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When Gillian Jacobs and Alison Brie find themselves trapped in the same nightmarish dream that they are Britta and Annie in real life, they must team up to figure out what is going on.
Gillian Jacobs goes to bed one evening, the night before her 45th birthday.
She falls asleep, and has the most peculiar dream.
She dreams that she wakes up the next morning, and her world is a bit different than the day before. She's no longer living in her apartment. Instead she's on Frankie Dart's couch and Chang is yelling at her to wake up. Chang is irate about her eating the last powdered donuts.
Gillian leaves the apartment and realizes she's not in Los Angeles anymore. She's in Greendale. It's not 2023 anymore. It's 2010.
She thinks it's the worst prank in history, or perhaps she's having an out of body experience, but she finds herself at the local bar, getting into a heated debate with TDonal Glover. He seems happy to see her though. Just as she's about to ask him what's going on, she sees Joel McHale walk in the door.
He walks up to her in a swagger, in Jeff Winger style, and she begins to panic.
"What are you doing here, Britta? Dont't you have a children's birthday party to go ruin?" He teases.
"What the hell is going on here?" She demands.
"You really need to lighten up, man," Joel says, taking her drink and throwing it back.
"Why are you all acting like this is real life?" Gillian shouts. "I'm supposed to be on my couch in Los Angeles, waking up from this crazy dream! Where's the hidden cameras?"
"Oh no, Britta," Joel laughs. "You are in Greendale Community College, and your name is Britta Perry."
Gillian can't wrap her head around what's happening. The entire cast is gathered around her, making fun of her, calling her Britta, and telling her how she's not in California anymore.
The only one who doesn't is Alison Brie. She just looks at her with an inquisitive gaze and then she turns around and leaves.
Gillian wakes up the next morning and it's 2023 again, but something is still off.
She checks her phone and there are no messages. There's no missed calls either.
She texts Alison to see if she's still awake, and gets a reply back.
Alison Brie: I'm wide awake. I couldn't sleep last night.
Gillian Jacobs: Me neither.
Alison Brie: You were in my dream last night.
Gillian Jacobs: Oh... yeah. About that, I had a dream last night that you were in my dream.
Alison Brie: That is odd.
Gillian Jacobs: Yeah. Look out the window. I'm afraid to. What do you see?"
Gillian waits and sees a reply, but it's not what she's expecting.
Alison Brie: I see trees, a sky, the moon. Why?
Gillian Jacobs: Are we in LA?
Alison Brie: Yes...
Gillian Jacobs: Good. We aren't in Colorado, are we?
Alison Brie: No, why would we be?
Gillian Jacobs: In my dream, we were stuck in Greendale. It's weird, nevermind.
Gillian looks out her window and sees the sun, shining over the beautiful cityscape.
Gillian: Thank God it was a dream.
Alison: Sure. Listen, I've got to run. I have an audition later for the lead in a Netflix show.
Gillian: Okay. I"ll talk to you later.
Gillian got up and and started walking around her apartment, but something just felt off. Her items weren't hers. They were the same style that Britta's would be though. She went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror and she saw the same hairstyle from when she played Britta Perry back in the early seasons of Community. She ran out to the living room and saw the psychology books strewn about her place and a Spanish book. She also saw some pottery she must've made and began to truly worry.
She had become Britta Perry. She had somehow managed to bring her back into the real world in 2021. She wondered if anyone else was in her position and how they had coped.
She tried to call her agent, but the number didn't work.
The only contacts she had were for the cast of the show. She tried calling Paget Brewster who played Frankie.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Paget. I know it's been a while, but I just wanted to ask you a question. You didn't wake up today feeling off did you?"
"Off?" Paget laughed. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean did you feel like you were suddenly a different person and you didn't know where you were."
"No, Gillian," Paget replied. "I'm perfectly normal like every day."
"Did you have any dreams about us?"
"No. I don't know why you'd ask that."
"Just a strange question. Listen, I have another call coming in. Bye."
She called Danny Pudi next.
"Danny, this is Gillian Jacobs. I was just wondering did you have any dreams last night about the show or the character that you played?"
"Gillian? No. I didn't have any weird dreams, or dreams at all for that matter. I just had a normal dreamless night."
"Okay, Danny. Bye."
Next she tried to call Donald Glover.
"Hey, Donald. This is Gillian. Did you happen to dream about us and the show last night?"
