Saying goodbye to the Dan Harmon era of 'Community'
Here are 10 episodes that defined the mad genius of the show's ousted creator
Chang as Chow Yun-Fat, Britta as Mrs. Mia Wallace and a blood-splattered Shirley were three memorable moments of the Dan Harmon era.
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The news that Dan Harmon was fired as "Community" showrunner still feels like a cruel joke — like fans of the show wished for a fourth season on a monkey's paw, only to discover that the fourth season would air on Fridays after "Whitney" and not involve the man whose mad genius made "Community" what it was.
Over the weekend, the cast and many of the show's top writers paid homage to Harmon on Twitter, thanking him for the opportunity and fun that came with his creation. We have no idea what the show will look like under new bosses Moses Port and David Guarascio, but they definitely have a tough, if not impossible, act to follow.
Before we move forward on whatever "Community" is about to become, I first wanted to look back at 10 episodes from the Harmon era — not necessarily the 10 best, but 10 that represent the depth, breadth and insanity of what the show was under his watch.
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May 22, 2012 at 3:11PM EST Reply to CommentThe big problem of course, is that while these ten episodes do a good job of defining Dan, Dan did a better job of defining each and every episode of the show that was made. May he rest in Peace.
Name "May he rest in Pierce".
May 23, 2012 at 7:50AM ESTiyan *laughs, chugs from bottle*
May 23, 2012 at 1:31PM ESTOliver
May 22, 2012 at 3:13PM EST Reply to CommentRIP Community: 17 September 2009 to 17 May 2012.
hampshi
May 22, 2012 at 3:16PM EST Reply to CommentWe'll always have a secret trampoline.
Bgklein you mean an asylum mattress...
May 22, 2012 at 4:29PM ESTPam
May 22, 2012 at 3:20PM EST Reply to CommentAlan ,
Are you going to e interviewing the new show runners ?
sepinwall I hope to at some point.
May 22, 2012 at 5:18PM ESTCraig Alan,
May 22, 2012 at 9:16PM ESTDo you think Harmon might be interested in an interview? I know it's probably a fresh wound right now...but he also loves to talk! His AV Club post-mortem of season 2 is one of the most in-depth things I've ever seen from a show runner. I'd love if someone could persuade him to do a similar breakdown of season 3.
A Watkins What Craig said!
May 26, 2012 at 3:37PM ESTcitizenmilton Please don't give any oxygen to these faker replacements. For a show about taking things meta, I wish Hitfix would take their criticism meta - by ignoring the fraudulent version.
May 27, 2012 at 7:31PM ESTZach R.
May 22, 2012 at 3:22PM EST Reply to CommentIt may not have had the ratings, but 20 years from now Community will still be in the pantheon of great television comedies.
renton
May 22, 2012 at 3:29PM EST Reply to CommentBest slideshow preview art ever.
Joel
May 22, 2012 at 3:29PM EST Reply to Commentlistening to 'Childish Gambino - Heartbeat' while reading this, make me feel like the show got cancelled :(
i know Harmon is a loss but why fixate over it until you or the public have seen what direction its going in?... celebrate that we get 13 (possibly 22) more episodes of this show that i as a 17 year old can define as the show of my generation! and hopefully many others!
Realness Hey Joel, How would you feel if you worked hard to create something special for 3 years only to have a teacher, parent or boss take it away from you and give it to some random non-grouper to finish?
May 22, 2012 at 5:47PM ESTEric @Realness: We're all bummed about Dan being cut loose. But Joel is not Dan. Joel is a fan of the show, and he is right to refrain from damning the fourth season without seeing it first.
May 22, 2012 at 6:44PM ESToliver I also think we're giving little credit to the actors for what they bring to their characters, and they're all coming back.
May 24, 2012 at 4:49PM ESTklg19
May 22, 2012 at 3:31PM EST Reply to CommentTruly an example of what people mean when they talk about quality television that's not like every other damn show on the air.
I watched Community from the pilot onward, but it was definitely the debate episode that kicked the show up to a level few other shows even dream of, much less attain. That was the episode where I started recommending it to my friends--and after the billiard-game episode, I started watching it in real time, when I could.
