***OFFICIAL Community Thread*** (1 Viewer)

[Jaysus]

(or pretty much anything Troy says).

double @ "I'm going to be really quick so I don't miss anything!"

 

[packersfan]

it hit greatness tonight.

One of the best episodes of a TV comedy I've ever seen.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

I was cracking up at Pierce's "Encarta it" line

 

[hammerva]

I might want one of those Troy/Abed Andy Warhol pictures that was in the background.

 

[Barry]

interesting blog from the producer of the show on the last episode blog

 

[jamny]

I thought the first season was great but thought they went too far with some of the craziness in Season Two. The first paintball episode seemed to move the writers into more bizarre off-episodes last year and the shows were hit-or-miss. This season has been really solid though.

 

[Rayderr]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

 

[TobiasFunke]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

(From me, not black Hitler)Love the Troy/air conditioner repair ongoing storyline thing. It's a gold mine for pop culture parody. Star Wars and Good Will Hunting and the obvious two, but they can work pretty much anything in there.

 

[Jaysus]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

:spittake:ETA: lol @ "I can excuse racism but I draw the line at animal cruelty" //// "You can excuse racism?"

 

[Tackling Dummies]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

(From me, not black Hitler)Love the Troy/air conditioner repair ongoing storyline thing. It's a gold mine for pop culture parody. Star Wars and Good Will Hunting and the obvious two, but they can work pretty much anything in there.

Love me some John Goodman and happy to see that this is going to be more than one episode. Dean was killing it in his Tron outfit @ the gay party.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

(From me, not black Hitler)Love the Troy/air conditioner repair ongoing storyline thing. It's a gold mine for pop culture parody. Star Wars and Good Will Hunting and the obvious two, but they can work pretty much anything in there.

Love me some John Goodman and happy to see that this is going to be more than one episode. Dean was killing it in his Tron outfit @ the gay party.

Tron?

 

[Jaysus]

This is the best show on TV. Isn't that right Black Hitler?

(From me, not black Hitler)Love the Troy/air conditioner repair ongoing storyline thing. It's a gold mine for pop culture parody. Star Wars and Good Will Hunting and the obvious two, but they can work pretty much anything in there.

Love me some John Goodman and happy to see that this is going to be more than one episode. Dean was killing it in his Tron outfit @ the gay party.

Tron?

 

[scoobygang]

I love that the Internet has created 50 years of Inspector Spacetime canon in a couple of weeks.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

 

[Rayderr]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

Cost is usually the top factor. Also, sometimes, the network still owns the rights, but doesn't want to let it go (this happened with Firefly. They wanted to go to SciFi, SciFi wanted them, Fox wouldn't let them.)As far as ratings, the issue is more with their competition. They compete against Comedy juggernaut Big Bang Theory and American Idol X Factor. Those are 2 huge shows. It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

 

[packersfan]

It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

These are two of the best comedies on TV right now in my opinion. Maybe the Top 2. I like "The Big Bang Theory" too and it sucks that "Community" is up against it on Thursdays and getting smashed.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

Cost is usually the top factor. Also, sometimes, the network still owns the rights, but doesn't want to let it go (this happened with Firefly. They wanted to go to SciFi, SciFi wanted them, Fox wouldn't let them.)As far as ratings, the issue is more with their competition. They compete against Comedy juggernaut Big Bang Theory and American Idol X Factor. Those are 2 huge shows. It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

If Parks and Rec and Community got canceled because of Big Bang Theory (which I have no problem with, but it's nowhere near the level of those other two shows) and X Factor, the terrorists win. Seriously. That would make me hate America.

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

Cost is usually the top factor. Also, sometimes, the network still owns the rights, but doesn't want to let it go (this happened with Firefly. They wanted to go to SciFi, SciFi wanted them, Fox wouldn't let them.)As far as ratings, the issue is more with their competition. They compete against Comedy juggernaut Big Bang Theory and American Idol X Factor. Those are 2 huge shows. It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

Ratings in comparison to other networks do not matter that much, shows are essentially competing with those on their own networks. Community for example only had to do better than Free Agents, Harry's Law, The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspect. Networks usually cancel their worst rated shows regardless of their relative performance with other networks. NBC's lineup is so bad that they can't dump everything and Community/Parks & Rec/Whitney are the beneficiaries.

