【評論】An Ode to Community, a Love Letter to the Fans
15:43
(***originally posted on Sitcom World)
Here we go. We accomplished half of our goal.
Only one thing left for now — a movie.
For starters, the miraculous Community has faced several possible cancellation during its 5-season run on NBC, but revived twice due to fans out-roar. The network eventually pulled off the underwatched show last year. Then Yahoo! bought it and aired the sixth season online, which just ended last week. The season finale (or say, the said-to-be series finale) is probably more emotional than season 5's Geothermal Escapism, and the other season finales. I started weeping when I saw the voluntary Chinese-subtitle-dubbing team wrote “Thanks for Your Support. See You Soon.” in the opening credits.
Overview
Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television is the PERFECT ODE to this beloved bittersweet comedy. It flawlessly dissected what Community really is. Why is its ride so bumpy? What does it mean to its crew, cast and fans? What does the crew want to say to their dedicating fans half-way through the ultimate goal, #sixseasonsandamovie?
It is even better than season 5's Basic Sandwich, which was supposed to be the series finale too and didn’t feel like a farewell as much as Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television. At least, nobody was leaving in the season 5 finale, but this time, Annie (Alison Brie) and Abed (Danny Pudi) will all go.
I love how much this episode echoed with Pilot. Dean (Jim Rash)’s announcement at the very beginning, Jeff (Joel McHale)’s “sorry I’m late” and “I hereby pronounce you a Community”. Maybe it’s because it’s freaking SEASON 6. It gives the perfect sense of unity to us.
It was announced officially that there would only be 2 conceptual episodes in season 6, Modern Espionage and Wedding Videography. When I looked back, I think there were more —
E08 — Intro to Recycled Cinema : Sci-fi
E10 — Basic RV Repair and Palmistry : bottle episode
E13 — Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television : Self-homage & arguably bottle episode
For a show always at the edge of cancellation, having another season in an unconventional channel is pretty exceptional. After all, like what Abed said, what show peaks after season 6? Note that Chang (Ken Cheong) ’s examples, Seinfeld, Friends, The Simpsons, and South Park, were all popular classics with smashing ratings. There was no big hemorrhaging in those shows. But Dan Harmon’s Community did. (Again, if it had better ratings, there might not be so much hemorrhaging.)
About Pitches
Abed’s — He is always the projection of creators and writers behind. What he pitched basically is what Community is. He may be the most insane or sane one from this crazy show. Far from or sticking to the formula probably is the crew’s biggest struggle from time to time, especially when this show has to be unpredictable, creative and over-the-top to live up to its long-time acclaims.
Dean’s / Chang’s / Frankie’s (Paget Brewster) / Britta’s (Gillian Jacobs)— All are projections of their own personalities and how they think of each other. (OK, Frankie’s pitch once reminded me of Arrested Development’s Annoyong)
Jeff’s (supporting cast) — I LOVE the Greendale’s supporting cast! Garret, Todd, Leonard, and I miss Magnitude. It would be damned hilarious if there was an episode of they becoming the center core of Greendale! In fact, this pitch was just to highlight Jeff’s fear of being left alone while everyone else moved on. It took him a few years to accept Greendale is where he belongs. It must be even harder when the study group became those side characters he teased for so long.
Another highlight here is Scrunch. Despite reference to Rick & Morty, it just cracked me up when they decided to joked on Yahoo! (though I believed this is more of a joke, rather than bad partnership.)
Jeff’s (teachers) — Actually it is a possible outcome, but it cut to it. That means it won’t happen. Even there is another season, this will not be the explanation of why the hell they are still in Greendale for the seventh year. Or maybe they don’t feel confident in having another season. Or they never want Community to be “ever-green”.
Jeff’s (redheads) — What Jeff described here was still the forever Greendale Seven, not Frankie, Elroy (Keith David), Hickey (Jonathan Banks), or even Chang. It hit me so hard when Jeff said at the end, “eventually you’ll leave and be replaced by new ones. And that’s something I’m equipped to handle now” . Well, we all did. Not only Jeff, we as fans, all have to learn and accept the fact that people will come and go.
Abed's Monologue
“It has to be joyful, effortless, fun. TV defeats it’s own purpose when it’s pushing an agenda, or trying to defeat other TV, or being proud or ashamed of itself for existing. It’s TV, it’s comfort. It’s friend you’ve known so well, and for so long. You just let it be with you. And it needs to be okay for it to have a bad day, or phone in a day. And it needs to be okay for it to get on a boat with Levar Burton and never come back. Because eventually, it all will.”This is a freaking tear bomb. It first stated how ridiculous that NBC wanted Community to win over The Big Bang Theory. Then, give credits to the most beautiful bromance in the show, Troy and Abed. Then, reinforce the key message of the entire season 6 — A TV show won’t stay forever. They come and go — for Community, the show itself, the crew & cast, or Greendale Seven and Nipple Dippers, perhaps none of them expected a long-lasting run. “TV’s rules aren’t based on common sense. They’re based on the studio wanting to milk their properties dry.”