I still can't wrap my mind around getting rid of one of the true creative geniuses in television, but that's probably why I'm a librarian, not a network programmer. I agree that "Introduction to Finality" serves as a wonderful series finale and, while I hope the new guys don't turn the show into the same formulaic pabulum most other shows offer, it may have to serve as such for me.
Port and Guarascio don't just have big shoes to fill; it's a whole silhouette. And the show has been such a brainchild of Harmon's that it is really, really difficult to imagine even the smartest and most creative showrunners carrying it through from where he left it. Port's and Guarascio's time on "Just Shoot Me" is not encouraging (in fact, that show's title is a joke that tells itself).
It truly is heartbreaking.
buckbeat
May 22, 2012 at 3:49PM EST Reply to CommentI can't count the reasons I should stay
One by one they all just fade away
DavidW
May 22, 2012 at 4:18PM EST Reply to CommentWhy is there no way to close the obnoxious "HITFIX FOR IPAD APP" pop up??
chipper it's called adblock if you are using firefox or chrome. If you're using IE, well.... no avoiding it.
May 23, 2012 at 10:04PM ESTvelocityknown
May 22, 2012 at 4:38PM EST Reply to CommentIt does now kind of feel like Harmon gave us an episode that fans can say was their true finale if the fourth season turns out badly.
On the topic of "Paradigms of Human Memory", let us not forget that it brought us the now constantly utilized hashtag and the "Remember the Alamo"-esque war cry for "Community" fans: Six seasons and a movie!
Gotta admit, everytime I see a tribute tweet or an article like this, I start to get a little choked up thinking about all of the wonderful moments Dan Harmon has given to us. Like Abed taught us, there's a lot of value in television, and Harmon has given us more than 10 shows combined could have.
Slam
May 22, 2012 at 4:43PM EST Reply to CommentThe two paintball episodes were TV brilliance
aceJamsp The original and the western? Yeah, those were great. The halfhearted Star Wars parody not so much.
May 22, 2012 at 8:45PM ESTlztouchthedream Half hearted? Abed's Han Solo impression and it making Annie all hot and bothered alone make that a great episode.
May 23, 2012 at 2:14PM ESToliver Again, for all the credit we want to give to Harmon for making these classic episodes possible, the actors made those characters memorable, and they're all coming back next season. Why can't we give the show the benefit of the doubt until we see a few episodes under the new showrunning regime?
May 24, 2012 at 4:52PM ESTfresser28
May 22, 2012 at 4:46PM EST Reply to CommentGood list, but I'd remove the last three and replace them with Contemporary American Poultry, the most graceful, least heavy-handed of the movie parodies and the most heartfelt, Romantic Expressionism, because it was the last time Harmon wasn't exclusively pushing the Annie/Jeff ship, Vaughn was still there and everyone was a potential ship with everyone else (the way it should have remained), and my personal favorite, Introduction to Statistics, in which Chase was still hilarious and well-used and which contained some of the best dialogue ever written for the series.
I wonder if now some of the old writers will be willing to come back?
At any rate, hail and farewell, Harmon.
Eric I'm assuming you're not much of a fan of the third season, then, since you'd like to see each of its episodes removed from this list?
May 22, 2012 at 6:45PM ESTfresser28 I think the third season is what precipitated S4's 13 episodes, its Friday night death slot and Harmon's exit. So, yeah - not a fan of S3, except for Remedial Chaos Theory, which seemed like a throwback to the early, funny episodes.
May 23, 2012 at 3:43AM ESTroxanne There was something they were trying to do with the third season that didn't work with a lot of people. If you're a huge fan of season one you're not going to enjoy the third season nearly as much. That's why you hear people saying they don't like the third season and it was going downhill anyway.
May 23, 2012 at 7:28PM ESTMulderism
May 22, 2012 at 4:57PM EST Reply to CommentGood list.
