[beat]

probably not. Jeff is physically a LOT stronger than Abed is, and isn't an idiot.

They've mostly forgotten this, but Abed is a much better athlete than former star quarterback Troy.

[Manmademan]

They've mostly forgotten this, but Abed is a much.better athlete than former star quarterback Troy.

yeah, but Jeff is the only one that religiously lives at the gym and maintains his diet, since he's a narcissist. Better athlete or not, Jeff is likely twice as strong as Abed, and I'd still put him a good deal over Troy.

[Shaneus]

the john hughness of that show was almost non-existant though. season 1 of community did a better job at getting that essence.

Even going so far as to name the school after him (I think? Wasn't it John Hughes memorial or something like that?). At least, dedicating the pilot to his memory.

Aside from the obvious parodies in Community of Hughes' works, there's a fairly consistent undercurrent of his influence throughout the show. At least, from what I can see anyway.

[AlphaTwo00]

Wait, I'm suppose to be thankful that they're going to throw us a bone "of a shortened season 4". As a fan, no. I totally understand the business and financial side on why this thing is under performing and they need change, but you can also see that this is creative suicide. There are plenty of notable mediums that have hit the same snag (think Jurassic Park 3, or something like Resident Evil 5). Fans SHOULD be skeptical of change, and when it's as clear on why the change is happening, we know damn well to expect the worst.

[ivysaur12]

How I really wish this would end: Harmon would bite the bullet, say that he would still be a staff writer, be in the room pitching ideas, and leave the managing to someone else.

It's your baby, Harmon. Even if you don't have the final say, you still should help it. And guess what? You sucked at managing and dealing with things like music clearance.

[Baconsammy]

If forced to choose, I'd take season 1 simply because there wasn't some weird need to make someone "dark". Chevy was actually pretty good in season 1. In 2 he got on my nerves with all the dark, angry shit. In season 3 they clearly didn't know what to do with him, or simply refused to try. In season 3 Abed obviously goes dark and it affects everything. I enjoy a lot of the wackier episodes, but season 1 is the most cohesive and consistent season to me. As someone else said - it had bullies, it had classes, it had love interests (I miss Professor hottie), it had a lot of Duncan. In other words, it was more relatable and believable. I do miss that aspect of it. Rather than a consistent narrative this season, it felt like a series of cool science experiments. Gets kinda tiring after awhile when what you really want is to see these people grow and evolve.

[Hot Coldman]

Even going so far as to name the school after him (I think? Wasn't it John Hughes memorial or something like that?). At least, dedicating the pilot to his memory. Aside from the obvious parodies in Community of Hughes' works, there's a fairly consistent undercurrent of his influence throughout the show. At least, from what I can see anyway.

I think it was much heavier in S1. By time S2 got into its swing, the show had its own style.

[Shaneus]

Oh, definitely. It was used more of a crutch then and that's eased back over the series, but I think there's still a little bit of it there. Or maybe it's that both Community and Breakfast Club/16 Candles etc. both serve as brilliant studies of the human psyche and happen to cover the same themes. Pretty sure everyone sees a little bit of themselves in each main Community character, just as they do with *most* John Hughes films (particularly Breakfast Club and Ferris Beuller's Day Off).

[AstroLad]

. And guess what? You sucked at managing and dealing with things like music clearance.

What are the stories behind this?

[ivysaur12]

What are the stories behind this?

Not really. He's a great creative but a horrible boss of a multi-million company (the Community production). He's a micromanager, he's late on delivering, he's always over budget (sometimes wildly so)... And that's why we love him. Because those are the decisions that help make Community what it is. But it doesn't mean he's good at the running part of showrunning.

[Shaneus]

How I really wish this would end: Harmon would bite the bullet, say that he would still be a staff writer, be in the room pitching ideas, and leave the managing to someone else. It's your baby, Harmon. Even if you don't have the final say, you still should help it. And guess what? You sucked at managing and dealing with things like music clearance.