 

[Rayderr]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

Cost is usually the top factor. Also, sometimes, the network still owns the rights, but doesn't want to let it go (this happened with Firefly. They wanted to go to SciFi, SciFi wanted them, Fox wouldn't let them.)As far as ratings, the issue is more with their competition. They compete against Comedy juggernaut Big Bang Theory and American Idol X Factor. Those are 2 huge shows. It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

Ratings in comparison to other networks do not matter that much, shows are essentially competing with those on their own networks. Community for example only had to do better than Free Agents, Harry's Law, The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspect. Networks usually cancel their worst rated shows regardless of their relative performance with other networks. NBC's lineup is so bad that they can't dump everything and Community/Parks & Rec/Whitney are the beneficiaries.

They most certainly do. If a show is doing decent, but is up against a juggernaut, the show will frequently get moved to a time where it has less competition. (The Simpsons were pulled from Thursday night as they didn't do well against Cosby.)

 

[RhymesMcJuice]

Only reason it hasn't been canceled is because NBC's lineup is so bad. Good news for fans of the show though and odds are that there will be a season 4 for syndication reasons.

OK, so here's what I don't get. Maybe someone who knows more about the industry can help me out.If a show like Community were to get canceled by a network, why wouldn't a cable network pick it up? While its audience is small for network TV it would be huge for a network like FX or Comedy Central or Showtime or something, and while they'd obviously lose some viewers when they left network TV, Community has a pretty solid group of diehard fans who would follow it no matter what. Hell, if they moved to a network that I don't currently have on my cable package I'd add that network just to show support. Is there some sort of contractual issue that would prevent them from doing this?

Cost is usually the top factor. Also, sometimes, the network still owns the rights, but doesn't want to let it go (this happened with Firefly. They wanted to go to SciFi, SciFi wanted them, Fox wouldn't let them.)As far as ratings, the issue is more with their competition. They compete against Comedy juggernaut Big Bang Theory and American Idol X Factor. Those are 2 huge shows. It's actually doing very similar compared to Parks & Rec.

Ratings in comparison to other networks do not matter that much, shows are essentially competing with those on their own networks. Community for example only had to do better than Free Agents, Harry's Law, The Playboy Club, and Prime Suspect. Networks usually cancel their worst rated shows regardless of their relative performance with other networks. NBC's lineup is so bad that they can't dump everything and Community/Parks & Rec/Whitney are the beneficiaries.

They most certainly do. If a show is doing decent, but is up against a juggernaut, the show will frequently get moved to a time where it has less competition. (The Simpsons were pulled from Thursday night as they didn't do well against Cosby.)

Yes, it will be moved, not canceled. Networks have to put something on TV don't they?

 

[Don Quixote]

@sepinwall Alan Sepinwall Community is being pulled from NBC's mid-season schedule. Working on story now...

NO!!!

 

[Sarnoff]

@sepinwall Alan Sepinwall Community is being pulled from NBC's mid-season schedule. Working on story now...

NO!!!

I can confirm.

 

[Sarnoff]

New Thursday night lineup starts 1/12:

30 Rock, Parks & Rec, The Office, Up All Night, The Firm

Comedies also on Wednesdays starting 1/11:

Whitney, Are You There Chelsea?, then Rock Center with Brian Williams and L&O SVU.

I don't see Community or Prime Suspect in their 2012 calendar (Jan/Feb/Mar)

 

[Time Kibitzer]

Wow. How a show like Whitney can survive and Community can't really makes America look like a bunch of idiots.

Any chance some other network can pick Community up?

 

[Sarnoff]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

 

[Don Quixote]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

Not a good sign that it will be part of NBC's plans for Fall 2012 though.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

Get rid of Whitney and Chelsea and make Community an hour long!

Wednesday night is desperate for decent programming in the 8pm hour.

 

[Don Quixote]

Sepinwall piece - http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/nbcs-mid-season-schedule-benches-community-kills-prime-suspect-brings-back-30-rock

 

[TobiasFunke]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

 

[packersfan]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

Absolutely but I'm guessing the cost to do any kind of a show like that on a network like G4 would be prohibitive.This is really sad. I think Community is the best comedy on TV right now. Top 3 at worst. So of course we're going to lose it. Stinks. Here's an idea - s**tcan The Office and move Community to that time slot. That show stinks without Steve Carell.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

Firetruck.

 

[Rayderr]

NBC needs to realize that it's not the 80's anymore and that they no longer own Thursday Night with it's comedies. On Thursdays, CBS has the better rated comedies, Fox has their crappy talent show, and ABC has Dramas.

Try moving the comedies to Tuesday where there's little competition and move Biggest Loser to Thursdays.

 

[Don Quixote]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

USA might be another option. I think the rights to House are owned by NBC, even though it airs on FOX, so not even necessarily limited to channels owned by Comcast.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

USA might be another option. I think the rights to House are owned by NBC, even though it airs on FOX, so not even necessarily limited to channels owned by Comcast.

