Critical reception
The episode was received positively by critics. Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A−, saying "The concept episodes of Community usually work best when they hook in to some emotional element in the show’s core. So it makes sense that the show would haul out a concept episode for the episode where Troy leaves, and it makes even more sense that that concept would be “post-apocalyptic,” because Troy’s departure feels like the end of the world for the characters on the show, just as surely as it does for many of the show’s fans."[4] She did, however, criticize the episode's focus on more than just Glover, saying "it’s a little weird to me that the show took the final appearance of Troy and mostly made it a story about other people. I get why that was done, and I think the story as it played was more or less fine. But the show felt slightly separated from Troy from the very first episode this season, and to have that continue all the way through his departure was slightly disappointing when it comes to one of the show’s best characters. The final act of this episode, where Troy admits that he, too, is scared to be leaving but has to go, then takes his leave, is really great stuff, and it goes a long way to filling in some of those blanks. But if there’s a reason I hold the episode at a slight remove, it’s because of how the story seems aimed slightly off."[4]
Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode a 9 out of 10, saying the episode "was always going to be a big episode of Community and it delivered a fitting farewell to Troy Barnes. While the "Greendale goes all-in on a game" concept had been done before, it set the stage for a funny and emotional goodbye to a character that will be missed by the audience and characters alike."[5]
Britt Hayes of ScreenCrush praised the episode's theme, and Troy's departure, saying "It’s only fitting that Community would send Troy off with a big theme episode, so in “Geothermal Escapism” we get just that when Abed constructs a giant contest of “the ground is hot lava” at Greendale, making a childhood game of imagination into something highly competitive, with his most valuable comic book as the prize."[6] She then applauded the episode's ending, saying "I’m not going to lie: I cried a whole lot at the end of tonight’s episode. I think I was more emotionally unprepared for Troy leaving than Abed was. But it’s such a beautifully executed and simple departure, and it allows Troy to say goodbye to everyone one at a time without trying to get too big about it. It is what it is. And if it weren’t for Levar Burton showing up as Troy’s escort for his big journey, I probably never would have stopped crying."[6]
Tim Surette of TV.com also gave a positive review, despite presenting skepticism of the episode's theme, saying "For about 13 minutes there, I was pretty worried about "Geothermal Escapism," the Community episode that will forever be known as the episode where we said goodbye to Troy and learned that self-publishing books don't publish themselves. Sorry to be taking bribes from Big Buzzkill, but a silly Waterworld/Mad Max parody was not how I wanted to see Butt Soup off. However, this is Community, and as is generally the case with the show's spirit, Abed, indulging childish fantasy was the show's way of facing a difficult reality and confronting the truth. "Geothermal Escapism" squeezed our hearts 'til they burst, milked our eyeballs for their sweet treasure trove of tears, and eased our worried souls until we were ready to let go. The episode as a whole wasn't perfect, but Troy's send-off was, and that was the whole point."[7] He also commented positively on Abed's role in the episode, saying "Abed's schoolwide game of Hot Lava was ridiculously fun, but it was also ridiculous and it elevated the proceedings to a point where the return to "real life" would hit that much harder."[7]
Dave Bunting of Vulture gave the episode a 4 out of 5, saying the episode "was just a whole lot of fun, and a very fitting send-off for Donald Glover's Troy. We’ve all known Glover's departure was imminent, and last week's "Cooperative Polygraphy" pulled off a lot of heavy lifting in not only managing a truly funny and emotionally appropriate farewell to Pierce, but in setting a new path for Troy, whose man-child romps with Abed had perhaps become a tad stagnant."[8]
Gabrielle Moss of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.9 out of 5, saying "we're all Abed; we aren't seeing actual lava on the floor (well, most days), but we need fantasy not as escapism, but to carry us through the feelings we're sure no one else is feeling; to allow us to fight our battles and experience our emotions in ways that won't get us dumped or arrested or ruin yet another Christmas. We're Troys, who need that bit of fantasy to give us the courage to fight our fears, and live our dreams, and make casual conversation with Levar Burton. Community encourages us to embrace imagination's ability to help us survive."[9]
