Re: Community

The Dude Sun May 20, 2012 6:06 am

I couldn't feel worse even if I was told I had to make a diorama.

It's going to suck for the new showrunners too. Taking over a show with a slavishly devoted cult following, who are strongly devided on the Jeff/Annie ship, replacing the very identifiable enfant terrible creator, getting a half-assed 13 show commitment from NBC with the prior seasons took a few episodes to find their stride, having a wildly esoteric format to follow and you have to work with Chevy Chase.

This totally has the feel of a "never happened" season like Newsradio season 5.

At least, Joel always has the rest of the Community cast on The Soup all the time.

Shalamar Sun May 20, 2012 1:37 pm

Yeah, this is reminding me of the season of "Scrubs" with James Franco's brother. My family and I insist that that season was just a bad dream and never happened.

queenofdenile Sun May 20, 2012 1:51 pm

I love Mo Ryan's article about the firing at HuffPo. The thesis is basically that yeah, Harmon can be a total douche, but firing him was still a huge mistake: How NBC Britta'd it.

I was thinking about Chevy Chase and his notoriety for being difficult to work with, but you know what? Even if Chevy didn't think the show was funny, even if he was a total pain in the ass, I never saw his opinions or feud with Harmon affect his performance on the show. All throughout this season, I thought he was frequently funny AND moving as Pierce.

So I feel the same way about Harmon. I'm sure he could be a total douche, but the quality of the show got better and better, if several of the writers are already jumping ship because they don't want to work on the show without him, he can't have been a total dictator on set.

laddical Sun May 20, 2012 2:03 pm

Woah, woah, woah, woah, WOAH.

"You're VH1. You're RoboCop 2. Back to the Future 3."

One of these things is not like the others, Ms. Ryan. I'm partial to BTTF2 myself, with the brain-twisty paradox, but no way is BTTF3 just a "business-casual potted plant".

Guest Sun May 20, 2012 5:29 pm

biakbiak wrote:
I thought Britta was moving into the room formerly known as the Dreamatorium, to be Abed's full time therapist, and Abed created a smaller, TARDIS-sized (and appropriately bigger-on-the-inside) Dreamatorium in the blanket fort.

According to Dan it was supposed to be Britta helping Troy move out of his and Abed's blanket fort and into the former Dreamatorium.

I rewatched all three episodes back-to-back this morning, and I realized that you're right. The red bag that Britta is carrying into the ex-Dreamatorium is the same one Troy was carrying when he left for air conditioner repair school and when he returned to Greendale.

Maybe NBC is trying to kill off the show? Maybe it wants Community's ratings to dip so low, it has to be cancelled, instead of having ratings just good enough to squeak by? That way, NBC will free up time on its schedule for its hit series like . . . um . . . ?

Wildog27 Mon May 21, 2012 6:23 pm

Former M*A*S*H showrunner Ken Levine offers his thoughts on Harmon's firing. Link

bbridges Mon May 21, 2012 11:32 pm

Gwynevere1 wrote:Maybe NBC is trying to kill off the show? Maybe it wants Community's ratings to dip so low, it has to be cancelled, instead of having ratings just good enough to squeak by? That way, NBC will free up time on its schedule for its hit series like . . . um . . . ?

NBC would have been completely justified in canceling the show at the end of this year. I am sure they only brought it back because Sony cut them a huge deal. And Sony is the one who fired Harmon (NBC probably didn't fight hard but it was Sony's decision.) Sony desperately wants to get a show to syndication level, Community is never going to be a big hit, but this last 13 could send it limping to syndication, even if no one watches. But in order for it to make sense the show has to be cheap to produce and Dan Harmon is not making it cheap to produce.

The Dude Tue May 22, 2012 2:30 am

Speaking of the Pixies, I have the feeling that Community will be one of those never popular shows, but that is wildly influential and comedians will list it as their favorite.

**blixie** Tue May 22, 2012 10:15 am

am sure they only brought it back because Sony cut them a huge deal. And Sony is the one who fired Harmon (NBC probably didn't fight hard but it was Sony's decision.)

