It’s been a long road to season 4 of Community. After creator and executive producer Dan Harmon was fired and replaced with co-showrunners David Guarascio and Moses Port, the fourth season was delayed indefinitely, only to be rescheduled for premiere in February of 2013.
But then last week, Chevy Chase abruptly departed the series with a couple episodes left to shoot. It was a sudden but unsurprising move after Chevy Chase’s growing negative opinion of the NBC comedy series. Well, now we have some details on how the writers will explain Chase’s departure.
TV Line has heard from several sources that the season finale was shot out of sequence during production, and it includes a cliffhanger that leaves the fate of several characters up in the air - including Chase’s Pierce Hawthorne character. Therefore, if Community should be renewed for another season (don’t hold your breath), it won’t be hard to explain why Pierce doesn’t return with the rest of our favorite Greendale study group.
However, what about the episodes that have yet to be completed, which fit between the finale and the last episodes Chevy Chase shot? Well, the writers just might have a way to include Pierce in at least one of the two episodes that won’t have any footage of Chase before the finale. There aren’t any details on that front, but considering the entire gang has been animated before (in Christmas claymation and 8-bit video game style), it wouldn’t be hard to at least see Pierce in some form for the two episodes in which Chase isn’t involved.
Chase’s departure and whatever fix the writers have in mind for the two episodes without him is just one more problem that Community didn’t need. Along with the short episode order for this fourth season, it sounds like NBC has every reason to get rid of the show after the finale airs sometime this spring. It’s sad news for fans, but probably good news for the same fans who would much rather not see their show in worse shambles before pulling the plug.
At least said fans can take solace in the fact that we got three seasons out of this unique and witty comedy series – one of the last few pieces of evidence that NBC was once thriving in the comedy department. For now we’ll have to enjoy the surprisingly decent final season of The Office, the farewell to 30 Rock and the always reliable Parks & Recreation (while it lasts).
Community returns for season 4 on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 8/7c on NBC
-
Source: TV Line
Ryan Reynolds Drops Out of 'Highlander' Reboot 
No Loki in 'Avengers 2' 
'Man of Steel' Director & Writer on What Has to Happen in 'Man of Steel 2' 
'Man of Steel' Ending Controversy 
I’ve already worked myself through the seven stages of grief and I now accept that these 13 episodes will be the last we see of Community.
I know one viewer doesn’t matter at all but with 30 Rock and The Office ending and Community and Parks & Rec most likely getting canceled there won’t be a single show I watch on NBC.
Parks and Rec won’t be cancelled.
Six seasons and a movie
So…I have noticed season 4 is lame…and I just read that the writers got changed around…who knew…I noticed the show has been declining from my point of view anyways…for the past several episodes… i wont miss it if it goes off the air..but i will follow what that Harmon guy does cuz obviously it was his sense of humour that made the show…I feel bad for the actors now…it just dosnt seem the same…abbu or whatever his name is is the worst…can his butt LOL
I agree. Harmon was starting to take the show on some pretty weird tangents, and it was getting silly. But I loved the first two seasons for its sharp writing. The Office? Pretty droll. Got bored of that one fast. Community? Had so much potential for six seasons and a movie. But Harmon needed reigning in. Unfortunately, by firing him, the network executives will start to dumb this show down to reach a wider audience….although it’s likely too late. America doesn’t like to think much when watching comedies….they like “nuk nuk” jokes and “reality TV”. Kind of a shame. This show could have been great.
i know. i literally just watched the last episode on Netflix, and now i find that there is only a half season of 4! why do they always do this with smart and actually funny shows??
I have previously been discussing something similar to this with a friend of mine.
We have both wanted Chase off the show, but in some manner still keep Pierce on the show.
The conclusion was to have Abed go “crazy”, like he was when he thought everything was claymation.
This time he would see Pierce with a different look, where we came with many different scenarios that this role could take.
A young, extremely handsome guy.
A woman, which would just be kinda disturbing.
Black guy (Levar Burton anyone?)
Or finally having John Goodman take the role.
Anything can happen in the head of Abed.
Haha I like this.
Goodman is back baby! He an’t doing this crap.
It’ll probably be cancelled, but I still think it’s got a better shot than most people give it, I mean, what other comedies do they have to count on? The New Normal and Go On get okay rating, but nothing special. 30 Rock and The Office are ending, and who the hell knows how long Parks and Rec has left. Whtiney and Guy with Kids are mostly reviled and get pretty terrible ratings. Last spring, Community had the best ratings of all Thursday night shows on various nights. I’m not that optimistic about it, but don’t count it out just yet.