You know, that... that makes a heap of sense. Rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I'd love to see him try and keep as many fingers in the Community pie as possible, even if it means losing a few in the process. Would be preferable to see him exert influence as much as possible and fail than to see him not try at all. But he's a fragile dude, so I wouldn't exactly be pissed at him for not contemplating that... it's who he is and the show wouldn't be like that if he wasn't.

[border]

If he can't even get along with people when he has complete creative control, what are the odds he'll get along with them when he doesn't have any control?

Has demoting the boss and turning him into another grunt ever worked out in other shows? Because it sounds like a bad idea for almost any workplace.

[IrrelevantNotch]

If he can't even get along with people when he has complete creative control, what are the odds he'll get along with them when he doesn't have any control? Has demoting the boss and turning him into another grunt ever worked out in other shows? Because it sounds like a bad idea for almost any workplace.

The point is it'll be easier to keep his antics in check

[ivysaur12]

An interesting take from NPR:

http://justtv.wordpress.com/2012/05/...thor-function/

While I’m sure Harmon’s voice/vision will be missed by many, I think that aspect is easier to overcome than his authorial function – the diehard Community fans will all know he’s gone, and the fourth season will be tainted to the point that many will be searching for reasons to dislike it. In my chapter, I suggest that viewers infer the role of an author in consuming a narrative, especially when its someone as actively vocal as Harmon; this unceremonious firing fuels our assumption that Community is ultimately Harmon’s vision and poisons our attitude toward the new showrunners before they even start. But by Sony neglecting to try to work with Harmon toward this goal (as far as we know), they have effectively created a series with a giant void in the author function – when we watch, we’ll be searching for what is missing via Harmon’s departure, rather than trying to look at what is there. Things can change over the summer, but I doubt that if the show ends up being good under the new regime, the core fanbase would be willing to admit that they still like it out of allegiance to their image of Harmon as author.

[border]

The point is it'll be easier to keep his antics in check

Or he'll flip the fuck out when the dude that now has his job starts vetoing his ideas.

Demoting a manager rarely works out because that person is generally resentful of the new management and frequently tries to undermine it.

[Talon]

NBC moved the show to Friday. Sony isn't even going to pretend it can extend Community's audience.

[ivysaur12]

Or he'll flip the fuck out when the dude that now has his job starts vetoing his ideas. Demoting a manager rarely works out because that person is generally resentful of the new management and frequently tries to undermine it.

Smash is doing it now. It happens. Supervising producer is also the second most powerful person in the room, especially if the EPs aren't there. It happens. Whether Dan could deal is another story.

[NimbusD]

How I really wish this would end: Harmon would bite the bullet, say that he would still be a staff writer, be in the room pitching ideas, and leave the managing to someone else. It's your baby, Harmon. Even if you don't have the final say, you still should help it. And guess what? You sucked at managing and dealing with things like music clearance.

Are you aware that what you want Harmon to do he isn't capable of doing?

[ivysaur12]

Are you aware that what you want Harmon to do he isn't capable of doing?

Sure. But I wish he would. I also wish Sony had tried to be more graceful about it.

In an ideal world, it would be better if Harmon wasn't managing anyone and was just writing, or running the room.

And this:

@DamonLindelof: Not my business, but despite my love and support for COMMUNITY, it needs to be said that there IS a behavioral line that cannot be crossed.

[iammeiam]

Sure. But I wish he would. I also wish Sony had tried to be more graceful about it. In an ideal world, it would be better if Harmon wasn't managing anyone and was just writing, or running the room.

I do wonder how Harmon would have reacted to them essentially asking him to co-run things, with him handling creative and somebody else doing the monetary vetoing and whatever ("No, you can't spend the entire music budget for the year on the Halloween episode.") It doesn't sound from his post like he'd have been a fan of anybody being able to tell him no, but hurt feelings must be a part of that.

[Shorty11857]

I wish they just kept Dan on as the head writer and brought in someone else to take over the more management aspects of showrunning, even Dan admits that he's not very good at the management part

[big ander]

I'm late to the party here.
I heard last night, and was fully pissed. Didn't come to this thread though. Because I was pissed. Just 12 hours has given me enough time to make a less vitriol-filled opinion on the ordeal, I think.

