Not Cool Cool Cool Cool, NBC

Not cool cool cool cool at all. 

TV actors live under the constant threat of their livelihoods being ripped away by some faceless executive. Which I suppose is better than having their faces ripped away by some lifeless executive. It has to be an unbelievable shock going from a professionally unemployed actor to making 10’s of thousands of dollars a week to wondering how you’re going to afford your pool boy’s Lexus payment when essentially not of the decisions that affect those major life changes are in your control. Hollywood is basically a glorified temp service broadcast to the world.

I’m a big Community fan, and it’s a shame to see NBC shelve their second best show (sorry Abed-heads, but 30 Rock is perfect) because not a wide enough swath of middle America can relate to its deep pop culture references, bizarre concept episodes and general geekiness. It’s one of the only shows actually pushing the boundries of what can be done with a comedy on network TV. I guess the problem is if you keep pushing boundaries, you eventually hit a wall. I hope the show rebounds and comes back stronger than ever, but it might just be too quirky, smart and genuinely funny to survive. At least we still have Whitney, right? What do you bring to your Whitney viewing parties? Chocolate? Red wine? A bullet?

COMMENTERS: Lament the seemingly inevitable demise of Community, or dare to proclaim why you won’t miss it once it’s gone (is it because you had your human heart replaced with a can of powdered turnips?). Feel free to post links to your Inspector Spacetime fanfic in the comments as well.

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52 Comments

  1. The real shame is that Witney would be a great show if it were on ABC, who does laugh-track free comedy. The laugh track throws off the timing, her brand of humor is quick, and when you throw that off it completely ruins it.

    • Note: you have it right, 30 Rock is perfect and Community is genius. Suburgatory is filling the gaps though, plus it has Alan Tudyk as a vain cosmetic dentist.

  2. Hain't seen it, friend. By the time I get my ass to bed, my wife's already planted there watching those Sex In The City reruns. TV just isn't my pal lately.

  3. This is my first time commenting, but I have to say that I will absolutely miss Community if it goes… I've been working on a lab-based phd for the past 3 years and when I'm doing mindless lab tasks, I watch either that or Arrested Development. And now I'm worried I might have jinxed Community by watching the two together!!!

  5. "TV actors live under the constant threat of their livelihoods being ripped away by some faceless executive."

    Isn't this how most of us live? (Community! Is! The 99%!)
    But, yes, I am seriously bummed about this, and worry daily about the future of Parks and Rec.

    • "Isn't this how most of us live? (Community! Is! The 99%!) "

      I shit you not, that was one of the jokes I considered for the comic.

  6. I've gotta admit, I love this show but I'm probably responsible for why it's taking that hiatus as I've only been watching it on DVR and Hulu. Still, I'm gonna be sad to see this go when it does. I think Joel McHale is funny as hell and Donald Glover needs his own show (which may be the only way to save this inevitable cancellation).

    Of course we said the same thing about Fringe when it moved to Friday and it seems to be stronger than ever there.

    • "I've only been watching it on DVR and Hulu. "

      Thats how EVERYONE watches EVERYTHING. The way TV shows are rated is decades behind that way human beings actually watch television.

      • I think you mean, "The way TV shows are rated is streets behind…"

        God, I've been trying to make other references to my sadness over Community's predicament, but you set me right up for dropping yet another "streets ahead/behind" comment.

      • Yeah, a couple years ago I briefly worked at a media buying company and learned about TV/radio ratings methods in great detail. It was prehistoric. 1960s much?

  8. Perhaps they're trying to drum up support by putting it on the chopping block but not lowering the ax, hoping the public gives it a thumbs up so they can let it live. Never seen it but have heard good things about it. Maybe they'll tie it all up in a finale starring Summer Glau.

    • I was just thinking the same thing. About this being a publicity stunt, I mean, not about Summer Glau. Oh, who am I kidding, I'm always thinking about Summer Glau.

    • I must assume you're from a foreign land or a parallel dimension. Perhaps from one in which Terra Nova didn't turn out to be a flaming piece of Carno dung?

      Community is about, as Dean Pelton called it, a "conveniently diverse" study group at a local community college. It's wonderful, especially to somone who actually goes to a CC and has to see some of the whackier bullshit that goes on there.

  10. Man, I love me some Community. I'm usually out making space probes (as opposed to making out with probed space) during its airtime, but I always catch it on-demand. The networks track that, right?