I think if any "deal" was cut with NBC (which if true, I find it strange not one media/industry journalist has caught a whiff of it and mentioned it any of the articles about the Harmon firing) it was implicit that Harmon was out for the duration. So yes technically Sony's "decision" but I fully believe NBC renewed based in part on that decision to fire Harmon. Dan has know for long enough to plan a vanity card for the finale, if he knew he was out then, NBC certainly did when they renewed the show. I mean GMAFB, if Sony was 100% behind Dan and his version of the show, Greenblatt would have cancelled the show.

In better news as the lone Chevy/Pierce fan/apologist, it looks like he/Dan are over their public bitchfest and he has been supportive of Dan in this mess.

bbridges Wed May 23, 2012 12:41 am

I'm sure Sony wasn't 100% behind Harmon. They want a show that comes in on time and under budget. He consistently failed to deliver that. If NBC was committed to the show (or realized why it was special) they would have fought for Dan Harmon. But the truth is he had a one year deal with Sony which they decided not to extend and NBC didn't care.

I'm guessing as to Sony actually cutting a deal but I have seen several TV critics discussing the possibility on Twitter and it isn't unheard of behavior for Sony (the saga of Til Death or even Breaking In.)

I don't think anyone who watched the finale didn't see it as a potential series ender. Clearly Dan Harmon thought the same.

biakbiak Wed May 23, 2012 12:47 am

Sepinwall mentioned on his and Fienberg's podcast that everything he has heard was that the decision was Sony's and wanting to broaden the audience so they can get more money for the syndication deal rather than Dan's attitude/temperament, so they clearly don't get the shows appeal. Also, they must be delusional to think the show is going to grow on Friday nights following a show as incompatible as Whitney.

Clearly Dan Harmon thought the same.

Which I thought was the point of his vanity card, not that he thought the series would be continuing without him.

biakbiak Thu May 24, 2012 1:00 am

Sony issues talking points about Dan's firing to the cast!

**blixie** Thu May 24, 2012 8:04 am

I hope now that this has been made public that most of the cast parrot these EXACTLY, like robots. Way to put the cart before the horse on that one Sony.

ActonBell Thu May 24, 2012 9:17 am

I just wonder which cast member leaked the memo. I can't imagine any of them being happy being told what to say and do by Sony.

Wildog27 Thu May 24, 2012 10:10 am

I'm going to pretend it's Chevy...

Bad Username Fri May 25, 2012 5:43 am

Over the past couple of days I've shotgunned the first two seasons on DVD, and it is hilarious! "Comparative Religion" is one of the funniest episodes. Pierce's "Troy, I assume you're handy with a switchblade" and the look on Donald Glover's face, "what are you, a North Korean seamstress?" "not if that's bad" cracks me up.

There are a lot of moments when Abed breaks my heart, especially the Christmas episode. I'm glad he got his Han Solo moment.

eventide82 Sat May 26, 2012 12:14 am

We've just started watching Community as well and we're almost done with season 2. I love it. Love, love, love it!

Troy and Abed in the Mooooooorrrrnnning! I would totally watch that every morning if it was a real thing.

Grainne Mhaol Sun May 27, 2012 4:47 pm

I've become obsessed with this show over the past few weeks. It's amazing, like an early Scrubs before the characters became caricatures. Part of me wants it to continue for sixseasonsandamovie, but the end of the third season seems like a natural conclusion for the characters. As much as I adore Abed, some of his quirks are staring to annoy, and I really couldn't care less about Shirley's home life. Apart from Jeff + Annie and Troy + Britta, I don't know what more the characters could do that would be interesting.

jcpdiesel21 Sun May 27, 2012 8:40 pm

Grainne Mhaol wrote:As much as I adore Abed, some of his quirks are staring to annoy...

I definitely agree with this. When the show started, Abed and his odd personality were easily my favorite parts of watching each episode. But this season, I've started to tire of him and see how he can be extremely selfish at times.

