Todd for their problems.

19:39–20:32petty_grievance · double_standard
23 · study room · tagAbed tricks group with test

Abed tricks the study group into drawing penises on a test.

20:32–21:14scheme · humiliation
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2011-10-06
Overall
#52
Writers
Maggie Bandur
Director
Anthony Russo
Viewers
3.35M (US)
Pace
152 words/min · 101 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

JW
Jeff Winger16 episodes · drives 702 scenes
AN
Abed Nadir12 episodes · drives 277 scenes
TB
Troy Barnes10 episodes · drives 155 scenes
BP
Britta Perry16 episodes · drives 194 scenes
SB
Shirley Bennett12 episodes · drives 70 scenes
PH
Pierce Hawthorne23 episodes · drives 173 scenes
AE
Annie Edison14 episodes · drives 204 scenes
CP
Craig Pelton18 episodes