    As for Whitney, I've decided that she's funny, but the show is not. The show seems like 5 minutes of stand-up (which is good) fluffed out with 17 minutes of standard comedy filler (which is bad, bad, terrible, bad, terri-bad).

    • making space probes? Are you sure you're not thinking about Big Bang Theory rather than Community?

      Although if you're MAKING the space probes you're probably not as big a fan of that one and it's MISTER Wolowitz.

      • My boyfriend is an astrophysicist at Caltech and he LOVES The Big Bang Theory (as do I, a JPL staff assistant). Though we both laugh at how Caltech really doesn't look like that, especially the cafeteria (which looks more like the JPL cafeteria).

        I haven't seen Community yet – still catching up on Doctor Who, BBT and HIMYM after five years of not being able to watch Tv much (long story). I should check it out on Hulu.

        • In my opinion Community is much funnier than BBT. HIMYM is great as well and Community has recently made some inhokes about Doctor Who, they call it "inspector Spacetime" Do you watch 30 Rock? That's another great one.

          Jack Donaghy is my hero.

          • I catch 30 Rock once in a while and I do enjoy it, but I haven't got it on my regular rotation yet. I do love me some Tina Fey.

            I think BBT appeals to me because the sheer geekery makes me squee. And, well, my boyfriend has certain Sheldon-like tendencies (imagine a somewhat more well-adjusted, less OCD Sheldon), so that appeals to me as well. And I like to sing to the theme song.

            Inspector Spacetime? Hulu, here I come!

      • I've been specifically instructed not to watch that show due to the Doppleganger Effect. You know, that thing that happens when you meet an alternate version of yourself which causes the fabric of space-time to rupture, nullifying existence.

        • Ah, yes. I believe I've seen that documentary. It was narrated by Jean-Claude Van Damme. I think it was called Time-Cop.Good film.

  13. I've long given NBC props for backing quality, given that they've kept Chuck and Community on the air with ratings that would've made any other network drop them. But if they cancel Chuck and Community in one season? Friends off, NBC. You may not come to my birthday party. (I respect and do not question your love for 30 Rock but in recent seasons my personal appreciation for it has diminished)

    Although my cancellation-rage shifted from Fox to ABC three years ago, when they canceled no less than six shows I enjoyed in one year, including my beloved Pushing Daisies and Boston Legal. That was a rough season.

      • I know! How could they do that! Three minutes of magically wrapping everything up at the end of the last episode is not going to cut it, people.

  15. Six Seasons and a Movie!!!!!!!!!!

    (If they would switch its place with The Office, then WE could watch Community AND the Big Bang Theory, instead of watching TBBT at airtime, then watching Community online the next day. I think Community suffers most because of what it's up against in the schedule, not due to anything else. Though I will say, personally I enjoyed season 1 the most… all the bickering gets to be too much sometimes.)

    • You watch Big Bang Theory over Community? Eeeew…

      I suppose I shouldn't talk too much. I've only seen an episode and a few clips of Big Bang, but it's "nerdy" comedy just feels so… forced. Community feels more like something actually intelligent than just something with a facade of intelligence. Again, I'm speaking from a position of relative ignorance about BBT, so maybe it's been proving me wrong the other 90% of it that I haven't seen, but first impressions were pretty mediocre.

      • My husband has become obsessed with BBT, and I can tell you now that I've seen EVERY episode, it doesn't hold a candle to Community. Frankly, nothing does that's on the air right now. 30 Rock is amazing, and I think HIMYM has rebounded a lot this year from last years' suck fest, but they're still not Community.

        Community is the most original comedy I think I've ever seen, which is a crazy thing to say about a show that is based almost entirely on re-using pop-culture memes! SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE!

    • I totally agree. I would love to watch both live and I also agree that going against BBT is the only thing messing with Community's ratings. Curious to see how 30 Rock does up against BBT. Won't be surprised if their ratings tank too.

  16. I have been proclaiming Community as the funniest show on TV for the last couple of years to anyone who would listen, but this season they have lost the funny. I don't know if they're trying too hard or what, but it doesn't feel like the same show. I would hope that wouldn't hurt ratings enough to get them cancelled–they certainly deserve a mulligan or two–but it's not looking good.

  17. I'm so happy to see I'm not the only one bummed about this. It is seriously my favorite comedy, and the idea of them not at least getting a 4th season to finish their "college careers" makes me so, so sad.

