Community: This Is The Darkest Timeline

[mobvok]

Deadlines post suggests its currently unclear whether Dan Harmon will continue as show runner, the very fact of inclarity on something so otherwise foundational suggesting someone at NBC is in Chevys camp in the feud.

 

[mobvok]

That will put them in an awkward position though won't it? Like they'll write and shoot 13 episodes thinking that's it, have a finale, then all of a sudden they get more?

I'd call this an intersection of art and commerce. If its financially logical for Sony to get a few extra episodes I doubt anyone on the crew would object to getting paid to keep the work coming. Maybe they could wrap up the normal story in 13 episodes and then just change gears entirely and switch to stories from the darkest timeline.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

All they need to do is make Episode #13 have two different endings. One that wraps up the show and one that simply wraps up the episode. By the time #13 airs, they'll know where they stand.

Hopefully, they don't do what was the rage in television about 3-5 years ago which is when struggling shows would end their first seasons with cliffhangers instead of wrapping things up neatly, despite knowing their ratings were awful and having months to prepare for the end. Let's hope the Community crew isn't stupid enough to go with that sort of "well, if we do a To Be Continued, they'll have to renew us!" logic.

 

[corianderstem]

I dunno .... I don't mind the trend of quality over quantity.*

I'm sure it's because of NBC being dumbasses and not an indication that they're paying attention to the critically acclaimed dramas on the non-network channels, but still.

*Provided, of course, they're going to give us 13 good episodes.

YOU PICKLE-SUCKING MACGILLICUDDY!

 

[Imperor]

Yeah, how about we talk about what an awesome episode that was?

 

[corianderstem]

Britta's peyote mini-scene was my favorite part.

 

[Imperor]

Loved that. I'll have to go back for a second viewing. Very "Paradigms of Human Memory."

 

[mobvok]

Dan Harmon ‏ @danharmon

Guys, if I "didn't come back," it wouldn't be because Chevy's a prick. That'd be like punching a wall because water's wet. Now CELEBRATE!

How long does peyote last?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

what i don't get is how nbc thinks cancelling pretty much all of its thursday night line-up and replacing it with brand new shit (though they might shift other shows to thursday, who knows) will somehow magically fix things. they could just be realistic and realise nothing can compete with something as popular as big bang theory or whatever. though this'll bring the number to 84 episodes total, and that's gotta be close enough to the needed 88 since i know there's stuff in syndication with way less than that.

and wow, what an episode. i loved it. dare i say it was the best one since they came back from hiatus.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I find that tweet from Harmon oddly reassuring. I can't imagine the show without him being involved in some capacity.

So. YAY. They're coming back. Briefly (for the time being), but still...at least that's something to get us going for next year.

As for this episode, I just loved that it didn't go at ALL where I imagined it would go when it first started. Agreed on the peyote scene-Britta's hair alone made that moment (and on that note, whatever event it was where Jeff had that weird poofy colored hair thing going on-I'd like to know more about that story ). I also really liked the scene of them in the "asylum" recreating all those moments from past seasons, notably the paintball bit.

The random "classes" and Troy and Abed irritating and waking up Jeff and Annie at the end had me cracking up, too.

 

[cobl04]

Awesome, awesome episode. I've got nothing to say about it, unfortunately, but it was so great.


HELLO, RICH PEOPLE? TROY'S JOINING YOU! Yes, I'll hold.

 

[dsmith2904]

These non-clip-show clip shows are my favorites, so random and clever.

Though having a full season is preferable (especially knowing the kind of garbage NBC will likely be debuting in the fall), the story is ready to wrap up and I trust that Dan Harmon & Co. can give all of us a satisfactory ending in 13 episodes. One plus side to a shorter season is that it will run straight, no breaks or hiatus.

 

[corianderstem]

There was something the cop said when he brought Abed back that made me laugh, and now I don't remember what it was. it was some random reference to something. Maybe the Comicon line, but I think there was something else.

 

[PhilsFan]

The thing about the brick?

 

[corianderstem]

No ... ugh. I wish I remembered.

 

[dsmith2904]

Community - Curriculum Unavailable - Video - NBC.com

 

[BigMacPhisto]

what i don't get is how nbc thinks cancelling pretty much all of its thursday night line-up and replacing it with brand new shit (though they might shift other shows to thursday, who knows) will somehow magically fix things.

Well, the problem for shows like Community and 30 Rock is that crap like Whitney gets identical numbers in the demo despite having no lead-in and no other big comedy draws on Wednesday (whereas those other shows still benefit from The Office). Most new comedies that NBC airs will probably bottom out (at worst) to the 1.4 demo that Community and 30 Rock were constantly hitting or going under this season. And with virtually every network show posting year-to-year declines, NBC has nothing to lose with the new shows. If any of the new shows can pull Parks and Recreation type numbers (1.6-1.8 in the demo), that will automatically be an upgrade.