"What? Who is this?"
"It's me, Gillian. Gillian Jacobs."
"Who the hell is that?"
"Are you serious? It's me, Britta!"
"Oh. Hey, Britta. What's up?"
"Nothing, Donald. I'm sorry to bother you. Bye."
She tried calling Joel McHale next.
"Hey, Joel. It's Gillian. Listen, did you dream about us and the show last night?"
"Hey, Gillian. Sorry, I didn't. I can't remember what I dreamt about though. I've got a busy schedule today."
"I know, I'm sorry to bother you. I'll let you go."
She tried calling Ken Jeong next.
"Ken, it's Gillian. Did you dream about the show or did you feel different this morning when you woke up."
"No, Gillian. I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm a busy man. I've got to get ready for my show."
"I'm sorry, Ken. I won't keep you."
Then she tried calling Yvette Nicole Brown.
"Hey, Yvette. It's Gillian. Listen, I have a weird question for you. Did you have any weird dreams last night about the show or did you wake up and feel off."
"No, Gillian. What are you talking about? I'm a busy woman."
"I'm sorry, I have another call coming in."
"Bye, Gillian."
Next she tried calling Chevy Chase.
"Hey, Chevy. This is Gillian. Did you wake up this morning and feel off."
"What? What's this about, Gillian. You're being a little too friendly with me."
"I'm sorry. Forget about it."
She then tried calling Alison.
"Hi, Gillian. I was just thinking about you."
"Me too. Listen, can you come over here? I have a lot to tell you.
"Is it something good or bad?"
"I'm not sure. I'm just really confused."
"Okay, I'm on my way."
Alison showed up 20 minutes later.
"What's going on, Gillian? You look a little pale."
"That's because I'm not Gillian. I'm Britta. I woke up this morning and my world has gone topsy turvy."
"What do you mean, Gillian? How did this happen?"
"I was dreaming last night about being at Greendale. I saw you in my dream and when I woke up and realized I wasn't Gillian Jacobs. I was Britta Perry. Look at the decorations in my apartment. Look at my hair. It's from nearly 15 years ago."
"I thought you dyed your hair," Alison said, running her hand through Gillian's hair.
"No. It's the same exact haircut from 2010. I don't have a single grey hair either.
"Wow. That's a little unsettling."
"My life is over," Gillian said, starting to cry. "I'm stuck inside Britta Perry's body for the rest of my life.
"It can't be true, Gillian. You can't be stuck in her body. This is 2023, not 2010. The only way we're in 2010 is if we're on the set of Community and this is some elaborate prank."
"Do you think the rest of the cast is playing a joke on me? When I called them they acted like I was insane."
"Well, let's see. Maybe we can see if a hypnotist can put us both under and we see if we can get back to that dream state to see what's going on?"
"I guess it's worth a shot. Maybe when we wake up again, we'll be back in 2023 and everything will be fine."
They went to the nearest hypnotist and had him put them under.
"Now, Gillian and Alison, I want you both to concentrate on being in 2010, at Greendale Community College. Imagine yourselves standing in the hall, in the midst of a party."
"Oh, it's Professor Slater's Birthday Party," Alison said. "She's a huge fan of 80's movies and 80's music, so we're all wearing 80's costumes."
"What do I look like?" Gillian asked.
"You're dressed as a cheerleader," Alison laughed.
"Ew. That's gross."
"Now, imagine yourselves walking around and talking to the cast members."
Gillian and Alison did as they were told.
"Okay, now, I want you both to open your eyes and you'll be back at the party," the hypnotist said.
Amidst the vibrant '80s-themed decorations at Professor Slater's 30th birthday party, Alison and Gillian, now believing they are Annie and Britta, mingled with the crowd. The hypnotic transformation had taken hold, and they were fully immersed in their new identities. Alison, as Annie Edison, was brimming with enthusiasm and curiosity, while Gillian, now Britta Perry, exuded an air of casual defiance.
Annie, dressed in an impeccable '80s outfit complete with a side ponytail and oversized neon accessories, couldn't help but marvel at the decorations and the people around her.
Annie, with wide eyes, says, "Wow, Britta, look at this place! It's like, totally tubular! Everyone is so, like, tubular too!"
Britta, dressed in a more rebellious '80s attire with ripped jeans and a leather jacket, looked around with a smirk. "Yeah, sure, Annie. Tubular, whatever. Look, I see Slater over there. We should probably go say hi."
