SDCC 2014: Save Greendale–the 'Community' Panel

Gavin Gronenthal ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Editor
Community is back at Comic Con once again, and thankfully it’s not for goodbyes. After season five ended, NBC pulled the plug on the cult classic comedy, and it’s fans thought it would be the end. But Yahoo has picked it up for a season six, leading this years events to be a joyous one rather than sad.
Attending the panel, hosted by TV Guide, was creator Dan Harmon, writer/producer Chris McKenna, producer/actor Dino Stamatopolous, and actors Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, and Jim Rash, who play Jeff Winger, Britta Perry, and Dean Pelton respectively. Not a lot of light was shed on the new season, as production has yet to even start yet, but none the less the cast and crew seemed to be happy to be back.
A lot of jokes were made regarding the new online status of the show, including the idea that they have “no limitations” now, as far as content. But Harmon was quick to say that they’re not just going to do anything: it’s still going be the same show, following the same general formula as a traditional sitcom. No “49 minute episodes where they only say the F-Word,” as he so delicately put it. He also went out of his way to mention that everyone can watch Community the way they always do, “but now it’s just legal!” That got a huge laugh from the audience.
The cast and crew recapped some of their favorite season five moments, among them Britta helping Troy and Abed deal with Troy’s departure, Mitch Hurwitz and some of the other phenomenal guests of season 5, and Star Burns attempting to run away on a chariot of cats. Yes, these things all did happen in Community, and will probably continue to happen as long as Yahoo keeps this little show that could alive. A few questions were asked, a lot about casting, including whether or not the crowd thought John Oliver, now on his own HBO show Last Week Tonight, should return next season. That, and Harmon’s acknowledgement that Donald Glover would be welcome back as Troy at any time, got the biggest responses of the panel.
Though we didn’t get too much information, it was clear that the support for this fan favorite was strong, and fans cannot wait for Yahoo to bring the show back. Season 6 doesn’t have an official release date, but fans can rest easy knowing one thing: they saved Greendale.