I think I read that the rights to Community are owned by Sony perhaps? What options might that create?

 

[Sarnoff]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

USA might be another option. I think the rights to House are owned by NBC, even though it airs on FOX, so not even necessarily limited to channels owned by Comcast.

I think I read that the rights to Community are owned by Sony perhaps? What options might that create?

"House" is produced by Universal (NBC), so they own the rights even though it initially airs on Fox. NBC sells it to Fox.

"Community" is produced under a Sony/Universal partnership. Not sure exactly how the rights issues play out, but Sony is very aggressive in keeping their shows on the air. They may be willing to cut a deal on another show to package "Community" in, or, if NBC does officially cancel it, they're probably negotiate freedom to shop it elsewhere on their own dime.

 

[cstu]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

NBC is just trying to shake things up but I don't think there is much threat to Community. Chelsea is going to be a complete failure - her whole act is based on being vulgar so how is she going to pull off a network show?Plots from the book:

Plots

[edit] Blacklisted

In order to impress a fifth grade boy and to gain the respect of the girls at her school, Chelsea concocts a tall tale in which she is co-starring in a movie with Goldie Hawn. The lie quickly gets blown out of proportion, and things get even more complicated when Chelsea's father forces her to reveal the truth.

[edit] Chelsea in Charge

During her summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Chelsea pretends to be older than she is so that parents would allow her to babysit for money. After a few attempts, she gains renown as a babysitter, and the calls come pouring in. One of her calls, however is to look after a fourteen-year-old (even though Chelsea is really only twelve) and his "72-month-old" brother. She accepts, and chaos ensues.

[edit] Prison Break

Chelsea gets pulled over after drinking and driving, and is arrested and sent to the Sybil Brand Institute.

[edit] Bladder Stones

Chelsea returns home to find her father having urinary issues, conning people via his used car company and Chelsea's books.

[edit] Big Red

Chelsea somehow finds herself falling for a red head, even though she doesn't exactly have an affinity for men of that hair color.

[edit] Dining in the Dark

Chelsea is asked to go to London for the UK release of her book, and she decides to bring her recently single and unemployed friend along. Her friend makes reservations for the both of them at a restaurant where you dine completely in the dark, and when they arrive, they realize they've gotten more than they bargained for. After an unpleasant experience at the restaurant, they duck out to a nearby pub, where they meet what they assume to be a former rock star.

[edit] Dim Sum and Then Some

Chelsea and a friend retreat to a sketchy part of town in hopes of finding a massage place with openings. They come across a small shack operated by an Asian woman, and Chelsea assumes that it's a whorehouse. After a few minutes of a less than satisfactory massage, Chelsea complains, and trouble ensues.

[edit] Barking Up the Wrong Tree

Chelsea and her Persian boyfriend get stuck dog sitting for their friends. After they have sex on their friends' bed, her boyfriend lies naked watching TV and one of the friends' dogs comes up and begins licking his penis. Chelsea becomes very uneasy about it. They go to a party later and her Persian boyfriend holds that same dog in his arms the entire time. Later, they go to eat at his parent's home and Chelsea can't get over the fact that his mother is rude and looks like a man. They break up and he is understandably upset calling her spoiled among other things. She later sees him with the same type of dog that licked his penis and a new girlfriend, and alludes to the penis licking incident and leaves happily.

[edit] Re-Gift

Chelsea finds herself stuck going to the birthday party of someone she barely knows, and has no choice but to re-gift a used, but hardly played, board game. She also finds herself bartending at the dinner because the restaurant lacks one of her requirements: a full bar.

[edit] Jumped

Chelsea decides she needs to lose weight before her birthday and signs up for a private kickboxing class. After losing enough weight to be proud, she decides to treat herself and pigs out on a mountain of junk food from Starbucks. After eating it all at her apartment, and takes out her energy with cleaning, Chelsea falls asleep and wakes up exhausted. Her friend calls and yells at her for not picking her up at the airport and Chelsea leaves to get her. On the way, she nearly drives into a group of fourteen-year-old girls, one of whom calls her a ####. She gets out to yell at them for calling her this and they attack her.

[edit] Mini Me

Chelsea meets a little person who looks and acts a lot like her and they become instant friends. Soon she learns that her friend needs her help.

[edit] Costa Rica

Chelsea gets dragged into going on vacation in Costa Rica with her father. The entire time she keeps emailing her brothers and sisters to get them to come and help her.

 

[packersfan]

NBC is just trying to shake things up but I don't think there is much threat to Community.

