This is the official explanation of the “out of order” production numbers being discussed by the more hard core elements of Community fandom, whose fear of network air-order-shuffling I totally understand but which, in this case, is unnecessary.  

You have definitely been seeing our last six episodes in the order the writers intended from the very beginning.

Here’s the reason for the goofy numbers:

The network originally ordered 22 episodes.

At a certain point - a point long before the first 22 were done being produced - they ordered 3 extra.  This is common.  Not only is it common, we were fully expecting it to happen.

However, expecting something to happen is not enough of a guarantee to put things like larger stories and the audience’s enjoyment on the line.  So, rather than let the last three episodes - which would have included the finale - be the three “possible” episodes we reserved a three episode “gap” in our chain of stories, and proceeded to write the three episodes you and I would have wanted to be the last three no matter what.

In other words, the plan was always for the episodes with production codes 119, 120 and 121 to be the final three episodes.  And as soon as it became official that we were getting the additional 3, we went to work writing the three episodes that were always intended to air before those three, whose production codes, therefore, are 122, 123 and 124.  

As a result, had the unthinkable happened, the things that never would have happened would have been that Britta never would have stepped on a frog, Annie’s boobs would still be in captivity and Billy the Goat would be safe and sound at City College.  

And, while that would have been a bummer, I’m pretty sure that this summer, when you look back at the 25 weeks you spent at Greendale, you’ll agree that the final 3 were more crucial than the three before them.

What’s most important to understand is that the characters are not doing anything out of order.  That did happen in a few cases earlier in our season, but it’s not happening now.  Some of you are referring to the shot in the promo for Modern Warfare in which it looks an awful lot like one character is kissing another… If they are kissing, they’re kissing one week after what you watched them do last night.  

I know that’s what’s actually the important issue, here.  And as a huge fan of Community and an even bigger fan of my right to take my favorite shows very seriously, I promise I will always do everything I can to keep any ungodly shuffling from going on in season 2.  

The bad news is, I’ve only got a little more power to prevent it than you do.  The good news is, I want to keep it from happening just as badly as you. 

Time to go to Vegas and watch Donald and Joel do standup.  Enjoy the last three with peace of mind, and thanks for even worrying about this stuff.  It’s pretty flattering.