There's no way to think this is okay. This has happened with TV shows before all the time. Some shows are designed to have a replaceable showrunner. Community is factually not one of them. It has been, since day one, auteur television. The vision of Dan Harmon. Artistically, this shift (in addition to losing so much of the writing staff) is undeniably bad for the show that we know as Community and will bring changes.

That, of course, is just the art side of it. Commerce factors in of course. Community has low ratings. Dan has been something of a problem at times. So we know Sony Pictures had a lot of pressure on them. Does that mean the decision to fire Harmon makes business sense? No. Not at fucking all.

The concepts of cultural cache and niche marketing are important here. The only reason Community survived as long as it did was the devoted and unmoving fanbase. They provided NBC and Sony with something they supposedly wanted: a cult hit. Cult hits have values. Their critical status can reflect better on a network's other shows. Tangential products can sell well. They can be part of lending an image to a network as a whole. That's impossibly important in today's network system. Can make or break a channel.

Dan Harmon was difficult to deal with. He turned in episodes late. Went slightly over budget. Fought notes. But Sony and NBC knew what they were getting into and needed it. They can't be CBS and FX. They're falling and failing in the middle. Dan Harmon and Community were giving them what they wanted: a cult show with ravenous fans and lofty critical praise. In return, they fired the progenitor of all the greatness.

Yes, they renewed the show. But that only showcases their continuing bumbling viewpoint. Renewing the show and firing Dan Harmon is evidence that they STILL want the show to be a mass audience hit. They don't understand what the show is or has been. Maybe it'll miraculously evolve into a hit. Maybe it'll even stay funny. But, conclusively, Community's regime change is evidence of a misunderstanding network and studio. The kind of network and studio that I don't see living in their current form for much longer.

Why do you Americans have such bad taste in tv shows? Why are the Seinfelds so rare, and the 2.5 men so common? WHATS WRONG WIT YOU?!

Heh I know this was sort of a joke, but it's worth parsing out: the network TV model is lagging further and further behind progress. The CBS model still works but the other networks are too incompetent to copy it, instead half-heartedly investing in other niche "broad"casting strategies and failing. Also, international TV is not great either.

I was surprised when the show was renewed. Now, retroactively, I'm no longer surprised. Dan Harmon, by all reports, is a drunk who likes to create drama. This is the guy who wrote a small child a letter complaining about Steven Spielberg. This is the guy who publicly and childishly feuds with his talent. I blame Dan 100% for how terrible the new season is sure to be. He couldn't behave in a professional manner, and it's the fans who pay the price.

He's certainly egotistic and vehement. But you're glossing over the fact that he has an incredible relationship with all of the cast except Chevy, he has a great relationship with critics and fans, and all the writers love him. He's a cult figure.
Also, it's dickish to outright call him a drunk who loves drama. There's no doubt he's volatile. He talks about being volatile all the time. But a lot of that comes from passion.
Finally, Dan wasn't the only person to not act in a professional manner. Sony fired Dan via a press release on a Friday evening. That's a really fucking dirty move. Through a showrunner change, it's important for the network and studio to make it seem slightly smooth to the audience. What Sony did was not only the complete opposite of professional and respectable, it was bad for business.

That's part of the problem right here and an issue for the viewer: From our perspective, Harmon is a genius and needs to keep doing things like this to make Community work. From Sony's perspective, he's a nightmare manager who is wildly over budget in every single episode of the series and a "fuck you, I'm Dan Harmon" attitude that permeates every action he takes with the studio or the network. It's unfortunate, but at the end of the day, it's Sony's product, not Dan's. They're the ones that are pouring millions of upon millions of dollars into it. They have so few properties on TV right now that they need to get even the most low rated ones to syndication in order to keep doing business - they can't rely on Seinfeld as their sole syndication revenue. If they can get Community to 93 episodes instead of 84? Fuck yeah! How about 106 instead of 93? That would be ideal. But from a viewer's perspective, it blows. So much. I do like the two guys that they replaced Harmon with (I love Aliens in America, though it's such a different show than Community), but it's probably not going to be the same. It wasn't on The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, or NYPD Blue. But stop saying stuff like "NBC's gonna add a laugh track!" Come on.

