So, the overarching plot of these episodes is basically "Pierce is a dick". And he is. It makes no sense why the study group would keep him around anymore and I really hope there's some sort of redemption or conclusion to his character, because, for now, it just doesn't make sense why he's still there.
"Celebrity Pharmacology" was, at least to me, by far the weakest episode the show has done in quite some time. It was still enjoyable, but the plot was weak, a relationship between Annie and Pierce isn't big enough to focus on for an entire episode, and a lot of the jokes just felt forced and odd ("Dildomart"?). This was soon rectified as the next episode, "Advanced Dungeons and Dragons" was one of the best. Pierce was a great villain (the problem isn't so much that him being an asshole is annoying to the viewer, it's that it doesn't make sense for him to be around these people anymore) and Fat Neil was a character that was easy to sympathize with. The Valentine's episode was still good, if not particularly memorable (except for Magnitude!)
"Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking" was fantastic as an individual episode. Some might argue that it was an event episode, akin to "Modern Warfare", but the documentary format was just a storytelling device. I liked that, while it was used as a send-up of the mockumentary format (particularly, it seemed, of Modern Family, i,e. random shots of characters over a sentimental monologue) it was also used it to tell a very engaging and effective story. I quite enjoyed Troy's reaction to meeting LeVar Burton ("YOU CAN'T DISAPPOINT A PICTURE!" and the creepiest rendition of the Reading Rainbow theme song ever) as well as LeVar Burton himself ("More fish for Kunta"). The thing is, it felt like it was supposed to give Pierce redemption but it didn't. It made him even less likeable. Which is why I hope this wasn't supposed to be the end of this particular arc.
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