Save Community!

The main cast.

This is a big change in tone from previous blog posts, but here it goes.  It was recently announced that NBC's spring television schedule will not include Community.  The show's dedicated fans have taken to their Twitter accounts in outrage over this.  Many are sadly predicting that this is an early warning sign of cancellation.  I wanted to take a blog post to defend the show and lend my voice to the Save Community movement.

Community is a brilliant show.  It has great characters, vivid acting, and good week-to-week stories.  The show begins when attorney Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) is disbarred for forging his college degree.  He can only afford to go to Greendale Community College, where he takes an introductory Spanish class.  He quickly, but reluctantly, forms a special bond with his study group, and the show's premise is built from from there.

Like every good comedy, the show took a half of a season to really get going. (And, unlike some horrible TV shows, it doesn't rely on a cheap laugh track or star an incredibly unlikeable protaganist.)  Since then, it has been very nearly flawless.  As I said, every actor and actress on the show is great, but a few deserve special mentions.  

Somehow this worked extremely well.

Danny Pudi geniusly portrays Abed, a pop-culture-obsessed, mildly-autistic nerd.  This character alone is worth the price of admission.  His character was at the root of the claymation Christmas special, which was a big gambit for the series.  I think it paid off in spades.  He also has done the best Don Draper impression I have seen.

Alison Brie plays Annie, a sweet, naïve perfectionist.  This is especially edifying for those viewers who have seen her in AMC's Mad Men, where she is also excellent.  She is an amazing actress.

Unlike NBC's The Office, Community's characters, stories, and romances show no signs of going stale. The more you watch this show, the more you see the seemingly limitless potential of the writing.  For example, the show is just now starting to hit a really strong stride with what appears to be a season-long arc starring John Goodman.  He plays, of all things, the Vice Dean in charge of the college's air conditioning repair program.  This has been flawlessly interwoven with the standard weekly shenanigans.  Things like this and the (annual?) paintball episodes are compelling enough reasons for anyone not watching it to start, and the network to give it more of a chance.

I know I don't have nearly enough followers to change the fate of the show. If the pessimists are right, it may be too late already.  NBC is adamant that they are not canceling it.  However, it is good to be skeptical after Firefly, Arrested Development, and Pushing Daisies were all canceled prematurely.  In any case, Community is great, and I just wanted to make sure the readers I do have get to enjoy it.  Watch it on hulu for free, watch tonight's episode live, or buy the DVDs.  I am confident you will see what I am talking about.