Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Hulu's Best in Show final round: 'Community' vs. 'The Walking Dead'

Can a quirky cult comedy defeat a great big zombie hit?

By Alan Sepinwall Thursday, Apr 5, 2012 9:54 AM

"The Walking Dead" has risen to the final rung of Hulu's Best in Show competition.

Credit: AMC

Okay, it's finals time for Hulu's Best in Show, and it's come down to "Community" vs. "The Walking Dead." Two shows with incredibly rabid fans. Two shows where the showrunners have been very present in the world of social media (though at the moment Dan Harmon's attentions may be otherwise occupied.) One's a cult comedy that's still barely hanging on at its current network, while the other is by far the biggest hit in its channel's history.

Like I said in my Hulu blurb, I pegged "Community" as last year's favorite before "Chuck" took it out, and I pegged it as this year's favorite as well. But Glen Mazzara and "The Walking Dead" fans have been pretty relentless over the last month (in the extremely early going, "TWD" is way ahead in the votes), and neither outcome would surprise me.

So go vote if you want, and we'll be back next week to see if the zombie show could take out the comedy that once did a zombie episode.

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Hulu, Best in Show

ZacharyTF

This just might be the easiest vote I've had the whole tournament. Community is the best comedy on television while The Walking Dead is a sometimes engrossing sometimes maddening zombie drama. Community is streets ahead in this vote.
April 5, 2012 at 10:09AM EST Reply to Comment
Captain Hammer

It's pretty sad that The Walking Dead made it this far as it did over far, FAR superior dramas. Let's stop it here and give the better show the recognition it both deserves and needs.
April 5, 2012 at 10:37AM EST Reply to Comment
- mrbilliam Size of audience is a factor though. For example, although Game of Thrones did beat Once Upon a Time (and is a far superior drama), Once Upon a Time is much more mainstream. ...of course, there's no reason why Walking Dead is more mainstream, other than it's easier to market zombies than meth dealers or ad men.
  April 5, 2012 at 3:05PM EST
- joel Don't make the mistake of assuming this has anything to do with a vote for "quality." Most people don't know good from bad if good bites them on the butt. This is POPULARITY contest. And in that respect, TWD with it's massive following of zombie viewers will likely trounce Community, even though Community is much better show.
  
  And ironically, Community devoted one episode to zombies that was smarter than the entirety of two seasons of TWD.
  April 5, 2012 at 5:25PM EST
Brubarian

I liked your description of Chuck fans as being the "immovable object." It's accurate. Time for Community fans to take the title and say to Walking Dead "that's... wassup..." (Vice Dean Laybourne)
April 5, 2012 at 10:47AM EST Reply to Comment
War Chief Shake Zula

I have voted for Walking Dead against every opponent it's faced thus far (except for Breaking Bad during the quarterfinals), but NO MORE! I WILL STAND BEHIND COMMUNITY TO THE BITTER END! ALL WHO ARE WITH ME, UNITE!
April 5, 2012 at 10:53AM EST Reply to Comment
- EF POP POP!
  April 5, 2012 at 12:30PM EST
- War Chief Shake Zula [dramatically] Cool. Cool cool cool.
  April 5, 2012 at 6:05PM EST
Greg

Definitely Epidimeology is far better than anything The Walking Dead has ever done.
April 5, 2012 at 11:29AM EST Reply to Comment
SpyTV

Last year Chuck and Community were my two favorite shows, and I had to give the vote to Chuck. I like the Walking Dead, but it tends to stay on the DVR until I get around to it. Community is must-see.
April 5, 2012 at 12:32PM EST Reply to Comment
Jennifer

Can you vote more than once?
April 5, 2012 at 1:56PM EST Reply to Comment
- ZacharyTF You can vote over and over and over.....
  April 5, 2012 at 4:39PM EST
- CK just refresh!
  April 5, 2012 at 11:49PM EST
Mulderism

Two weeks ago I had never seen an episode of Community. Two weeks later I have seen every one. Don't call me a Communewbie any more. Put me down as a rabid fan.
April 5, 2012 at 2:04PM EST Reply to Comment
Blake

Many people, myself included, like the idea of Walking Dead. I personally am not willing to settle for cool zombie effects with a clumsy, slow storyline. But I am still glad there's a weekly zombie show that's not played for laughs, even though I've given up on it.
April 5, 2012 at 4:44PM EST Reply to Comment
elliotfingerbottom

Community went downhill fast after season one. It's not the funniest comedy on television these days, in my opinion. It won't get my vote.
April 6, 2012 at 5:29PM EST Reply to Comment
100001617055151

Community gets my vote.
April 9, 2012 at 9:29PM EST - via iPad Reply to Comment
David

