Hey Human Beings! It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, what with Dan Harmon getting un-fired from Community, then Donald Glover leaving the show, and then the show getting cancelled, only to be rescued at the last moment (by, of all corporate human beings, Yahoo?) and unleashed back into the world like some sort of wizard that fell into shadow and came back all white and glowing and more irascible than ever. San Diego Comic Con hosted a Community panel today, and it was full of wonders! First, to get the news out of the way: Community Season 5 will come our on Blu-ray/DVD on Aug 5th, and writing for Season 6 will begin this fall! Now click through to read highlights from the panel!
The panel began with a montage of great moments, until a flatline right after the fifth season. But then? A voiceover!
“Yahoo is bringing us the first bionic show – bigger, faster, stronger! Ratings? Where we’re going we don’t need ratings.”
The panel consisted of creator Dan Harmon and executive producer Chris McKenna, plus Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Dino Stamatopoulos (who was sadly lacking star-burns for the occasion…).
When asked how exactly Yahoo saved Community, Dan Harmon expressed uncertainty: “…Hail HYDRA?” Chris McKenna, however, thinks that this suggests that his pessimistic Twitter missives may have convinced God to bring the show back. But Harmon didn’t want to announce the show’s return until he was sure, because he knew it would mean so much to fans. He also said they’re hard at work on their Pokemon episode…which is a joke. Maybe.
Oh, and just so everyone knows, NBC made Gillian Jacobs cry! Grrrr….
Harmon downplayed the idea that they’ll change how the show is presented just because they can, saying that episodes will remain the same length, and there won’t be an uptick in cursing. He’s also considering making everyone a vampire in Season 6, though, so maybe take everything with a grain of salt.
We do know that Community will be released weekly, and that it won’t hit computer screens before Christmas 2014.
Joel McHale, who has always been one of the greatest champions of the show, exulted in their renewal: “I had no doubt we would be back. Like a Japanese general in World War II, the only option was victory or suicide. I know that all of you, mostly white people… you watch it the way that most people do is on tiny little screens and now we’re on one, so fuck you network television.”
Asked the inevitable Jeff-Britta/Jeff-Annie shipping questions, Harmon responded, “Centering the show on a relationship would be the end of the show.” Of course, it’s looking like nothing can kill Community, so maybe they might as well try it? And anyway, now that it’s on the internet, McHale says he’s open to Jeff-Dean. Also, he wants Benedict Cumberbatch to fill Chevy Chase’s seat.
Dino Stamatopolous claims to have never heard Dave Matthews Band before Starburns played it from his boombox… Asked about favorite Season 5 moments, Joel sang the praises of Mitch Hurwitz and Chris Elliott. Gillian Jacobs was too proud of the “plethora of wonderful episodes” to pick a favorite, and really loved Britta’s arc last season, which earned a comforting word from Jim Rash: “You’ll never be not the worst.” Rash was also excited that he got to play D&D this time, and he was happy to “impale myself with a space-knife.” Harmon says that the first time Jonathan Banks got notes, his reaction was, “I’m gonna punch you in the heart.” And McKenna’s favorite scene was the Dean trying to get Rhonda’s attention.
And whither Troy? Harmon’s answer to that is incredibly exciting: “Troy’s out there somewhere, maybe in peril. But that’s what movies are for.” THE SEARCH FOR TROY??? But then McHale has to ruin everyone’s elation: “I’d like to cut away to Donald eating LeVar Burton.”
One fan asked how McHale keeps his hair in line: “The Chris Hardwick line of mousses and gels.” Which seems like great advice to leave everyone with.
[Panel info via nerdbastards, hitfix, huffpo, and Yahoo!]
All of our ongoing San Diego Comic Con 2014 coverage can be found here.
