This may seem like an odd choice to start off with. Community is a prime-time network show and most of the people I’ve asked have at least heard of it. But here’s my reasoning: the numbers are low, and I love this show.
A lot of programs will have a Halloween episode that breaks some of the usual rules of the show. This video clip might seem to be doing that, but I assure you, Community quite regularly flirts with the line between what is real and what is fantasy.
Season 2, episode 6, "Epidemiology"
Most of the shows I love die young. What do Arrested Development, Firefly, Invader Zim, and Police Squad all have in common? None of them made it past the third season. Heck, Police Squad only got six episodes. Community just debuted its third season, and I'm afraid for its life.
So here’s me, asking you to give this show a chance. I won’t ask you to stumble into the dark, however. Here’s what I think you should know:
The one-sentence summary on IMDB states, “A smarmy lawyer whose education is deemed void by the bar is forced to attend a local community college with an extremely eclectic staff and student body.”
I suppose this captures the gist of the plot, but I feel the need to emphasis the word “eclectic” and perhaps pair it with something like, I don’t know, “zany” or “quirky”. Possibly "insane". Here's a sample of Senor Chang:
Season 1, episode 2, "Spanish 101"
The show is full of fun moments that, if you’re anything like me, you’ll re-enact with the other cool people you know who watch Community. The dialogue is quick and clever, but only sometimes highbrow. This is Jeff focusing all his persuasive skills on Troy:
Season 1, episode 6, "Football, Feminism and You"
Community isn’t one of those mindless shows you can turn to fifteen minutes in and know everything that has happened previously and is going to happen next. It doesn’t play by the rules, but rather plays with them. Unfortunately, this demand for more than minimum attention may prove the show’s downfall.
Please give this show a chance. It deserves it a lot more than some of the others getting a lot more acclaim.
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