Community - Cooperative Polygraphy

Pierce's (Chevy Chase) death, and the unusual terms of his will, bring a scientist (Walton Goggins) with a lie detector test and a set of questions to be answered (to determine if any of Pierce's friends were responsible for his death) before each member of the Study Group can receive what their departed friend had left them. Although every member of the group realizes the situation is a desperate last attempt for Pierce to cause trouble in the group, lured by the possibility of getting their hands on their friend's millions, each agrees to participate in the series of questions that will reveal various secrets and disturbing facts about each of their closest friends.

Tensions rise and tempers flare as the group learns about Jeff's (Joel McHale) sexual trophies, Britta (Gillian Jacobs) showing up high to Shirley‘s (Yvette Nicole Brown) son's baptism, the truth behind Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed's (Danny Pudi) handshake, Annie (Alison Brie) drugging the group to get a good grade on a test, and that Abed implanting GPS trackers in each member of the Study Group to know where they are at all times. And that's just in the first few minutes.


The episode ends with each member of the group coming to terms with Pierce's death and the understanding that they aren't any better than the friend they often treated poorly. Along with the a round of frozen obligatory sperm for each of them, the show also provides Glover with an excuse for leaving the show for several episodes as Pierce offers Troy his fortune on the condition that he sails his dearly departed friend's sailboat around the world.

Over the show's run some of the funniest moments, and episodes, have come with the Group at each other's throats (often with Pierce pulling the strings). With "Cooperative Polygraphy" Community captures that magic one more time while finding a way to say goodbye to Pierce in a manner befitting the odd nature of his character that provides plenty of laughs while also serving as a touching farewell not only to Chase's character but Glover's as well.