‘Community’ to Return for Sixth Season – on Yahoo! Screen
The creators of the quirky college comedy Community played it safe by writing the series’ Season Five finale with a plot that could leave the show open to a renewal or put a tasseled cap on the show altogether. Then NBC canceled it. But now it seems like their prudence has paid off. In a turn of events, the show will come back for a sixth season in an unusual place: Yahoo! Screen. Series creator Dan Harmon is currently working on a 13-episode arc for the digital channel, according to Variety.
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“I am very pleased that Community will be returning for its predestined sixth season on Yahoo,” Harmon said in a statement. “I look forward to bringing our beloved NBC sitcom to a larger audience by moving it online. I vow to dominate our new competition. Rest easy, Big Bang Theory. Look out, ‘Bang Bus’!”
Actor Joel McHale, who plays the show’s snarky disbarred lawyer–turned-student Jeff Wagner, who had previously tweeted “#darkesttime” when the show was canceled, thanked Harmon and his cast in a statement and added, “Thank you to the greatest f—ing fans in the history of the human race.” And just to drive that home, he added, “It’s the Internet. We can swear now.”
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Sony executive Zack Van Amberg also discussed plans for a Community movie. “Isn’t that our plan?” said Van Amberg. “There’s no way we’re not making the movie now! I think once we make the movie, let’s look up and decide how much more Community the world wants. We promised six seasons and a movie, how much more do you want?! [Laughs.] … I’d be lying if I told you that we have not had some very early and preliminary conversations that are very exciting about what a potential movie could be and who might direct it.”
Previously, Harmon had said that his desire to do a sixth season was in “the ‘eh’ column.” “I’m scared to tell you how little a difference I think my enthusiasm will make,” Harmon wrote. “I know fandom, when it gets this deep for this long, becomes almost religious, including the urge to stone the less than faithful. But there are lots of reasons a Community resurrection could be difficult. So be prepared for that.”
Nevertheless, fans of the show campaigned for its return, urging Netflix to pick up the program. Zack Van Amburg, president of programming and production for Sony Pictures TV – the show’s producer – put it simply: “The fans spoke and we listened.”