Paradigms of Human Memory

"Paradigms of Human Memory" is the twenty-first episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Community and the forty-sixth episode overall. It was originally broadcast on April 21, 2011, on NBC. It was written by Chris McKenna and directed by Tristram Shapeero. In the episode, the study group reflects on events from the past school year; many of these memories lead to arguments as they recall and recognize their faults, both as individuals and as a group.

Though it contains almost no material from previous episodes, the episode has the format of a clip show, parodying the genre and self-parodying many aspects of the show itself. Production of the episode required at least 70 new scenes, many of which were filmed during a day at Universal Studios away from the show's sets. The episode includes a notable nod to a shipping video made by a fan and set to the song "Gravity". It also includes multiple references to The Cape, which led to the line "six seasons and a movie".

In its original broadcast, "Paradigms of Human Memory" was seen by 3.17 million viewers. It received widespread acclaim from television critics, with praise going to its numerous jokes, and it is often considered to be one of the show's best episodes. Many critics, along with series creator Dan Harmon, noted the lack of a strong story or message, though most felt this was not to the episode's detriment. The clip show format would later be reused in season three's "Curriculum Unavailable", while "six seasons and a movie" would become a slogan for the show's fans.