Saying stuff like "they'll add a laugh track" and slamming the two newbies is definitely dumb. It's not like these two people forced Dan out themselves. And they'll know what kind of environment they're entering and I suspect they'll try their best to appease fans to a degree.

But while Dan is a terrible manager, he gave something more to the show. Him being there made it auteur, "quality" TV. The kind that they supposedly love to create. And the cult worship that created could have boosted the show to a better syndication number, I think.

Well...sure looks like Dan will never get a network job again after that post. Here's to him living long on Cartoon Network and whatever other cable channel will have him after that.

And I'm all for him living on these nets. Adult Swim's an amazingly creative place. Plus Dan's blog makes it sound like he's made great friends with people on other networks through the critical success of Community. I'm thinking he'll have another show on a cable net by 2014. FX or something.
Hell, this is detached from reality, but: imagine if Dan Harmon got to come to AMC after the end of Breaking Bad and Mad Men, with the network at its most worried, and imbue it with both its return to high quality and its first successful comedy. Would be amazing.

Fanbase acting like children. Sony was generous to even produce a third season at all. Remember when you were clutching your napkins, praying for a renewal even after seeing the ratings it was bringing in? I was briefly upset about Pan Am and Alcatraz being cancelled, but I moved on because I understood.. Community fans are saying "fuck Sony" when it's been renewed? Thats ridiculous. This Harmon man was a bad manager, who has public feuds with cast members? He acted like a gaffer except publicly. Sony trimming the fat, you can't be a dick bringing in ratings like these. Be glad Sony threw its back out producing this lossy show. Because no one else would have.

Here's what your post demonstrates:
1) An asshole-ish superior tone. Nobody likes you when you do that. You don't look cool for denigrating others by talking about them holding...napkins? What the fuck even are your insults? Is this post just the result of a stroke? Can you function in society?
2) Several misunderstandings about how television works on the business end. For one, you're equating your personal experience with Pan Am and Alcatraz to the change on Community. Which is stupid. Neither of the former had critical accolades or a solid fanbase. Their cancelation made perfect business sense. As I've said in this post, getting rid of Harmon does not make a lot of business sense for the type of show that Community is.
3) A lack of care about the artistic side of the show. Good for you if you don't care about the actual quality of the show. People here do. Firing Dan and losing so many writers undeniably alters the show. It's logical to care about that.

Yea, the people acting like Harmon should have got everything he wanted are fairly unrealistic. Sony doesn't owe him shit for carrying a >3.0 show for 3 whole seasons. Some people are just creepy with their misunderstanding of the situation and the self righteousness. It's kind of why I haven't spent a whole lot of time in here the past two seasons or so. However,there is still some intense dumbness to Sony's decision. They want to make it to syndication without Community's core audience that carried it this whole time. They want to do it....on a Friday....with no other similar programming (other than similarly low rated Whitney being a comedy) around it. They pretty much killed the only audience that would follow it to Fridays. Meaning they should have just killed the show. But it's their decision, throwing money into a whole has been their business with this show for 3 seasons now.

Nobody smart is acting like Harmon should have gotten EVERYTHING. He should have cooperated more. Sony should have cooperated more too. Harmon, at least, knew what he was doing. He was conscious that he was making a niche show with a singular vision. Sony and NBC never realized that they had a cult show and never knew how to work with it. They continued thinking they were on the verge of pushing it towards a mass audience. Which was dumb.

Sony did the right thing, it's their money after all and Harmon should have learned a long time ago that you gotta play the game if you want to stick around, not constantly push and ask for more. As sad as it is, no one is going to bank roll a show just because you wanna do crazy shit every week that only a handful of people will enjoy. If you wanna do that, go to basic cable.

