We love Community. We were there way back when Britta and Jeff were the show’s will they/won’t they couple and Pierce briefly joined Vaughn’s band (remember Vaughn and his tiny nipples?). We cheered when the show was picked up for a second season, and loyally hated Whitney when NBC favored it over our superior show and the third season went on a hiatus. More recently, like less than a few weeks ago, we watched the last three episodes of the season and although we weren’t happy (read: livid) over the move to Friday and the shortened fourth season, we were just glad that ‘Introduction to Finality’ wasn’t Community’s swan song.
Then, news broke that Dan Harmon, the sick genius behind the whole operation, was fired. We share his outrage and to say it sucks is a huge understatement. However, this is no way means we’re going to tune out for the fourth (and potentially final) season of Community as a showing of loyalty to its creator. Everyone is voicing their indignation (if you need examples, feel free to visit r/community) and vowing not to watch the show unless Harmon returns. We hate to sound callous…well actually, we don’t….but that’s bullshit. Or, as Will so eloquently put it, “People say anything over the webernet and the ratings might drop a tad, but most people are still going to tune in unless something else drastic happens.”
The Good Ol’ Days
So, if you were a fan of Community before, you’re most likely not going to boycott the show. Or maybe you are, but we sure as hell won’t. We figured as fans, it was our duty to chime in with our two cents and tell you why:
Reason #1: If we stop watching the show, then the terrorists NBC/Sony win! No seriously, they will win. All that does is tell them they were right for not backing this show and more importantly, we’ll miss out on any gems David Guarascio and Moses Port, and more importantly Megan Ganz, have in store for next season.
Reason #2: We’ve already fallen in love with the show. And once you’re in love, it’s kind of lazy to just end the relationship because the one you’re enamored with makes a few changes, or in this case, loses its creator. To paraphrase Troy (or rather almost completely quote Troy): All we had was dumb reality before we met Community. And the show has made all of our lives better than reality. Now it becomes a little inconvenient and it’s time to get real? For shame! For shame indeed.
Reason #3: If Cougar Town fans can adjust to Bill Lawrence (creator of Cougar Town) no longer acting as the showrunner, so can we. Obviously, we won’t know how well Ric Swartzlander handles his new position until the show heads over to TBS, but according to Mr. Lawrence, “For me, the only drag is that I think it makes people nervous about the creative direction of the show, especially since we’re lucky enough that our fans are intensely passionate. They will get the same quality show.” There’s a chance we might get some quality Community too! Besides, it’s probably what Abed would do.
Reason #4: Maybe, just maybe, Harmon had it coming. Maybe. We share Mr. Ken Levine speaks on this unfortunate situation far more eloquently than we ever could, but if you’re too lazy to read the whole thing, here’s the bit that resonates: For a network to fire a showrunner, his behavior had to be pretty unruly. The network weighs the value of his contribution with the nightmare of dealing with him and must decide if he’s worth it. Dan Harmon apparently wasn’t worth it.
Reason #5: The cast, and subsequently the characters, have more than won our loyalty and Dan Harmon is one of the best things about Community, but he’s hardly the only thing. Try and remember that during your next diatribe about how crappy Community will be without the visionary Dan Harmon in the captain’s seat.
Share our opinion? Have a few reasons of your own? Think we’re incredibly stupid for even considering a Community without Harmon? Feel free to let us know. We doubt it’ll change anything on our end, but a good healthy debate with fellow human beings is a great way to pass the time until the fourth season starts.
P.S. Russian fans of Community made this, which is awesome.
tvdinner&amovie 
I love Community and will watch with trepidation. I will watch for Troy and Abed in the morning!
I do wonder how long people can go to community college though and Chevy Chase was starting to look extra old.
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