We are all given a hint almost every episode since Pilot. One by one they all just fade away.
Jeff & Annie (& Character Development)
I never shipped Jeff/Annie. I like their chemistry just as much as I adore their chemistry with the rest of the cast. But I really like their sort-of confrontation here.
Their conversation sounded like gibberish at first, but it’s in fact with depth. Most of Community fans are at a similar age with them, growing up with them for 6 years. From 10s to 20s (Annie), or from 20s to 30s (Jeff). What they said here were more or less real thoughts of this age. We don’t wanna let Community go, because we don’t wanna grow up. It forever allow us to imagine and leaves us in awe. We are so care-free in Greendale.
However, Annie told us, we don’t have to live under such pressure, as long as we accept that we’re older now. And let the kid stuff go. And let this playful TV show go.
Abed has gifts and talents in TV & Movie, yet he’s such an geek and introvert. Greendale made him learn to face reality and communicate with people. At the end, he can leave Greendale and pursue his dream.
The study group helpd Abed and Annie, and even Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Troy (Donald Glover), with their dreams. Perhaps it’s because they first came to Greendale with aims and goals. Over the past years, they learnt, grew, and improved their flaws. Greendale is their start-point, their oil-pump, their jumping board.
Yet, Jeff, who was once a jerk, now became selfless, caring and content for now. He cannot become the ruthless lawyer as he used to be, saying black is white without a blink. He can only stay in Greendale and lead a group of losers. He’s so afraid he will be the last one in the group. Maybe he can no longer leave Greendale … In Pilot, Jeff cared the least about Greendale among the group. Time flies and people go. He became the one can’t leave Greendale. Life in Greendale destructed Jeff’s old views of himself and the world. In the meantime, he’s also older. Facing with abrupt changes, he found difficult to look for new pursuits and life goals.
Some said Annie’s kiss in the study room was just out of pity. When I watch this scene more and more, I have to disagree. This is a start, instead of an end. Jeff finally admitted his fear, accepted who he is, and confessed his feelings to Annie. They finally knew how each other feels. However, Annie is in her 20s, the brightest times of her life. She must leave Greendale and soar, creating and experiencing her own life. And Jeff, who escaped for so long, must put himself together, leaving out all the mess.
Maybe they will meet again in the future, maybe they won’t. For now, they are in a hopeful open status, filled with promise and romance and possibility (as Dan Harmon described). Who knows? It’s out of our hands. Too many variables.
Dan Harmon's Love Note
“Lines between perception, desire, and reality may become blurred, redundant, or interchangeable.” — I sudden realized there is no darkest-timeline-related episode in season 6. Maybe it’s difficult to continue when 3 of the original cast were gone?
“Some episodes too conceptual to be funny. Some too funny to be immersive, and some so immersive they still aren’t funny.” — Touché!
“Consistency between seasons may vary.” —To be fair, despite many dislike the gas leak year, I found it a bit weak but still enjoyable. If it’s the shark, we’ve already jumped it, and swimming further.
“Viewers may be measured by a secretive obsolete system based on selected participants keeping handwritten journals of what they watch. Show may be cancelled and moved to the Internet, where it turns out tens of millions were watching the whole time, may not matter.” — OBSOLETE RATINGS DEFINITELY KILL COMMUNITY.
“Fake commercial may end with disclaimer gag which may descend into vain Chuck Lorre-esque rant by narcissistic creator. ” — The Big Bang Theory, unlike Community, definitely overstayed its welcome.
“Life may pass by while we ignore or mistreat those close to us.”— Key message again.
“Those close to us may be those watching. Those people may want to know I love them but I may be incapable of saying it.” — Need I say more? We love you too, Dan Harmon. Thank You.
Season 7 Or A Movie?
“Season 7, who knows? It’s out of our hands. Too many variables.” — I believe this is exactly what the crew and cast think as well. As said in their previous interviews, after so many cancellation threats, they all now can deal it with ease. For now, we can all imagine our own version of S7, and maybe it’ll come true.
You just stopped being a study group. I hereby pronounce you a Community.
Are they coming back?
Maybe.
Probably.
Maybe.
But if it ends here, I found it perfect. #andamovie.
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