No, they didn't. It was a bad business move. On both ends, Dan and Sony, sure. Sony still did things wrong. Harmon was playing a game. He was playing more into the current network broadcasting conditions, actually. Sony wasn't. These studios and networks are still floundering in the new televisual landscape, and they're often to blame.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/19/t...nity-brouhaha/ Oddly enough, I think making Community a very idiosyncratic, personal, swing-for-the-fences show was a good business decision, though I doubt the studio sees it that way, and I doubt "good business decision" is one of the things going through Dan Harmon's mind. Sony and NBC have always acted like Community was this close to being a mainstream hit. I get the impression sometimes that they think it could have been a mainstream hit if it had been more normal and focused more on the way things really are at a community college or something. But I suspect that they're wrong, and that shows like this - quirky single-camera ensemble comedies - are hardly ever mainstream hits (The Office and Modern Family, being mock-documentaries, are almost in a separate category) or if they are, they burn out fast, the way My Name Is Earl did. So Community probably is more successful as a cult show than it would have been any other way. [...] As a very personal statement, aimed at a small but very young and engaged audience, Community lasted at least 85 episodes, a hit by most standards, and got the studio some money when the rerun rights were sold to cable. From a business point of view, it seems like it would make more sense for studios to stop expecting this type of show to be a huge mainstream hit, and embrace the possibilities of all the money it can make as a cult show. [...] You can't blame a studio for wanting to make a show run more smoothly [...] But with a show that's so completely on the bubble, kept alive by the passionate sense of connection its fans have to the specific, irreplaceable viewpoint of its creator? There aren't many shows like that, and it seems like Sony is carrying on as if this were some other type of show.

This is a great piece, people. Everyone should read.

How I really wish this would end: Harmon would bite the bullet, say that he would still be a staff writer, be in the room pitching ideas, and leave the managing to someone else. It's your baby, Harmon. Even if you don't have the final say, you still should help it. And guess what? You sucked at managing and dealing with things like music clearance.

For fans, this would be nice, but...he was fired via TV websites at 7 on a Friday. No warning at all. That's, frankly, fucking cold. Going back would be shaming.

An interesting take from NPR: http://justtv.wordpress.com/2012/05/...thor-function/

Agree with this take. By removing Dan so unceremoniously, Sony ensured that fans would be enraged throughout season 4. Terrible choice.

@DamonLindelof: Not my business, but despite my love and support for COMMUNITY, it needs to be said that there IS a behavioral line that cannot be crossed.

Sounds like a slam at Sony more than one at Dan.

[border]

I think that replacing Harmon had something to with the show's creative direction as well, and simply making him head writer wouldn't fix that.

I liked S3 a lot but it even seemed a little too out there for me towards the end, when people were actually being killed and murdered.

[Razgriz-Specter]

Well if the final 13 suck, this finale was good enough to be the series finale.
imo

[wenis]

Dan deserves whatever this was. Because obviously we don't know jack and or shit about it all.

If he's being a huge chode as a showrunner and producer he couldn't have expected this to end well. You don't get the opportunity to create and run your own television show and then not play the game a bit. You're just setting yourself up and the show to end horribly.

[ivysaur12]

There was a way for Sony to do this that could have appeased everyone. This was not one of those ways.

Dan deserves whatever this was. Because obviously we don't know jack and or shit about it all. If he's being a huge chode as a showrunner and producer he couldn't have expected this to end well. You don't get the opportunity to create and run your own television show and then not play the game a bit. You're just setting yourself up and the show to end horribly.

Sure, and there are enough Dan Harmon stories to go around. But part of the charm of Community is it's post-modern, "we-don't-give-a-fuck" attitude that makes it so non-mainstream. Compromising that vision for a few more episodes is something that's plagued lesser shows (like Fringe this year).

At the same time, I don't fault Sony for wanting him out of the managerial role. Cause god, he sucked at that. But to replace him without a phone call, or try to keep him on in some capacity? Fuck that.