Love this show it really makes me laugh. Sad to here chevy go but everyone knows abed is the funniest.
It shouldn’t be hard. He can:
A) Die of old age
B) Die of something else.
C) Get kicked out of Greendale
D) Drop out of Greendale
E) Transfer to another school
F) Mysteriously disappear
On a show like Community, there really isn’t a way to get rid of him that wouldn’t be stupid.
Killing him would be too dark for a sitcom. It did’t work when 2 1/2 Men did it, making a joke of the sudden and unannounced death of the show’s main character/ plot engine. 8 Simple Rules had to handle it really carefully (and admirably, I might add).
It’d be way better for them to transfer him out of school, maybe with a touching speech by Fred Willard in Abed’s head.
make him join city college
Hopefully in a car fire.
Never watched this show, and normally am not a big Chevy Chase fan. However, he was in two of the funniest movies I have ever seen: Caddyshack and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and in those he was great. And if you are loking for more giggles (non-Chevy Chase), watch the original Revenge of the Nerds, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Night Patrol. These probably round out my top five of the funniest movies ever.
Christmas Vacation is by far my favorite movie by Chevy Chase I dont think anything could top that in that series or remakes (which I hope they dont do) for that matter
In which alternate timeline is Parks and Recreation ‘reliable’? Unless you call Leslie Knope running for office in a 35 episode arc and romancing a ridiculously yet disparately hot coworker ‘reliable’.
IN what world is P&P not picked up. Whitney is probably gone so is Guys with kids, the office ( <3 ) is ending and so is 30 rock. NBC Will keep the new normal, go on and parks and rec. The fate of community lies in the up fronts, if 1600 Penn is a hit ( don't hold your breath) then I would say that it comes down to the up fronts, and by the way what will the new normal do when they have the baby it will be stupid no matter where they take it Cancle that and keep community!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If community is not on where else am I suposed to go for a wacky hart felt funny fresh half hour of television? The obly other good comedy on any ohter station is How I Met Your MOther
communityfan1 that is the best most mental comment/rant I’ve seen in a while, I like you but you’re crazy…
Well it is true! =)=)=)
NOOOOOO I watched all the seasons and fell in love with this show!!! I don’t want it to end
It seems like everyone besides NBC realizes how much potential this show has. Honestly, Community has the ability to go down in history as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, and last far beyond six seasons and a movie. If the folks at NBC realized this they would promote the show as much as possible, and not bury it in a time slot that dooms it to failure. They have another The Office (or better) on their hands, but they don’t know it yet, even after three seasons. You have to wonder if anyone over there has ever actually seen the show before. They would be rolling in money like Scrooge McDuck if they gave Community the credit it’s due.
I definitely don’;t want it to have more than 6 seasons, just because I think by that point the premise of a Community College will be extremely played out.
I think it deserves a great resolution, but preferably one that comes in its 5th or 6th season. Friends and Corner Gas knew when to bow out, and are still well-loved. The Office pushed it too far, and now people just give it pity (even the author of this article said “A surprisingly decent season”).
Good answer sir. This show is hilarious!!!!!
Maybe it will be Chang’s time to join the group but once he does thats when the show ends…
Cool cool cool.
dont kill pierce, then the next episodes will be depressing, i say have him be replaced or put in jail for something that has to do with his and shirley’s subway shop or maybe he asaults a cop or something but dont kill him though because the characters wont be the same and therefore the show wont be either and maybe have the study group replace pierce with leanord or starburns or maybe even have a whole new character
Dude starburns is dead!
No, he faked his death.
Either way he won’t be back the actor (and writer) quit over numerous problems with chevy chase.
It should be a cluedo episode where pierce is murdered and everyone is a suspect.
Community is not going to be cancelled, you son of a b****. I’m so tired of everyone fueling NBC’s fire with s*** like “don’t hold your breath.”
6 seasons and a movie
Replace Chevy Chase with Bill Murrey.
yes!
Well, honestly, I thought the writers were smothering the show on season 3; Even though I found it really funny and witty as usual, I hate what they were doing to Pierce Hawthorne as a character. It was clear that no one wanted him in the study group anymore, and you can’t keep these guys in the same classes for 10 years. All that stuff with the Dean being kidnapped and Chang being the head of security made me laugh my ass off but because they know how to tell jokes; it felt, however, that the story was going to a dead-end and that they were running out of ways to keep Chang and Pierce involved. It’s one of the best comedies I’ve ever seen, so I hope they come up with a great twist that forces the network to consider at least another 2 seasons. And a movie.
