Still Convinced NBC is Insane
It’s true, NBC’s Community has been picked up for a fourth season. I suppose I should just be happy the show is even coming back, especially considering NBC’s penchant for cancelling their programming at the drop of a hat, but there’s something bittersweet about the whole thing. First there’s the reduced order of thirteen episodes. While it shares that fate with 30 Rock‘s final season, both The Office and Parks & Recreation will be receiving 22 episodes this fall. This either implies the show will also be coming to an end, or that a mid-season pickup will be contingent on it doing well — which brings us to the next problem. NBC has decided to move Community to Friday nights — traditionally known as “the place television shows go to die.”
When reached for comment, all NBC would point to was their faith in the show’s fans to keep watching, no matter what. Sadly, that’s probably not going to happen. Most fans might be able to make the switch, but building an audience on Friday nights would be quite a challenge. Couple that with the show’s typical demographic — you know, the kind of people who have lives and enjoy partying on weekends — and that hill just gets steeper.
Ironically, I think the show’s new time put it in direct competition with its star, Joel McHale’s The Soup, which airs on E! the same night. Let’s just hope enough people tune in to the three episode season finale airing tomorrow night to make them rethink the move — that’s right, they’re airing three episodes in a row to close out the season. Again, NBC is insane.