[border]

Yes, they renewed the show. But that only showcases their continuing bumbling viewpoint. Renewing the show and firing Dan Harmon is evidence that they STILL want the show to be a mass audience hit.

Huh? They moved the show to Friday night. Exactly how does that mean they want a mass audience hit? To me it just means they want syndication after rushing another dozen episodes out the door, and don't want to waste primetime real estate on it.

Same with Sony firing Harmon. They just want to wrap up syndication deals without the headaches of a volatile showrunner.

[wenis]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was done out of spite. I'm sure there was a lot of those kinds of moves being done behind the scenes by both parties. No one is innocent in this whole thing.

[big ander]

Dan deserves whatever this was. Because obviously we don't know jack and or shit about it all. If he's being a huge chode as a showrunner and producer he couldn't have expected this to end well. You don't get the opportunity to create and run your own television show and then not play the game a bit. You're just setting yourself up and the show to end horribly.

You're repeating yourself. Didn't say anything in this post that you didn't already say in your previous ones, so that's fun.
Also keep talking about "playing the game" but won't talk about how Harmon DID play the game to a degree. The issue is that the game is changing.

Huh? They moved the show to Friday night. Exactly how does that mean they want a mass audience hit? To me it just means they want syndication after rushing another dozen episodes out the door, and don't want to waste primetime real estate on it. Same with Sony firing Harmon. They just want to wrap up syndication deals without the headaches of a volatile showrunner.

True, mass audience is not the real goal. But firing Dan and all is a move to make syndication more palatable, at least. They want and have wanted the show to be able to attract a bigger and more mainstream audience.

[bengraven]

Will do so bad they cut it before all 13 episodes are shown, mark my words.

Especially if the fan backlash in this thread is being repeated in other forums/water coolers/study halls.

[beat]

Lindelof also tweeted: "If @danharmon kickstarted an ALT season and changed names to avoid lawsuits (Froy, Babed, Schmeendale, etc.) I would SO fund that shit."

[ShabbadooJr]

BTW Starburns (Dino) tweeted that Starburns is dead for real now.

[beat]

How I really wish this would end: Harmon would bite the bullet, say that he would still be a staff writer, be in the room pitching ideas, and leave the managing to someone else.

Then Sony should have given him a co-showrunner. Who's going to run the show and accept Dan as a mere staff writer pitching anything as weird and wonderful as a 16-bit videogame? Who's going to let a mere staff writer tell the editor what to do? Even little stuff like the "Leonard likes this post" joke from the Ken Burns/pillow fort war ep were thought up by Harmon in the editing process. All of that goes away by demoting Harmon even in the scenario where he stays on the day to day writing.

[bengraven]

BTW Starburns (Dino) tweeted that Starburns is dead for real now.

And so it begins.

Chevy will one of the next. Yvette? Gillian? Donald? Daniel and Alison no way, not yet. Joel likes having two jobs. I don't know.

[ivysaur12]

Then Sony should have given him a co-showrunner. Who's going to run the show and accept Dan as a mere staff writer pitching anything as weird and wonderful as a 16-bit videogame? Who's going to let a mere staff writer tell the editor what to do? Even little stuff like the "Leonard likes this post" joke from the Ken Burns/pillow fort war ep were thought up by Harmon in the editing process. All of that goes away by demoting Harmon even in the scenario where he stays on the day to day writing.

By staff writer, I mean physically be in the writing room. Supervising producer is the second most important role outside of the EP, and most EPs usually can't be in the room because of their schedule. He still needs to be actively involved with the show as much as he can, even if it doesn't always go his way.

And so it begins. Chevy will one of the next. Yvette? Gillian? Donald? Daniel and Alison no way, not yet. Joel likes having two jobs. I don't know.

They all have contracts.

[Sapiens]

I guess Chevy still has friends in high places.

[ivysaur12]

I guess Chevy still has friends in high places.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Chevy.