Is this thing over or what? I can still vote but the percentages haven't moved since yesterday afternoon. Looks like Community got the win? And Walking Dead fans, including Mazzara himself, are throwing around allegations of fixing. Sore losers.
April 12, 2012 at 8:19AM EST Reply to Comment
Lucy

Omg twd all the way
March 14, 2013 at 8:05PM EST Reply to Comment

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Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Hulu's Best in Show final round: 'Community' vs. 'The Walking Dead'

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Hulu's Best in Show final round: 'Community' vs. 'The Walking Dead'

Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

ZacharyTF This just might be the easiest vote I've had the whole tournament. Community is the best comedy on television while The Walking Dead is a sometimes engrossing sometimes maddening zombie drama. Community is streets ahead in this vote.

Captain Hammer It's pretty sad that The Walking Dead made it this far as it did over far, FAR superior dramas. Let's stop it here and give the better show the recognition it both deserves and needs.

Brubarian I liked your description of Chuck fans as being the "immovable object." It's accurate. Time for Community fans to take the title and say to Walking Dead "that's... wassup..." (Vice Dean Laybourne)

War Chief Shake Zula I have voted for Walking Dead against every opponent it's faced thus far (except for Breaking Bad during the quarterfinals), but NO MORE! I WILL STAND BEHIND COMMUNITY TO THE BITTER END! ALL WHO ARE WITH ME, UNITE!

EF POP POP!

War Chief Shake Zula [dramatically] Cool. Cool cool cool.

Greg Definitely Epidimeology is far better than anything The Walking Dead has ever done.

SpyTV Last year Chuck and Community were my two favorite shows, and I had to give the vote to Chuck. I like the Walking Dead, but it tends to stay on the DVR until I get around to it. Community is must-see.

Jennifer Can you vote more than once?

ZacharyTF You can vote over and over and over.....

CK just refresh!

Mulderism Two weeks ago I had never seen an episode of Community. Two weeks later I have seen every one. Don't call me a Communewbie any more. Put me down as a rabid fan.

Blake Many people, myself included, like the idea of Walking Dead. I personally am not willing to settle for cool zombie effects with a clumsy, slow storyline. But I am still glad there's a weekly zombie show that's not played for laughs, even though I've given up on it.

elliotfingerbottom Community went downhill fast after season one. It's not the funniest comedy on television these days, in my opinion. It won't get my vote.

100001617055151 Community gets my vote.

David Is this thing over or what? I can still vote but the percentages haven't moved since yesterday afternoon. Looks like Community got the win? And Walking Dead fans, including Mazzara himself, are throwing around allegations of fixing. Sore losers.

Lucy Omg twd all the way

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ZacharyTF

This just might be the easiest vote I've had the whole tournament. Community is the best comedy on television while The Walking Dead is a sometimes engrossing sometimes maddening zombie drama. Community is streets ahead in this vote.

Captain Hammer

It's pretty sad that The Walking Dead made it this far as it did over far, FAR superior dramas. Let's stop it here and give the better show the recognition it both deserves and needs.

Brubarian

I liked your description of Chuck fans as being the "immovable object." It's accurate. Time for Community fans to take the title and say to Walking Dead "that's... wassup..." (Vice Dean Laybourne)

War Chief Shake Zula

I have voted for Walking Dead against every opponent it's faced thus far (except for Breaking Bad during the quarterfinals), but NO MORE! I WILL STAND BEHIND COMMUNITY TO THE BITTER END! ALL WHO ARE WITH ME, UNITE!

Greg

Definitely Epidimeology is far better than anything The Walking Dead has ever done.

SpyTV

Last year Chuck and Community were my two favorite shows, and I had to give the vote to Chuck. I like the Walking Dead, but it tends to stay on the DVR until I get around to it. Community is must-see.

Jennifer

Can you vote more than once?

Mulderism

Two weeks ago I had never seen an episode of Community. Two weeks later I have seen every one. Don't call me a Communewbie any more. Put me down as a rabid fan.

Blake

Many people, myself included, like the idea of Walking Dead. I personally am not willing to settle for cool zombie effects with a clumsy, slow storyline. But I am still glad there's a weekly zombie show that's not played for laughs, even though I've given up on it.

elliotfingerbottom

Community went downhill fast after season one. It's not the funniest comedy on television these days, in my opinion. It won't get my vote.

100001617055151

Community gets my vote.

David

Is this thing over or what? I can still vote but the percentages haven't moved since yesterday afternoon. Looks like Community got the win? And Walking Dead fans, including Mazzara himself, are throwing around allegations of fixing. Sore losers.

Lucy

Omg twd all the way

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