Community, Confliction, Condemnation, and Chevy

It seems to be an uphill fight once again for the popular cult-hit sitcom "Community."  While it is in constant limbo about its airing schedule, the executives of NBC seem to not understand what a hit they have on their hands.  While abysmal shows such as "Whitney" and "Guys With Kids" continue to air during the network's best slots during a prime fall/winter award season, "Community" is set to the side.  Of course, you may be asking yourself, "Well if the show is so good, why doesn't it get better treatment?"  That is the question that is on so many fans' minds.  The answer belongs in the same category as the mystery surrounding the Bermuda Triangle or the whereabouts of Bigfoot.

As if a network's disrespect wasn't enough, Sony Studios was recently in a feud with the show's creator and now former executive producer Dan Harmon.  Sony, being the company that produces the show, felt Harmon's vision wasn't pulling in high enough ratings.  To which Harmon replied, albeit "un-professionally", by taking to Twitter to voice his opinion on the matter.

Seeing as he was only signed to three seasons, Sony took advantage of this. Harmon was subsequently fired from his own creation.  While it seemed his feud with a major studio wasn't enough, he also fought with veteran actor Chevy Chase (of SNL and National Lampoon's Vacation fame) who plays Pierce on the show.  While it seemed as though Chase would be thankful for his overall redemption and return to the limelight thanks to the show, he disagreed whole-heartedly with a lot of what Harmon was coming up with for the show and his character.

What does the outcome for "Community" look like now?  For starters, they have a set air-date for their fourth season.  Feb. 7^th, 2013 looks to be like the final mark on the calendar for the show finally airing, after being delayed from it's original Oct. 19^th, 2012 premiere.  Also, new showrunners have been brought in to fill the seemingly irreplaceable void left by Harmon.  The new writers (Moses Port and David Guarascio) are coming from ABC's comedy "Happy Endings."  This was seemingly good news as "Happy Endings" is a very well-written and unique production.  This though has only been so in the show's past two seasons, during which the aforementioned writers didn't have any connection to the show whatsoever.

There is one silver-lining however, in that Chevy Chase has left "Community" after his long time belittling of it in the press. It is certainly a questionable silver-lining, but seeing how he has been the most difficult of actors to work with it can now free up some writing space that doesn't involve him in jokes concerning his age or prejudices.  Anticipation is now rising surrounding the departure of Chase's character Pierce particularly whether he will be killed off or merely mentioned in a fourth-wall sort of way,. In the end though it might not matter if the show's fans aren't happy with the overall product.

Noted as some of the most passionate ("Community" won Hulu's annual "Best in Show" fan-voted contest with a over "The Walking Dead") the fate lies in the hands of the viewers, who worshipped the now replaced Dan Harmon's vision, and more terrifyingly the network.  A network that thought "Animal Practice" was a legitimate show to schedule over an Emmy-Award Winning one such as "Community".