NBC and Yahoo!Screen’s little-show-that-could, Community, has finally paid off a fan dream that has waited 11 years as they have greenlit a film based on the long-running comedy series. Created by Dan Harmon of Rick and Morty, the show often faced a troubled production and was produced under frequent threat of cancelation. Additionally, while Community couldn’t quite hold a candle to similar shows like The Big Bang Theory when it came to ratings, it did garner a cult following of its own that has sustained it over the past decade.
The upcoming movie will follow the same characters as the original series, bringing fan-favorite faces back to the screen. Among them include former lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), high school dropout Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), eccentric nerd Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), compulsive overachiever Annie Edison (Alison Brie), and the show's community-college Spanish teacher Ben Chang (Ken Jeong), all characters who were present throughout the entirety of Community’s six-year run. Although little is known about the film’s plot at this time, the movie itself is a reason to celebrate.
While it might seem unfounded for fans to have been so eager for a movie, the announcement tied to the very reason one seemed so possible. In Community season two, episode 21, which first aired on April 21, 2011, a quotable line references "six seasons and a movie." The line itself was a reference to the NBC show entitled The Cape, which itself only lasted 10 episodes, and that Abed was infatuated with, sometimes to the extent of causing friction with Jeff. However, throughout the rest of the series, “six seasons and a movie” developed from a joke to a rallying cry among fans, lasting 11 years to the recent film confirmation Deadline and McHale who used the line to make the announcement.
Why Community's "Six Seasons & A Movie" Became So Popular
“Six seasons and a movie” became so popular among the fans and creators of Community, including Dan Harmon, partially due to its longevity throughout the series. As the fate of the show was so often uncertain and liable to be canceled, the line calling for an ultimate six seasons and a film grew from a joke into a hashtag for fans, even becoming its own meta joke that appeared in Community as an Easter egg. But as the show continued to persevere, welcoming back many of its original writers and creators for its final two seasons and getting picked up for season six by Yahoo!Screen, the line became a mantra of hope to those in front of the screen and behind it. Even when the line was used as a parody of itself, it was a symbol of Community’s incredible survival in the face of capricious executive decisions that canceled many other shows, including Community's own cancellation in season 5, with similar ratings and fanbases.
After 11 years of dreams and effort from fans to keep Community alive, the show will soon reach its apotheosis. For a small, indie comedy series, their achievement is an impressive one overall, not just for its fans. Indeed, the call for “six seasons and a movie” is a demonstration of the patience and dedication of Community’s fans and creators alike, portraying the possibilities of hope and tenacity in the tenuous environment of entertainment streaming.