I think you pretty much nailed it. In Season One and Two, Pierce and Chang were great characters, but they really went downhill in season three. The Pierce ‘outsider’ story worked in season two but was kind of resolved in the first season three episode, but the writers still made him the person nobody wanted in the study group. Chang also seemed to be on the show purely because he was an original character and it was pretty clear they had no idea what to do with him. It’s a pity as they’re great characters and actors.
If they try hard enough, there is potential to keep Community going past the fourth season and make it the best comedy show there is. Higher chances if they bring Dan Harmon back…But they really need to figure out how to keep Chang involved and deal with Pierce’s exit gracefully
What will happen to Pearce?
Will Jeff go back into law finally?
Will Troy and Britta get married?
Will Annie finally find a man and the job of her dreams?
Will Abed snap and go mental, or become a successful director, or run his dad’s falafel shop?
Will Dean Pelton ever officially come out of the closet?
Will Leonard ever graduate?!
All these things and more I wish to know.
Six seasons and a movie!
You can’t cancel? Sixseasons&movie man! Please, keep going? I mean one comment wont keep it alive but I think everyone needs to BUY community instead of downloading, I love this show! we need to know what happens to everyone in the end!
NBC is stupid because they only see the money aspect of a show. Community has a loyal fanbase. I think that Community should move to a different network and bring back Dan Harmon to be the showrunner as it should be. Dan Harmon was the heart and soul of the show. The new season is average, but it is weak than the last 3 seasons. When you watch each episode (besides this season) you can see the talent and wit that he had and the love he had for the show. It worked for Cougar Town. If this is the last season, I would like to see a movie like Arrested Development to close up the show! I am a true believer in 6 seasons and a movie!
i really like this show and think that it wouldn’t be the same without pierce but my main problam would be if it finnishes without an ending like what happened to my name is earl
Chevy Chase’s character should run off to China with the heir of the other wipes company he dated in Season 2, she was perfect for him, told off Jeff Winger, allowing his half brother to run the company. This would allow strange video diaries to be sent to the group.
Chang or Leonard could finally take Pierce’s place, but how you continue past season 4 with a college environment is a mystery. Even if they get internship’s or get a master’s. Jeff is going to law school, Annie into forensics, Shirley into her business, it starts to break apart.
The new Community (Glee) season 4 sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No where near as funny as it used to be. Fire the new staff and bring back the old crew.
And stop doing these stupid, corny, awful “Glee” episodes.
And if you’re going to portray Troy as a JW, at least get some of your facts straight. They don’t believe in sex before marriage, so he wouldn’t be sleeping with a slut like Britta. He’d be with a woman who has class. And they don’t believe they go to heaven when they die, so your reference tonight that implied that, was way off base. If the show doesn’t turn around in the next couple episodes, I’m out.
So disappointed that this once great show is in the toilet now.
I thought that the Glee episode was relatively strong (though I don’t understand how it got the “Glee” moniker when last year’s Christmas special was the obvious Glee parody, and this is more of a Sesame Street type deal).
I didn’t like the puppet thing, but that being said I also disliked “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” and its claymation gimmick – but anyone who liked Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas for its animation (and critics ate it up at the time) and then can turn around and cry about the use of puppets is being a hypocrite. Nonetheless, the Sesame Street episode had some pretty strong jokes and character development.
I get the impression that Troy isn’t a practicing JW – he’s just in a JW family, so he might take some liberties with it, just like Annie isn’t hardcore Jewish, she just celebrates the holidays. Remember that even the wholesome Shirley had premarital sex with Chang.
I really think a lot of the Harmon fans should just bow out right now. The Harmon era is over. It’s never coming back. I personally haven’t noticed a difference in episode quality (though even previous seasons of Community were hit and miss for me), but I don’t think Harmon purists will be able to be pleased anymore. Sad, but true.
I love Community and i hope it will continue!! Pierce can die and Chang/Kevin can join the studygroup! After they graduate, they can become teachers!! There is so much potensial to continue the story. Ending Community is like throwing a gormet dinner in the dumbster!!
Hi guys,
The first two seasons, especially the first one, are great. Those paintball episodes are classics. Really like the supporting characters as Starburns, Leonard, Ian Duncan, Garret, and of course dean Pelton. They really make the show stronger.
But in my opinion season 3 was not that good anymore. I really missed that community college atmosphere in the third series, for instance that whole stupid appartment thing with Troy and Abed, Abed belongs in the dorms! And no Ian Duncan, and worst of all, no Starburns! And in the fourth season even no more Pierce, what the hell? Sorry for the six seasons supporters (I like the idea of a movie by the way) but NBC must pull the plug.