NBC, you are a wonderful network. Oh, the drama. Oh, the comedy. Oh, the singing competitions and football. And to have the gall to cancel Community after you’ve screwed it over countless times before? I commend you, you beautiful mishmash of broken dreams and awful decisions, you excellent schedule-makers that net you almost–almost!–1.0 ratings in the 18-49 demo. As we all know, 1.0 is two times 0.5, and double of anything is always good (See: The Voice).
The thing about this network is that it takes no shit. This network has no shame. This network will allow Chuck and 30 Rock to go out on their own terms, but when it comes to Community, they shrug, say “It’s time to let About a Boy fail next year”, and try to find time for 50 continuous hours of football and The Voice. NBC, you are as influential and admired as Abraham Lincoln, just if Abraham Lincoln was short, stupid, and an all around asshole. Oh, and you’re welcome for the idea for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: The TV Show, coming this fall to NBC.
It is truly a marvel, and speaking of marvels, NBC has about 71 different superhero projects lined up to fill the timeslot; the problem is that NBC doesn’t even know what Community‘s timeslot was. See? This network is a rebel, a pair of soiled underwear floating in the wind as it touches the lives of tens of viewers. And lo and behold, these viewers will bow down to its power, looking up with stars in their eyes (and by that, I mean Dancing With the Stars: The Laugh Track Version, coming this fall to NBC).
This network is fearless. It is not afraid to air awful comedies, I tell you. It is not afraid to ignore the ratings, to ignore the fact that Community matched–or overtook–Parks and Rec‘s ratings, even against an inexplicable juggernaut show like The Big Bang Theory. Fear not, my viewers! Look! Gillian Anderson is handling a crisis! You must believe! There is a revolution!*
*Note: this motivational message is now null and void, as these shows have been canceled*
So, when you bring Jay Leno back next year and have him narrate reruns of Whitney, and when you continue to develop your hard-on for Chicago and create Chicago: The Department of Streets and Sanitation, we will be waiting here with open arms. We will all remember the bravery it took to cancel Community, to not do them a common courtesy and give them a final sixth season. Then, after we have embraced your beauty and your intelligence, your boldness and your love, we will push you off a bridge and watch the Community movie.
At least you have Hannibal, or we wouldn’t care.
On a more serious note, thank you to the network for picking up the show in the first place. NBC has treated it terribly, but at least we got one more Harmon season; 97 episodes is also very impressive, and credit does go to the network for that. I’d also like to thank the cast and crew of the show; it’s been an incredible ride, with highs and lows and laughs and tears, and while I’m not as bummed out about this cancellation as I would’ve been a few years ago, I’m still sad to see it go. It’s been some of the greatest comedy I’ve seen on television, and phrases like “MY EMOTIONS” and “I need help reacting to something” have stuck with me. I don’t see Netflix picking up the show due to the syndication deal with HULU, but I do see the possibility of a movie. Not going to get my hopes up, though.
At least the show went out taking down NBC. “Depends on what fails”, indeed.
Thanks, Community. Six seasons and a movie. Still sayin’ it.
Photo credit: NBC, Community
Edit: NBC has just announced that the upcoming sixth and shortened season of Parenthood would be its last, as well as the seventh season of Parks and Recreation. They also released their fall schedule.
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