As they approached Professor Slater, who was elegantly clad in her '80s attire, her reception was noticeably different for the two women.
Slater smiled widely at Annie, "Annie, how lovely to see you here! You look absolutely charming in that '80s outfit. I'm so glad you could make it."
Annie , blushing with delight: "Oh, thank you, Professor Slater! I just had to be here for your '80s-themed birthday bash. It's so rad!"
Meanwhile, Professor Slater's demeanor turned distinctly cold as she shifted her attention to Britta, who had a complicated history with her current boyfriend, Jeff Winger.
Slater turns to look at Britta, "Britta. How... unexpected. I thought this party was for friends, not, well, you know, people who can't seem to stay out of my personal life."
Britta, undeterred, leaned in with a sly grin. "Oh, Slater, you know me. Can't resist a good '80s-themed party. Besides, I just had to come and check out your, uh, taste in decor."
Alison and Gillian, fully immersed in their roles as Annie and Britta, navigated the awkward social dynamics of the party. Annie tried to maintain a pleasant and polite demeanor, while Britta used her snarky humor to fend off Professor Slater's icy attitude.
As they continued to navigate the '80s time warp and the peculiar party dynamics, they hoped to uncover more clues about the mysterious situation that had brought them into these altered identities and find a way to break the spell that had trapped them in Greendale Community College.
Abed approached the pair and pointed to his nerdy pointdexter outfit an homage to the Porky movies
Annie frowns, "You know you were supposed to dress up like someone from the 80s right, Abed? Not a movie that came out in the 80s."
"The 1980s was an important decade in the history of cinema, and the Porky movies are one of its most important cultural artifacts. To ignore them would be a disservice to the genre and the decade itself," Abed replied, matter-of-factly.
"But, Abed, this is a birthday party. It's about fun and having a good time," Annie interjected, clearly frustrated.
Abed remained unfazed by Annie's objections, continuing his tirade about the merits of the Porky movies.
Britta, sensing the mounting tension between the two, intervened. "You know what, Annie? Abed's right. The '80s was an important time for cinema, and the Porky movies were a big part of that. Sure, they're a bit cheesy, but they have their own special charm. I say we just roll with it."
"See, Britta gets it," Abed said, pleased with Britta's support.
"Whatever, you two," Annie huffed, turning on her heel and marching away from the group.
The rest of the evening unfolded with little incident, save for a few minor altercations with the other partygoers.
Chang comes up to Britta and begins berating her again for eating the powdered donuts.
"I can't believe you, Britta. How could you eat all of the donuts? They were a gift for Professor Slater's birthday! You're a selfish jerk, and you'll never change!" Chang exclaimed.
"Yeah, well, maybe I don't want to change, Chang. Maybe I like being a selfish jerk," Britta shot back, rolling her eyes.
Britta and Annie were no closer to understanding the mystery of their situation, but they did manage to make the best of the night, despite the challenges they faced.
After the party, Britta and Annie decided to take a walk around campus, trying to make sense of the strange events of the night.
"This is so weird, Britta," Annie said, exasperated. "I feel like I'm in a dream, but it's so real. What are we going to do?"
"I don't know, Annie," Britta sighed. "I guess we just have to keep looking for answers."
"Do you think we'll ever be able to go back to our normal lives?" Annie asked, a hint of fear in her voice.
"I don't know, Annie," Britta said. "I guess we just have to keep trying."
As the sun began to set, the two continued their walk around campus, hoping to find some answers to the strange situation they found themselves in.
Gillian and Alison walked into the administration annex and heard Jeff and the Dean arguing.
"I have a very busy schedule today. I can't afford to spend time in this stupid room," Jeff snapped.
"Well, if you'd just cooperate, it would be a lot easier for everyone," the Dean replied, clearly exasperated.
"Cooperate? Cooperate with what?" Jeff said. "I'm not doing anything wrong."
"That's where you're wrong, Jeff," the Dean said. "You've been acting very suspiciously lately, and I think you know exactly what I'm talking about.
I told you what I would do if you didn't give into my demands. Now Britta and Annie are paying the price. I'm not worried about Slater, because she's not a nuisance, just a brief stepping stone before you dive into relationships with Britta and Annie."
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. Just tell me what the hell is going on."
"I think you know exactly what's going on, Jeff," the Dean said, glaring at him.