 

[cobl04]

There was something the cop said when he brought Abed back that made me laugh, and now I don't remember what it was. it was some random reference to something. Maybe the Comicon line, but I think there was something else.

"Walk to your cars in pairs tonight. Rape's up eight per cent." ?

 

[cobl04]

Community - - "Sexy and I Know It" - YouTube

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I was wondering if anyone would tie that song to the show. Brilliantly done, that video.

On a sidenote, that song now makes me think of a hilarious "Today" clip involving Kathie Lee and Hoda that "The Soup" showed on Wednesday.

 

[corianderstem]

"Walk to your cars in pairs tonight. Rape's up eight per cent." ?

That might have been it. Now I'm wondering if it had just been the Comicon reference. Oh well. I'll just stop wondering and say "that whole scene was funny."

 

[mobvok]

Community is tee'd up for Fridays at 8:30pm this fall, following Whitney and proceeding Grimm.

Doooooooom

but it's not being held for midseason, though, so there's a tiny imaginable chance it gets the back 9 picked up.

 

[corianderstem]

How the fuck did Whitney get renewed? I thought there was already talk of her not coming back next year?

 

[cobl04]

You know, I haven't read anywhere that the fourth will even be the last season.

But 13 eps and a move to Fridays is probably not a great sign.

 

[mobvok]

There might be a simpler reason there have been continued questions about Dan Harmon continuing on for Season 4:

Link

NBC chief Bob Greenblatt has just confirmed what's been an open secret in Hollywood: While Community has been renewed, lead producer Sony Pictures Television has not yet signed creator Dan Harmon to a new deal to exec produce the new batch of episodes. Harmon only signed a one-year deal when the show was renewed last spring, and insiders tell Vulture there haven't been any intense talks just yet. Greenblatt said he's aware Harmon isn't signed, but said he doesn't know details: "I've been so busy looking at our new shows and putting together the schedule, that hasn't come to me yet," he told Vulture. (Universal Television, overseen by Greenblatt, is a co-producer of Community). So what happens if there is no deal? "Shows lose showrunners all the time and do well," Greenblatt said. "We have to figure out at makes sense. I don't have a specific answer for that yet." Gulp.

Meanwhile, Greenblatt also explained why Community has been shifted to Fridays. It turns out it's all about Grimm. The latter drama has done decently on Fridays at 9, where it's often the top show on Fridays among viewers under 50. Putting scripted shows in front of it, instead of reality, might boost ratings even more. Plus, "Both [Community and Whitney] have core audiences that seem to travel with them," he said.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i think moving to fridays is a decent move. personally, it'll be the only thing i'll have to watch on fridays. i don't think i've watched anything on fridays since the days of the abc shows i watched as a kid - we're talking full house, etc. but i'm sure 99% of people who watch community do so because they like it, not because they just like what's on before. the ratings it gets will seem a lot better on fridays.

plus moving it to fridays could mean they'll pick it up for the full season (or at least add enough to guarantee its syndication viability). plus i gotta be honest, now it won't be at the same timeslot as big bang theory so it's one less show i need to dvr because of me liking two shows on at the same time. i'm sure everyone who likes community thinks bbt is dreck, but i like it.

 

[ladyfreckles]

I liked BBT until season 4, then it got old for me. It didn't help that the vast majority of my friends found the show to be unbearable (I have really, really nerdy friends and they found the show to be an insult and exaggeration, tough crowd). I think Community not competing with BBT will really help with the show's ratings.

Community - - "Sexy and I Know It" - YouTube

Never before did I realize how often the characters in this show stripped...

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I noticed that, too, when watching the video.

Not exactly complaining about that, though, mind....

i'm sure everyone who likes community thinks bbt is dreck, but i like it.

I don't mind the show, either, at least, the few episodes I've seen of it. My friends really like it, and I've seen some episodes when I've gone over and they've put on the DVD of the show. Between it and "Community", my loyalties will personally side with the latter, but to each their own . Also, if "Community" comes back midseason, or if it does come back in the fall and get a full season pickup, it won't be up against "Idol" results, either, which might help a bit.

Still, though, it's odd that the show's been moved to Friday, given that Thursdays are often NBC's comedy nights. Makes me wonder what they'll put on Thursdays, then? And I don't know how scripted shows will work as lead-ins for "Grimm", but hey...*Shrugs*.

I'll happily watch it no matter what night it falls on, though, of course. Just hope the fanbase remembers the switch in days. That's a problem sometimes, too, when a show gets moved, people forget and find themselves saying, "Oh, yeah, it's on this night now!".

 

[dsmith2904]

The Friday thing will probably end up being temporary. The entire schedule will change when football ends, and space will open up on Thursdays in spring with either "30 Rock" closing out early or other shows getting shelved.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Forgot about football season being part of the TV mix there. Good point. It will be nice to not have the show competing against that.