  18. I'm clinging to the "It wasn't cancelled, it was put on hiatus" thing for dear life- especially since Cougar Town's episode order was sliced down significantly… it was a bad week, sitcom-wise. My heart is indeed a hate-filled pineapple. 🙁

    Also, not to be a horrible person for loving all of your comics and then mostly posting to correct, but it was "Knight Rider", not "Nightrider." Unless there was an even worse series called "Nightrider", in which case, I bow to your TV nerdity and will look up links for a giggle. I need a giggle. Or some whisky… damn you, NBC! (and also ABC for Cougar Town!)

  19. Da phuck you telling me! i need to start reading more entertainment news. This is one of the best shows on TV. This can not be happening…

  20. I still love 30 Rock, though it has started to go hit and miss for me in the last few seasons, and I appreciate Community, though I feel like Abed's role is basically jumping up and down and yelling "WE ARE BEING SO META, GUYS!", but…
    What about Parks and Recreation? If you're not watching it, you need to Treat. Yo. Self.

  21. If anything in the NBC Thursday Night Lineup should be cut, it's the Office. By no means is it a bad show (it's still pretty freaking funny), but it never did it for me the way 30 Rock, Community, and Parks & Rec did. Every week I *literally* cannot wait to watch a new 30 Rock, Community, and Parks & Rec. The Office, I'd probably forget if it wasn't also there in my Hulu queue.

  22. Six seasons and a movie.

    It's a low down dirty shame that Community is getting pulled from air time, it's by far among the top shows on any network. That all being said, I believe it when they say it doesn't quite have the appeal to middle america that they're looking for, most of my family believes it to be a complete waste of T.V..

    That's not to say I'm excusing this obvious late stage syphilis riddled brain fart of a network call though.

    Hopefully we'll see them bring it back due to community (heh) outrage at the decision.

  23. Seeing Jayne there just, well, it's just so gorram sad. Why couldn't he have used Vera on Fox?! Honestly the cancellation of Firefly got me to stop watching pretty much everything on TV. I'm just too afraid I'm going to fall in love with a new show just have someone cancel it. Even though I know that ends up hurting what could end up being awesome shows.

  24. I'm sorry to say but ever since I got Cable internet I haven't watched TV, so that's been something like 10 years now.

    Between Webcomics, Fansubs, Youtube and thatguywiththeglasses network television has been last on my list of to-do for quite a while.

    Lets all face it the entire format of programmed television has been dieing a slow painful death for quite a while now and our demographic is the main reason and as such anything aimed at it will die in short order.

  25. For me, as a british fan, I think Community would have suceeded if it had been sent to a better channel. In the UK the best channel for showing a lot of the american sitcoms is channel 4 and E4 but instead it got to sent to viva. The basic line up of viva is South Park episode reruns from season one to five (from what I've seen them use), the fresh prince of bel air and MTV reality tv shows like teen mom and jersey shores. I am not going to lie, I got into community on the internet but if I could support that show, I would tune in, even if I wasnt in the room to watch it, I would get someone to tune in, leave my tv on during the show so it could get my viewing figures (If this strategy would even work as this seems like the most logical way of getting it to survive).

  26. I'll miss Community, even though I also tire of the bickering, plus something weird is going on with Brita's character. A hilarious show that no one has mentioned here is "The League (I think it's on Spike or FX). Big Bang, Parks and Rec, 30 Rock, HIMYM are still enjoyable but I think the Office is getting tired. Whitney and 2 Broke Girls both have some witty banter, but are not innovative comedies..I'll still watch them regardless.

    There are some fantastic British comedies like Peepshow, the InBetweeners and Green Wing which I recommend everyone find on the internet. The Australian comedy "Twentysomething" has a lot of charm too.

  27. Just wanted to say that I had never heard of "Community" before this comic, but thanks to it I checked out the link, and thanks to teh top ten geekiest moments list I checked out the show, and now we're happily working our way through all the episodes.

    It's been a long time since I saw something that consistently had me laughing out loud, so thanks for that! 🙂

  28. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    Why must the only show I actually care about on TV get cancelled? Seriously, this is the first time I've loved a show that I've watched while it's actually airing. What's next? Is my favourite band going to break up? whoops, already happened.

    Why must everything I love be on "hiatus"? First broken social scene, and now community.

  32. I come from the future.
    Community turns out to be okay, and starts airing new episodes in March 2012.
    Come with me if you want to live.

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