Paradigms of Human Memory - S2-E21
Trivia: In a very subtle nod to co-star Donald Glover's rap act "Childish Gambino", the song that Duncan is playing on the piano during the "Glee" parody is actually the same tune as Glover/Gambino's song "Not Going Back."
Critical Film Studies - S2-E19
Trivia: Abed mentions being an extra on the show "Cougar Town," and inadvertently soiling his pants out of nervousness. Abed actor Danny Pudi actually did appear in a cameo in the season two finale of "Cougar Town", which aired two months later. Although his cameo isn't quite as described in "Community", Pudi is visible in the background of one scene in-character as "Abed", and attention is drawn to him when he dramatically runs away at the end of the scene. (Likely because he soiled himself as described in "Community.").
Trivia: KFC was very supportive of the episode, which features a fictional children's "Space Shuttle Simulator" that was allegedly endorsed by KFC in the 1980's. The only slight tension caused by the episode is that the simulator would technically have been sponsored by KFC at a time where it was still referred to as "Kentucky Fried Chicken" (a name the company has tried to distance itself from since adopting the acronym "KFC" in the 1990's, in order to not exclusively be associated with unhealthy fried food), although the company ended up allowing their original name to be used in the episode to avoid anachronisms.
The Psychology of Letting Go - S2-E3
Trivia: There is a storyline visible in the background of the episode during certain scenes. During the story, Abed is confronted by a pregnant female student, gets into a fight with her boyfriend, and then helps her deliver the baby in the back of a car.
Asian Population Studies - S2-E12
Trivia: When Joel McHale says "nice sweater" to Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Malcolm says "thanks, my dad gave it to me." The sweater looks just like the sweaters Bill Cosby wore on the Cosby Show. Bill Cosby played Malcolm Jamal Warner's dad on that show. (00:17:21)
Aerodynamics of Gender - S2-E7
Trivia: When Abed is in his "Terminator" mode, the display shows references to later episodes (and at the time unaired). On the left is "Projected Cycles." In s02e08 we learn Abed inadvertently began tracking the girls' menstrual cycle. Under "Memos" there's "Record Cougartown. Troy's Birthday 14 days. Get Rudolph for Xmas. Confirm Mom for Xmas. Build blanket fort." Later we learn Abed loves the show, and in s02e19 he tells Jeff he was an extra on the show Cougartown (Abed/Danny Pudi does actually appear as an extra in the show). In s02e10, the group celebrates Troy's birthday (while still respecting his Jehovah's Witnesses believes). In s02e11, we learn Abed's Mom comes to visit every December 9th and they watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In s02e09, Abed and Troy build a blanket fort. Additionally, s03e14 is the episode with multiple massive blanket and pillow forts.
Trivia: Near the end Pierce suggests turning #OldWhiteManSays, which has 600,000 twitter followers, into a TV show. He says "how about Old White Man Says..." (where he non-verbally implies a curse word) and everyone replies, no one would watch it. This episode aired the same day as the TV show "S#*! My Dad Says", which is based on a real twitter account posting crazy things someone's old, white dad says. "S#*! My Dad Says" was cancelled after only 18 episodes while "Community" ended up airing 84 more episodes.
Trivia: At one point in developing Season/Series 2, the character Chang was going to have a radically different storyline. It was originally going to be revealed that he had a twin that he had eaten or absorbed while inside of his mother's uterus. He was then going to have visions of this deceased twin that would torment him and act as his "evil side." This idea was dropped, presumably for being too dark and too strange.
Answer: It was part of the plot that when the boiled yam was dropped it looked like it was stepped on (which it never was). So there was no way to tell the difference between the flesh being soft because it was boiled or because it was stepped on (in the show that is, I don't know if one could tell the difference in real life). Plus, the rest of the yam wasn't boiled, so there was no evidence the yam was sitting in boiling water.
Bishop73