Episode 13: The Trouble with Quarantines



"The Trouble with Quarantines" is the fourth episode from the second season of The University.

Summary
Dean Thomas Walters informs Agent Tyson that he is going on vacation on a singles cruise, and that he'll be in charge until Walters' return. Meanwhile, the gang are busy studying together with Richard. In the middle of their session, a large alarm sounds, informing them there's a quarantine on campus. Agent MacReady comes to the study room to help explain the situation, and brings along dean of technology Jeffery Smith to help. He tells them that there is a contamination on the Ellensburg water supply, and that they must be quarantined within the study room until it's settled. A local news channel covers the story of the quarantine, and correspondant Virginia Sanchez interviews the federal agent. Tyson and Jeffery discuss in the dean's office different ways to contain the contamination, while the gang slowly become "infected" with the virus. Afterwards, the secretary of the ESTD Student Council, Rose Hartman, tells Agent MacReady that the council is not happy with the current situation. She also plants the idea in MacReady's head that he could possibly run the school if the dean were out of the picture. The gang meanwhile finally snap, and attack eachother under the guise of the virus, eventually all turning on Richard. Tyson and Jeffery hear of this, and march to the study room to save Richard at the last minute. They inform the gang that the individual responsible for the virus outbreak had been captured, and they were free to go. Virginia interviews the students as they are let out of the study room, informing the people of Ellensburg that everything was okay once again.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Thomas Walters
 * Tyson MacReady
 * Sid Manne
 * Harper Adams
 * Annie Burton
 * Leroy Harris
 * Richard Lincoln
 * Jeffery Smith
 * Virginia Sanchez
 * Drake Ula
 * Rose Hartman
 * Alan Wisker

Cultural References

 * The character Alan Wisker and the mention of the "Parasol Corporation" are references to the character Albert Wesker and the Umbrella Corporation of the Resident Evil series of video games.
 * The Gang and Richard are shown playing the tabletop RPG Dungeons and Dragons.
 * The premise of this episode is similar to that of films like The Thing and Contagion.
 * During Harper's inner monolouge she states that that: "Im not locked in here with her(Annie), she's locked in here with me!" similar to Rorschach's line from the film and comic book Watchmen, "Im not locked in here with you, you're locked in here with me!"
 * The song that Dean Smith sings is very similar to the Christmas song Frosty the Snowman.
 * MacReady calls Dean Smith a "Debbie Downer" in reference to the saying that has been around for years, well before Saturday Night Live...

Trivia

 * Series creator, Sean McGehee, is one of the two men in the situation room playing Hangman.
 * Several jokes in this episode were recycled from an unproduced script involving Leroy becoming the chieftain of a group of feral students.
 * The Ellensburglar can be seen yet again, this time holding back Alan Wisker in the final scene.
 * This is the shortest episode of the season.
 * Being the prankster at heart that he is, it can be assumed that Agent MacReady gave Dean Smith a poorly written version of their school song to make him look like a fool.