Behind the Scenes of “Community's” Pulp Fiction Party

“Community" is bringing out The Gimp.

Thursday’s episode of the best-sitcom-you-need-to-be-DVR-ing pays homage to Quentin Tarantino’s classic crime epic “Pulp Fiction.” The Greendale community college clique first says cheese – or more properly, “Royale with Cheese” – in costume as Vincent Vega, Jules, Mia, Butch and yes, that creepy leatherbound S&M slave for the “Pulp-y” pastiche at a surprise party honoring Asperger-ish Abed (Danny Pudi) and his pop culture obsessions.

“I think the costumes were hands down the best costumes that we've ever had,” Pudi tells PopcornBiz.” I was shocked at how well each person really just kind of fit the mold for each character, especially Ken [Jeong, as Bruce Willis’ boxer Butch] and Yvette [Nicole Brown, as Samuel L. Jackson’s gun-toting, scripture quoting Jules]. Their costumes are just spot on perfect.”

“But what I love about that episode is that it's really not about the costumes,” adds Pudi. “It's not really even that much about 'Pulp Fiction,' versus more of the gang trying to do something for Abed that they know or think that he'll appreciate. So I think it becomes more of an episode about surprises and that kind of thing and the relationship between the group. I think the group has come a long way, that they know Abed so well that for his birthday they throw a 'Pulp Fiction' surprise birthday party where we have to dress up as the character just like Abed would.”

Still, the gearing up in “Pulp Fiction” garb tickled Pudi’s co-stars. “It didn't evoke the movie because it looked absurd, but Ken Jeong's bald cap [as Bruce Willis] I thought was awesome,” says Gillian Jacobs. “I thought that they did such a great job because it really looked like Senor Chang took a bald cap and put a bunch of marker marks on it and it looked so weird. Him in that gold boxing robe was just amazing – I could've looked at that for a week.”

Jeong had his own favorite: Yvette Nicole Brown as Jules. “Her sideburns and mustache just killed me!” laughs Jeong. “I love that episode. I really think that you get to see Danny Pudi bring it. You get to see his range. You get to see why he's truly one of the most talented actors working right now. It's so cool that we're all just fans of the show and the writing.

“I really loved Gillian as Uma Thurman,” says Brown. “She had her little white shirt on and her black pants and her black flats. I thought that the wig was perfect. I thought that was my favorite visual.”

“And then Chevy [Chase] as The Gimp,” adds Brown. “You can't get any better than that.”

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