Case Sun May 27, 2012 9:04 pm

Re-watching season one for the first time in years.

It's very weird. Britta isn't the worst(She's cool!), Pierce isn't partially evil and partially senile,Troy is a low key ex-jock,Annie is also very low key,and my sweet hunky Jeffrey Winger is a jerk. Shirley is just sweet and dull so far,no edge yet. Abed isn't as fun as he became.

Greendale is also a semi-normal school in what looks like LA. No wonder I didn't know it was in Colorado,what with all the palm trees. Worse of all? No fabulous costumes for Dean Pelton.
Season two and three have ruined me. I want weird pop culture epic adventures. I hope next year isn't like the first season.

Gilraen Sun May 27, 2012 9:16 pm

Case wrote:Re-watching season one for the first time in years.

It's very weird. Britta isn't the worst(She's cool!), Pierce isn't partially evil and partially senile,Troy is a low key ex-jock,Annie is also very low key,and my sweet hunky Jeffrey Winger is a jerk. Shirley is just sweet and dull so far,no edge yet. Abed isn't as fun as he became.

Greendale is also a semi-normal school in what looks like LA. No wonder I didn't know it was in Colorado,what with all the palm trees. Worse of all? No fabulous costumes for Dean Pelton.
Season two and three have ruined me. I want weird pop culture epic adventures. I hope next year isn't like the first season.

I'm rewatching too and experiencing the same thing. I mean, I'm still enjoying it. And I see how the characters evolved. But the best moments are still the weirdest - Troy and Abed singing to their rat while Chang and his wife dance to Green Day, the interpretive dance recital, vampire!Abed - and those are few and far between compared to later on.

Case Sun May 27, 2012 9:37 pm

I agree.
I think it's fascinating to see how Britta went from "generic cool blond lead" in the pilot to the awesomely delusional Britta,"licensed psychology major".
She's changed the most,thankfully. The whole "Sam and Diane" arc is duller the second time around. I especially can't see that Britta and that Troy being interested in each other,where as now? I'm Broy/Tritta shiper.

Chang's crazy is still there,but bubbling underneath the surface. Much like the show.

Bad Username Wed May 30, 2012 11:27 pm

As much as I love the weird stuff, I think the comedy suffers because of it, especially in season 2. That being said, season 3 killed it. I love the timeline and video game episodes, and the stuff with the air-conditioner school is hilarious. Abed's stuff is getting a bit much though, I prefer it when they're all weird together rather than Abed being strange by himself.

And I feel like I missed something, because they all went from being kicked out with the Dopple-Dean running the school, and Dean Pelton missing, then it seemed like they went back to being in school and Dean Pelton was back in charge. I take it once Chang knew the study group knew he released Dean Pelton? I guess it all happened off camera, I just kind of assumed the study group would rescue the Dean.

I am such a Broy/Tritta shipper, I love that they just hug, and he thinks she's the best. I'd love to hug Donald Glover. No, scrap that, I'd like to hug Troy Barnes, the sexy Dracula who makes love to women and survives.

punzy Wed May 30, 2012 11:31 pm

Bad Username wrote:And I feel like I missed something, because they all went from being kicked out with the Dopple-Dean running the school, and Dean Pelton missing, then it seemed like they went back to being in school and Dean Pelton was back in charge. I take it once Chang knew the study group knew he released Dean Pelton? I guess it all happened off camera, I just kind of assumed the study group would rescue the Dean.

There was an episode where they rescued the Dean, it was centered around Chang's birthday party and Troy giving in to the air conditioning school. It was the 2nd of the last 3 episodes.

**blixie** Wed May 30, 2012 11:39 pm

I guess it all happened off camera, I just kind of assumed the study group would rescue the Dean.

I'm not sure what you mean, they did rescue the Dean. The school board government type dudes walk into the whole mess, chasing Chang off, and discuss who will "sit on it" and The Dean says he will. "It's almost as if you were never uknowingly gone."

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