I'm not sure I agree. Anytime a show gets shelved it's not a good sign. I also don't think there's much, if any, hope for Chelsea but the fact NBC is shelving Community tells me they are lacking common sense so anything's possible at this point. Right now, I'd be real surprised if Community was renewed for next season. That really sucks because this is a great show.

 

[Sarnoff]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?

There's also the slight possibility of one of the hour-long dramas taking a tumble, in which case NBC could call up "Community" and one of the other midseason sitcoms that haven't made the schedule yet--"Bent" and "BFFs" are both still on the sidelines waiting for an opening. But most likely an hour-long opening would got to new drama "Awake".

 

[cstu]

Hearing the order has not been reduced. All 22 episodes will shoot & air this season. Just on the bench pending developments to the Wed. or Thu. night blocks. If "Chelsea" bombs or "Up All Night" doesn't deliver in the new slot, NBC will call "Community" up to the bigs.

So ... the answer is to tell everyone not to watch Chelsea and Up All Night?I'm married to a pregnant woman who sometimes Tivos Chelsea Lately, but she's willing to make the sacrifice if it means we get Community back.

I just don't understand how a show with a devoted audience like this one can't find a home on the lowest-rated network in TV ... if nothing else, put it on another Comcast network. It would be the highest-rated show in the history of G4 by at least tenfold, right?

USA might be another option. I think the rights to House are owned by NBC, even though it airs on FOX, so not even necessarily limited to channels owned by Comcast.

I think I read that the rights to Community are owned by Sony perhaps? What options might that create?

"House" is produced by Universal (NBC), so they own the rights even though it initially airs on Fox. NBC sells it to Fox.

"Community" is produced under a Sony/Universal partnership. Not sure exactly how the rights issues play out, but Sony is very aggressive in keeping their shows on the air. They may be willing to cut a deal on another show to package "Community" in, or, if NBC does officially cancel it, they're probably negotiate freedom to shop it elsewhere on their own dime.

From what I've read Sony wants to get Community to syndication (4 years of episodes) so they'll work out a price to keep Community on the air.

 

[cstu]

The fact that Community is nowhere to be found in the NBC mid-season schedule has fans understandably freaked out.The show's terrible ratings so far in the 2011-12 season cannot have helped with the anxiety levels.However, with three full seasons ordered (NBC currently maintains that Community will return at some point later in the season), my assumption has always been that Sony (the show's producer) would give the show away to get enough episodes produced for syndication (88 episodes would do it).Now that the show will be off the schedule, at least temporarily, I think that the renewal of Community for season four will require a 'Til Death style miracle renewal.What was 'Til Death you say? It was a little lamented Sony comedy that aired on Fox, sporadically, through 81 episodes.Here is the miraculous tale of Sony's 'Til Death season four renewal. After a weak sophomore season in 2007-8, 'Til Death was renewed for a third season in 2008-9 during which its terrible ratings caused it to be pulled from Fox's schedule in early October, never to return that season. Amazingly, it was renewed yet again for a fourth season in 2009-10, almost certainly because Sony gave it away to generate episodes for syndication (I don't recall commenters crying "Fox executives love it!" or "It has great DVR numbers!"), and during 2009-10 it aired at somewhat random times (and in somewhat random episode order) during the year (but rarely during sweeps!) bleeding into summer 2010 after which it failed to rise from the dead yet again (81 episodes in the can).Community fans believing in miracles can take solace in the fact that this particular kind of Sony sitcom renewal miracle has happened before, and for that reason I still think the show's no worse than a "toss up" for renewal or cancellation for next season.

 

[Rayderr]