[hateradio]

Should the thread title be changed now? :p


Community Season 3 |OT| Oaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh

[beat]

By staff writer, I mean physically be in the writing room. Supervising producer is the second most important role outside of the EP, and most EPs usually can't be in the room because of their schedule. He still needs to be actively involved with the show as much as he can, even if it doesn't always go his way.

It's not like he's a non-functional drunk or an asshole for the sake of being an asshole. AIUI, his process causes lateness because he's a perfectionist. That's what I'm worried about here, that someone who toes the Sony line ends up accepting mediocrity rather than go over budget.

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Can't say I didn't see this coming. Harmon always sounded like a time bomb, but this is still a big loss in talent.

That's not to say S4 is going to be bad though. No choice but to wait and see, especially with S3 wrapping up nicely and in full circle.

Should the thread title be changed now? :p Community Season 3 |OT| Oaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh

But season 3 just ended


Community Season 4 OT Cruel Cruel Cruel

[Hot Coldman]

I was always gonna pitch the Season 4 |OT| title to be "Community S4 |OT| Single-Malt Platinum Boobs and Billiards Club", but that would feel wrong now. :(

[Quick]

I was always gonna pitch the Season 4 |OT| title to be "Community S4 |OT| Single-Malt Platinum Boobs and Billiards Club", but that would feel wrong now. :(

Community Season 4 |OT| Dan Harmon Sucks.

[ivysaur12]

It's not like he's a non-functional drunk or an asshole for the sake of being an asshole. AIUI, his process causes lateness because he's a perfectionist. That's what I'm worried about here, that someone who toes the Sony line ends up accepting mediocrity rather than go over budget.

As a viewer, sure. But you have to understand why that's an issue.

[IceCold]

Community Season 4 |OT| Community GT.

[beat]

As a viewer, sure. But you have to understand why that's an issue.

Yes, but I don't get why that's so much of an issue now. Getting to a syndication-able 84 eps means Sony makes back their investment and then some. This move hurts Sony on the back end by making the show slightly less attractive to syndicators and the s4 DVD box set much less attractive to fans.

My point here is that keeping an eye on costs is important, but if it leads you to forget about the other end, about revenue, then you've royally screwed up, and it's not because you were trying to 'be responsible'.

[snesfreak]

Community Season 4 |OT| Dan Harmon Sucks.

Heh.

[ivysaur12]

Yes, but I don't get why that's so much of an issue now. Getting to a syndication-able 84 eps means Sony makes back their investment and then some. This move hurts Sony on the back end by making the show slightly less attractive to syndicators and the s4 DVD box set much less attractive to fans. My point here is that keeping an eye on costs is important, but if it leads you to forget about the other end, about revenue, then you've royally screwed up, and it's not because you were trying to 'be responsible'.

To get a season 4, Sony had to lower the licensing fee considerably. They can't go over budget anymore. And they can't go over budget by, like, half a million, that could be the norm during the third season.

Cable channels don't really care if Harmon is on the show or now. They care about 1) ratings 2) how many episodes they can show. Can they show Community at 3am to plug some holes in their schedule? Yes? There's around 90-100 episodes they can show? Dope.

DVD sales are icing on the cake, not really a huge revenue stream for TV.

[Quick]

Heh.

*nod*

[Link]

To bring this conversation back to the stuff in front of the cameras: did I miss some visual clues or something that is making everyone jump to the conclusion that Britta is moving in with Troy? It seemed to me she was just helping Troy move his stuff into the extra bedroom now that the Dreamatorium has been taken down, while Abed stays in the living room.

[AlphaTwo00]

To bring this conversation back to the stuff in front of the cameras: did I miss some visual clues or something that is making everyone jump to the conclusion that Britta is moving in with Troy? It seemed to me she was just helping Troy move his stuff into the extra bedroom now that the Dreamatorium has been taken down, while Abed stays in the living room.

I didn't equate Britta moving in with Troy. I drew my line as: two real bedrooms for Annie/Britta, and Abed is in the Blanket Room (it's sort of still ambiguous whether Troy is in the AC school or not)