The cast of NBC’s freshman sitcom Community sat down to with attendees of the Television Critics Association press tour. During a question and answer session, the actors were grilled about their show’s less-than-stellar ratings and their ratings-challenged network.
Community revolves around a fast-talking attorney (Joel McHale) who has his license suspended and attends a local community college to get a “real” degree. Others in the series include Chevy Chase, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Jim Rash, John Oliver, and Matt L. Jones.
Though Community’s ratings haven’t been very good, the show is fortunate in one regard. Much of NBC’s schedule is performing far worse.
When asked about the ratings, Jacobs put a positive spin on the situation and said, “NBC gives comedies a chance to find their legs. They allowed 30 Rock to find an audience, they allowed The Office and Parks and Recreation to find an audience.” Chase was quick to add, “Because they don’t have anything else.”
When asked if anything can be done to turn Community’s ratings around, Chase quips, “Go to another network.”
McHale is more philosophical about the network’s and his show’s problems. He says, “I hear about the ratings and I’m like, ‘It’s not our problem, let’s just go to work a great show.'”
With the network’s decision to move Jay Leno out of primetime, NBC will have five more hours to fill each week. However, the network has several new comedy pilots in the works so Community certainly isn’t a lock for a second season renewal.
What do you think? If you were on Community would you be concerned about the ratings? Do you think Community will get a second season? Should it?
Image courtesy NBC.
This and the Office are the best shows on TV. NBC would be foolish to cancel Community. Keep it on!!!!
Great show — funny and better and you watch it the second time.
NBC please renew!
Community is one of the funniest and refreshing show on network TV
There are so many more programs to watch today, viewers often don’t discover a show until it has been on the air for weeks, if not months. Networks need to realize that the big three don’t dominate television anymore and they should give quality programs an opportunity to be discovered. Community is just the type of intelligent programing that shouldn’t be yanked after one season. Anyone remember a little show called Seinfeld? That certainly wasn’t a ratings ball of fire from the get-go. It would really be nice if the networks valued their creative “properties” enough to stand behind them… Read more »
I love this show, quick humour, very good writing. Community is an awesome show and should definately stay on, period.
One of the best new sitcoms of the season without a doubt. I will really be angry if it gets cancelled, it has that vibe to it that makes it like Scrubs, anyway I hope it doesn’t get cancelled it has had better ratings than Parks and Recreation had last season although that isn’t that hard to do.
Community is the best comedy on network television, period. The NBC brass would be idiots to not give it a second season. Uh-oh.
Community is the best new comedy I have seen come onto the air since Arrested Development, which may be why it’s ratings are crap, but still NBC actually has something here, and they certainly should keep it running.
This show is AWESOME! It definitely should and BETTER BE picked up for many seasons to come! NBC would dumber than I already tell people they are for doing anything else!
Agreed. This show is an excellent sitcom. The kind of show that you can watch re-runs and still enjoy. I hope that keep it going. Parks and rec is back on….Community beats that hands down.
Pudi is my homeboy and I’ve followed Dan Harmon (the show’s creator) since he and Rob Schrab wrote Scud the Disposable Assassin.
I’d trade a testicle for two more seasons.
NBC gets my whole sac for a full six seasons, with a series arc in the similar vein of Lost.
keep it! love it! great emsemble cast–love chevy chase & danny pudi especially!
this is one of the best comedy’s currently on tv. clever and witty writing…that’s sure to get it cancelled! everyone i have recommended it to now watches it and loves it just as much.
So many great shows got cancelled within the past few years. Why?? to make way for trashy reality tv shows about singing and dancing. I swear it is starting to get sickening. Half of America is brainwashed by these shows, and just eat it up. Sorry not me not gonna happen. Community is a great show and is funny. Networks needs to use their brains a little. These days alot of people are watching their shows. But not all are watching it on TV. Some people are watching them online on alot diffrent websites. Some legal some not legal. Some… Read more »
all i know is that Community is one of the best new shows out there. it should definitely stay on the air.
agreed