Hackers cut the hardline to the mainframe on Community season 6, episode 6. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on “Basic Email Security.”

Throughout its run, Community has come up with many devices to get its characters stuck in one room, forced to interact with one another. At first glance, “Basic Email Security” isn’t one of these “bottle” episodes. But in practice, the hacking of each characters email does serve to ground them together in one room and deal with one another’s opinions and problems. It also calls attention the Sony hacking scandal, which Dan Harmon clearly has some strong feelings on.

Dean Pelton is trying to access his computer but unfortunately “computer no-worky” as he flirt-ily, then normally, tells Elroy. Computer “no-worky” because it’s been hacked as Elroy finds out. And no amount of “cutting the hardline to the mainframe” will help. The hackers are demanding that Greendale cancel the appearance of offensive stand-up comedian, Gupta Goopi Gupta. They also release the “hot” lunch lady’s emails to prove that they are serious. If Greendale doesn’t cancel the appearance, the Save Greendale Committee’s emails will be the next to be revealed.

The gang sits around the study table reading the lunch lady’s emails (as well as all of the Buzzfeed mash-ups of the emails), when Officer Cackowski turns up with the police force’s computer whiz, 12-year-old Warburton. The police are no closer to finding the hacker, so the Save Greendale Committee must decide whether to give into the hacker’s demands. When Jeff declines to give a patented Winger speech, Britta intervenes with an impassioned defense of free speech. After all, America is “the colony so high-maintenance the British gave up.”

The Committee decides to go forward with Gupta Goopi Gupta’s performance, then holds a press conference where they unambiguously state, “Screw the hackers. Long live Greendale.” Frankie warns the group that their emails will undoubtedly be hacked now and they all make a pact to not read them.

The next day Frankie, Annie and Britta arrive in the lunch room to set up for Gupta’s performance. There is a tension in the air and before long it becomes clear that the emails have leaked and despite their initial pact, the whole Save Greendale Committee has read them. Abed, Chang, Elroy and Jeff also arrive and Abed reveals that he’s the only one who hasn’t read the emails. What follows is about 10 uninterrupted minutes of the group airing their grievances.

Elroy is upset that everyone makes fun of his fashion sense (we thought the earrings were a little questionable). Annie is upset they had her blood tested for amphetamines. The group has an open thread about Frankie’s sexuality. Chang and Jeff have a daily thread where they rank Annie and Britta one and two in hotness. Elroy makes 3D models of the girls without permission for his upcoming pc game about female time travelers. Most damningly, Chang (who says he hasn’t been utilized well since he was a teacher, in a rather brilliant meta joke) makes fun of Frankie for writing to her sister who never responds. Frankie reveals that her sister is dead and that’s her journaling device. Ouch.

Once again, however, getting everything out in the open seems to have been therapeutic. Gupta Goopi Gupta arrives and the gang is more determined than ever to have his show go off without a hitch. They bar the door so that no one else in Greendale can intervene. In response the hackers leak the rest of the school’s emails.

The whole school is in a tense mood the following day. Even Leonard and Garrett are fighting. Officer Cackowski and Warburton find the hacker, another tween named Ryan. But it’s too little too late. Annie says she doesn’t see how the Committee will come back from this one. Frankie points out that they’ve already come back from one group member masturbating himself to death and another becoming lost at sea. Good point, Frankie. After what this school has been through – an email leak is the least of their worries.