From EW

NBC is a big mess; NBC is on the verge of big success: A critic's takeby Ken TuckerGiven the announcement of its midseason schedule, we can say two things: NBC is in big trouble, and NBC is paving a path to success.NBC is in big trouble generally because its new fall shows have either been watched with a minimum of enthusiasm or by virtually no one. More specifically, NBC is in big trouble, public-relations-wise, because it will yank Community from its Thursday-night 8 p.m. slot to make way for the return of 30 Rock as of Jan. 12. And Community fans are, I can tell you from experience, some of the most passionate and social-networky fans in the uni-Twitter-verse.One of NBC’s problems is that it has too many shows, of varying quality, which don’t do well in the ratings. Yes, we all adore the multi-Emmy’d 30 Rock, but it’s not your traditional evening-anchoring hit. Its ratings are solid but modest by that standard. Thus a new January Thursday-night lineup of 30 Rock, my beloved Parks and Recreation, The Office, and a relocated Up All Night is by no means a guaranteed audience-improver. (As for the show that now occupies Thursday nights at 10, Prime Suspect? This getting-better-all-the-time drama is not picking up viewers, and NBC isn’t talking about its future. (My translation: I hope it lasts long enough to air the episode in which my friend Graham Beckel is a guest star.)But now flip this argument. NBC is going to replace Prime Suspect in January with The Firm. Shows based on best-sellers and popular movies can do well (let’s see, there was In the Heat of the Night, right?) or they can go limp in the ratings (let’s see — oh, right: Friday Night Lights, which I’d argue was, as a TV series, a better work of art than either the book or the movie it was based on). But The Firm, based on John Grisham brand-recognition, has a good shot at luring eyes to TV screens.Even better for NBC, The Voice, the network’s biggest recent breakout hit, will return in February. And it will provide a good launching pad for one of the new shows TV critics (including yours truly) have been most enthused about seeing on the air: Smash, the making-of-a-Broadway-musical series starring Debra Messing.Other scheduling moves NBC is making may not be thrilling — I doubt whether you or I will be front-and-center to watch the reassembled Sunday programming block of Dateline NBC, Celebrity Apprentice, and Harry’s Law — but that lineup may work for the network as alternatives on a hotly contested night.I know, I know, you’ve been screaming it as you read: Where is Whitney?!? Don’t worry: Your (not-)favorite sitcom moves to the Wednesday Up All Night slot, where NBC’s wild card is going to be played: Are You There, Chelsea?Now, I haven’t seen one second of this sitcom based on Chelsea Handler’s book and attitude. Maybe NBC is more wise than I give it credit for. But: If I was NBC being pitched a show from a comedian whose act is based largely on her being outrageous and vulgar, I’d say, “Sorry, here in broadcast television at 8:30 p.m., we can’t be as outrageous and vulgar as Chelsea needs to be to satisfy fans. Rather than have us water down the concept, why don’t you toddle on over to FX, where it may be the perfect thing to program with greater creative freedom alongside It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?”So, in conclusion: Bookmark this post so you can either laugh at me derisively if my NBC analysis proves way off, or hail me as a guy who should be programming NBC.On second thought, I’d rather keep my TV-critic gig here than program NBC. But you get what I mean…Oh, and let me start the rallying cry: Free Community! Occupy Community!

 

[Dvorak]

I call shenanigans on NBC.

101/DirecTV saved Friday Night Lights, so I have hope.

 

[packersfan]

I haven't seen Where's Whitney and have no interest in seeing it but for those who have seen it is it really worth keeping that show around by giving it another shot on a different day/time and shuffling Community off to nowhere? Ugh.

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

If only they promoted this show half as much as that Whitney crap.....

 

[Don Quixote]

The fact that Community is nowhere to be found in the NBC mid-season schedule has fans understandably freaked out.

The show's terrible ratings so far in the 2011-12 season cannot have helped with the anxiety levels.

However, with three full seasons ordered (NBC currently maintains that Community will return at some point later in the season), my assumption has always been that Sony (the show's producer) would give the show away to get enough episodes produced for syndication (88 episodes would do it).

Now that the show will be off the schedule, at least temporarily, I think that the renewal of Community for season four will require a 'Til Death style miracle renewal.

What was 'Til Death you say? It was a little lamented Sony comedy that aired on Fox, sporadically, through 81 episodes.

Here is the miraculous tale of Sony's 'Til Death season four renewal.

After a weak sophomore season in 2007-8, 'Til Death was renewed for a third season in 2008-9 during which its terrible ratings caused it to be pulled from Fox's schedule in early October, never to return that season.

Amazingly, it was renewed yet again for a fourth season in 2009-10, almost certainly because Sony gave it away to generate episodes for syndication (I don't recall commenters crying "Fox executives love it!" or "It has great DVR numbers!"), and during 2009-10 it aired at somewhat random times (and in somewhat random episode order) during the year (but rarely during sweeps!) bleeding into summer 2010 after which it failed to rise from the dead yet again (81 episodes in the can).

Community fans believing in miracles can take solace in the fact that this particular kind of Sony sitcom renewal miracle has happened before, and for that reason I still think the show's no worse than a "toss up" for renewal or cancellation for next season.

I remember reading this piece after Til Death went off the air, on the "strange genius" of its last season when even the writers and actors knew no one was watching and had no future, and just decided to throw some of the weirdest stuff on TV possible (they even compared some of the fourth wall-breaking type of stuff to Abed). As Community has better writers and creative talent, I could get behind a similar ending to Community.

 

[Jaysus]

son of a crap

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

no more NBC for me for a looooong time....probably years

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23occupygreendale

 

[TobiasFunke]

http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23occupygreendale

There's like seven different twitter hashtags protesting NBC's decision. If only they could consolidate.