TV Review: Community
July 16, 2020
Have you ever watched a show that left you laughing hysterically but also utterly confused at the same time? If not, then Community is for you. Featuring an all-star cast including the ultimate renaissance man Donald Glover, Alison Brie, and comedian Joel Mchale, Community is a show that will attach you to the characters almost immediately, as well as engulf you in the storyline along the way. The premise of the show is that seven random community college students meet to create a study group for their Spanish 101 class. Through that connection the seven members go on to become friends, then family, and sometimes even foes depending on the situation. Emily Vanderwerff of Vox writes in an article that the show “helped her codify many of the ways she thought about TV.” I tend to agree with statement not only because of the character development, but also because the storyline is so creative and sporadic, but also stays on the main plotline at the same time.
Probably the strongest aspect of the show is the character development. Not just the main characters, but all characters develop over time. This creates a drastically different feel within the show from season one to season six. The group could not be more diverse in terms of backgrounds. Jeff, the self-appointed leader of the group, is a failed lawyer who lied about his degree. Pierce is a 70-year-old millionaire who has been at the school for over seven years and has no plans to graduate. Abed is a freshman who only knows how to communicate to people in terms of TV shows or movies he has seen. These are just a few examples of the characters and their weird quirks but somehow producer Dan Harmon was able to bring these whacky personalities and create a show that in my opinion should be in the discussion with the likes of The Office and Parks and Recreation.
A show can have as many quirky characters in it and still be bad because of plot issues. That is not a problem in this show. The Atlantic writes “Community isn’t actually a sitcom – not any more than The Onion is an actual news-gathering organization. Community, instead, is a weekly satire of the sitcom genre, a spoof of pop culture in general, and an occasionally profound critique of how living in mass media society can mess up human relationships in the real world. It’s also funny too.” If that doesn’t make you want to watch the show solely based off the plot, I don’t know what will.
I’ll be honest, I was skeptical when people told me it could rival The Office and shows alike. Those shows are hailed as some of the greatest TV hits of all time, so how could a show that isn’t as recognized be as good? There were moments where the plot was so complicated that I was genuinely confused, but then the next episode it was extremely simple. I think that’s exactly what makes this show so well-made and worth the watch. Still not convinced? Joe and Anthony Russo, you know the Avengers: Endgame producers, direct a couple of the episodes as well as the entire sixth season of the show.
With the characters being as diverse as they are, the plot being intricately made, and the producer’s all-star group being the creative minds behind the entirety of the show, Community should be at the top of your “watch” playlist.
Sources
https://screencrush.com/community-season-6-premiere-yahoo-joe-anthony-russo-brothers-directing/
Mike Tammaro is a Junior double majoring in Finance and Economics and writes for the blog in order to expand my skills as a student. As a business major, the curriculum does not allow for a lot of creative writing, so being able to publish written work is freeing from my normal educational routine.