During its six-season run, Community cultivated a loyal fanbase who fell in love with the show's wonderful cast and witty meta-humor. However, the fans didn't love every year of the show equally.
Season 4, aka the gas leak year, received a lot of criticism when it first aired. It was the only season without the original creator Dan Harmon at the helm, and for many, it showed. A lot of fans felt the fourth year was an uninspired version of what Community originally was.
However, now that several years and two successive seasons with Dan Harmon have passed, it's easier to notice more positives in the gas leak year, but the negatives are certainly still present.
Right To Hate: Changnesia
Once Chang's evil rule over Greendale came to an end, it was always going to be hard to bring the character back into the fold. This led to the season four writers coming up with Changnesia. Chang claimed to have this made-up form of amnesia, which convinced everyone at Greendale to welcome him back.
A lot of the intrigue was taken out of the season-long Changnesia arc when viewers found out he was faking it as early as the sixth episode. Plus, the Kevin persona that Chang donned during that time was a lot less entertaining than the insane Chang from the earlier seasons.
Underrated: Still Funny
During its first three years, Community gained a reputation for being hilarious. From Troy's one-liners to Abed's pop culture references, the series delivered great jokes regularly. Without Dan Harmon around for season four, there was always a concern that the humor would suffer.
But despite not being quite as funny as the first three seasons, year four still provided plenty of laughs. Moments like the purposefully cliched sitcom in Abed's head, and The Dean's imitation of Jeff, lived up to the standard of humor that Harmon set.
Right To Hate: Troy And Britta's Relationship
The Troy and Britta romance had been building for a while, but they didn't become a fully-fledged couple until season four, and it was awkward. The sweet chemistry that the two had shown previously wasn't there, and half of the time, the show barely acknowledged that they were a couple.
When the relationship came to an end, most viewers were thankful. It was realistic that two friends wouldn't necessarily make a great couple, but sitcoms are supposed to be entertaining, and their relationship certainly wasn't.
Underrated: Troy And Britta's Breakup
While they didn't make a great couple, Troy and Britta's breakup was heartfelt. It started with Troy and Abed pretending to switch bodies as a reference to Freaky Friday. Then Troy acting as Abed explained to Jeff why his relationship with Britta wasn't working. Simultaneously Abed as Troy was telling Britta the same thing. After they "switched back" into their own bodies, Troy broke up with Britta for real.
Using the Freaky Friday concept made it a unique breakup, and the excellent performances from the cast allowed the scenes to remain serious and poignant throughout.
Right To Hate: Didn't Follow Up On Big Moments
To its credit, season four included some significant moments that were well-executed. However, these moments were often undermined because they were rarely - if ever - mentioned again.
For instance, in the seventh episode of the season, Jeff spent some time with Pierce, and they actually bonded. This was special because, by this point, the group saw Pierce as less of a friend and more of a person they merely tolerated. However, the scene didn't change anything going forward. Pierce was still kept at arm's length by the group, and the good time he had with Jeff was seemingly forgotten.
Underrated: Herstory Of Dance
One of the few episodes in the season that truly matched the quality of the early years was "Herstory Of Dance." Dean Pelton organized a Sadie Hawkins dance, which inspired Britta to set up a competing Sophie B. Hawkins dance - though she meant Susan B. Anthony.
During the episode, Abed attempted to go on two separate dates at once, as he wanted to experience the shenanigans it would bring. During a season where references were often heavy-handed - "Hunger Deans" for instance - this was a fun parody of a classic sitcom trope. And it introduced the viewers to the popular Rachel, which was a plus.
Right To Hate: Created Problems For Season Five And Six
Initially, the series was about a group of people who attended the same Community College and became friends. However, at the end of season four, Jeff graduated. This created a situation where for the show to continue, he had to return to Greendale for some reason.
So in season five, Jeff became a teacher, and instead of being a study group, the main characters became a committee. It was a big change, and Community never felt like the same show after it. The characters had to graduate at some point, but it should've happened during what was confirmed to be the last season.
Underrated: Jeff Confronted His Dad
Jeff's problems with his father were made abundantly clear in the first few seasons of the show. On multiple occasions, he referenced the terrible things his dad did, including but not limited to the time he abandoned him.
In season four, after years of not seeing each other, the two of them had Thanksgiving dinner together. But when his dad suggested that maybe leaving him was the right decision, Jeff stormed out. He returned, though, and gave an emotional speech about all the damage his father had done to him. It was amazing to see the usually closed off Jeff show that much vulnerability and finally give his dad the dressing down he deserved.
Right To Hate: The Finale
Season four ended on a sour note with "Advanced Introduction Of Finality." Jeff was all set to graduate, but when he started to get cold feet, he daydreamed that the Evil Study Group from the darkest timeline interfered in his big day.
The Study Group, from the main timeline, battled their villainous counterparts using fancy paintball guns. It sounds amazing, but it was uninspiring compared to the show's previous paintball wars. Plus, the daydream premise made the fight, and most of what happened in the episode, not mean much.
Underrated: Last Season With The Original Group
By the last season, the core Study Group looked very different. They were now a Save Greendale committee, and the likes of Pierce, Troy, and Shirley were gone. Their spots were filled by some entertaining characters, but it still wasn’t the same. The rapport of the original members just couldn’t be replicated.
All of the originals were still present throughout season four, though. And even though the characters were inconsistent at times, their brilliant chemistry with each other was still there.