"None of this is real, Craig. This is a fictional television show. You are not a real person. You are a character played by Jim Rash."
"That's ridiculous, Jeff," the Dean replied, waving his hand dismissively.
"You're telling me, Dean. You've kidnapped two actors and me and you're holding them hostage here."
"That's preposterous, Jeffrey. Why would I do something like that?" the Dean said.
"Because you're a delusional maniac who can't stand the thought of me not being with you," Jeff said.
"Is that why you've been ignoring my calls and texts lately?" the Dean asked.
"Craig, listen to yourself," Jeff said. "I don't even have your phone number. My name is Joel McHale. I am married with kids. Gillian and Alison have their own relationships."
"It's not too late, Jeff," the Dean said, his voice cracking with emotion. "We can still be together."
"No, Craig. It's over. This has to stop."
Just then Professor Duncan walks into the room. "Listen, Craig, we need to talk to Jim for a minute."
"Jim, who?" the Dean asks.
"Rash, Craig. We need to speak to Jim Rash, the actor who plays you on this show."
"That's preposterous, Ian."
"No, it's not, Craig," Jeff said. "This is all an elaborate prank, Craig. We're in 2023. This is not the 2010."
"Jeffrey, please," the Dean said.
"No, Craig. I'm not going to let you drag Gillian and Alison and me down into your insanity."
"Jim, Craig," Ian said. "Let me talk to him, now."
"Fine," the Dean said, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
"I'll get him," the Dean said. "I think he's in the study room."
The Dean leaves just to turn around and walk back in as Jim Rash.
"Oh My God, you have to help me!" Jim exclaimed.
"Jim, we need you to play along," Jeff said. "We know this isn't real. You're an actor, and you're playing a role on a TV show. It seems Dean Pelton got a taste of romance and tried to become sentient and take over your body."
"That's a very disturbing and frightening thought," Jim said.
"Jim, we're in the same boat. He's taken Gillian and Alison hostage because he wants them out of the way so he can have me. He thinks he can get them to fall in love with each other."
"What can we do to fix this, Jeff," Ian said.
"I'm not sure, Ian, but we need to try."
"Jeff, if Craig has Gillian and Alison hostage, he could really hurt them," Jim said.
"I know. When he takes back over try to figure out how he managed to pull this off."
"Okay, Jim," Ian said.
"Let's go."
Ian and Jim exit the room and Dean Pelton takes back over.
"Oh, Jeff. It's so nice to have you all to myself," the Dean said. Suddenly his head jerks up and he looks to the ceiling, "You told me I had more time to get their souls!"
Suddenly a large demon rises into the room. "They've figured it out, Craig. I will take them all!"
"No, you cannot have Jeff!' the Dean shouted.
"Too late, Craig," the demon said.
Suddenly the door flings wide open and Garret runs into the room to announce the return of the asscrack bandit.
"ASS CRACK BANDIT CODE RED" Garrett screeched.
Craig suddenly had an idea and pushed Garrett toward the Demon's wide gaping maw.
The demon swallowed him and suddenly began to writhe and wrench in pain,
"He's too innocent!" The demon screeches and then suddenly explodes.
The room shakes and then suddenly all the actors are reset and no longer believe they are in community.
Gillian and Alison sit up and look at each other.
"What just happened?" Alison asks.
"I'm not sure," Gillian said, rubbing her forehead.
"Are you guys okay?"
The hypnotist looks at them in concern.
"Yes, we're great."
Gillian then gets a phone call from Joel.
"Sorry, I blew you off earlier. I was trying to protect you."
"That's okay, Joel," Gillian said, giving Alison a hug. "We're both safe."
"Good," Joel said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"We'll talk more about it later. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks, Joel. We'll see you soon."
Gillian hangs up the phone and smiles at Alison.
"We're free," Gillian said.
"And so is the rest of the cast," Alison replied, laughing.
"This was definitely a weird experience," Gillian said, shaking her head.
"It's a good thing it's all over," Alison said. "And even though our characters weren't always the closest, I'm glad we go to spend this adventure together."
"Me too," Gillian said. "Come on, let's get out of here."
With that, the two friends left the hypnotist's office, ready to put the strange ordeal behind them and focus on the next phase of their lives.
Suddenly, Dan Harmon wakes up in his home writing office. He laughs, "What a weird dream."