"Basic Lupine Urology" is probably my all time favourite episode. "Advanced D&D" and "Critical Film Studies" are way up there too.
jon
May 22, 2012 at 5:09PM EST Reply to Commentsince no one will ever remember their names. here are names for the new Showrunners:
Gracious and Photosynthesis
Genesis and the Prognolion
Klorgox and Pfpfpfpfpf
Nickel and Back
Arthur Brown and The Edge
Gargle and Pus
Night and Terror
Gamble and Proctor
Gum and Parallelogram
Horatio Sanz and Mos Def
Giggles and Pacemaker
Girth and Putrefaction
Gargamel and Periwinkle
Cash and Butch Cassidy
Granite and Prune
Galapagos and Pipsqueak
Groucho and Pyelonephritis
Guarini and Padfoot
Ginger and Parenthesis
Geisha and Proxenetism
Gumbercules and Pazuzu
Gelato and Patronymic
Geranium and Placenta
Gland and Plantain
Sapphire and Steel
Maraschino and Brandywine
Simon and Garfunkel
Gravel and Panzerotti
Garbanzo and Pickle
Geordi and Picard
Gasket and Pterodactyl
Geography and Pepperoni
Torque and Fellacio
Gingivitis and Plaid
Gabbroid and Peameal
Gossamer and Plasticine
Guacamole and Pizza
Gustavo and Poudre
Gamelan and Postmodernism
PB and J
Jimjam and Prog-rock
Gigawatt and Pickaxe
Garbanzo and Potpourri
Gangrene and Pus
Goiter and Polymer
Gout and Pestilence
Gonorrhea and Placenta
Gouache and Pastrami
Gazpacho and Palindrome
Gilligan and Palin
Gabardine and Parkour
Guerrilla and the Pope
Gulp and Pantaloons
Guernica and Picasso
Gargle and Porthole
Gastritis and Polenta
Gastronomy and Portmanteau
Gonorrhea and Syphilis
Gargamel and Porthole
Gargoyle and Pomeranian
Granite and Panacotta
Gimp and Papaya
Gap and Pristine
Geodude and Poliwhirl
Gyrate and Preconceived
Glimmer and Parrot
Gigli and Plan 9 From Outer Space
Garnish and Pittsburgh
Gristle and Plywood
Germany and Poland
Cheesegrater and Property Law
Gamsboni and Papslappy
Gobstopper and Pappadeaux
Groucho and Poncho
Garnet and Pugwash
Gondola and Pinnace
Grandmapanties and Pantaloons
White George Foreman and the Black Michael Chiklis
Gallblader and Pool
Jefferson Memorial and Platonic Affection
Pun and Glockenspiel
Guarana and Prosciutto
Gardenia and Postulate
Loggins and Messina
Gog and Magog
Gerbil and Pronto
Gubernatorial and Pierogies
Grimlock and Paleontologist
belinda
May 22, 2012 at 5:34PM EST Reply to Comment*wails* Still can't believe this happened. sigh.
I hope S4 would be good and I wish the new showrunners the best of luck, but even if it's hilarious, it just isn't the same, is it? Sigh.
oliver Right, because goodness knows we wouldn't enjoy watching a hilarious comedy.
May 24, 2012 at 4:56PM ESTIf you don't believe in the new creators, then don't watch. Otherwise, I say let's give them a chance to see if they can continue to make the show funny.
Next thing you know folks will want to erect a Dan Harmon statue in Greendale, Indiana.
bjkrautk
May 22, 2012 at 5:40PM EST Reply to Comment"Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" didn't make the cut? The episode that brought us Professor Professorsen, blanket forts, parades (with permits) and chase scenes through said blanket fort, the diorama car 'explosion,' Time Desk, and the first appearence of the Campus Police officer?
If I had to pick just one episode of Community that typified the Harmon run, it would be Conspiracy Theories.
knifoon Officer Cackowski appeared long before that. I want to say the STD fair was his first appearance? He started as campus security and later got promoted to police officer. He's great.
May 22, 2012 at 6:13PM ESTHatfield I was just coming to say the same thing. One of my favorites.
May 22, 2012 at 6:16PM ESTXK Definitely in my top 10 episodes. Man, I love Community.
May 22, 2012 at 11:27PM ESTHrfe
May 22, 2012 at 6:49PM EST Reply to CommentWhy are almost all of the pictures super unflattering?
John
May 22, 2012 at 6:57PM EST Reply to CommentI actually don't feel too pessimistic, since the characters and performances are so well-defined now that only actively bad writing can collapse them (the kind that only Ryan Murphy seems capable of). Plus, I imagine the new show runners, though they want to serve their bosses and their mission, will not want to actively alienate the entire fan base.
I think it's going to be different, sure, but likely not as big a disaster as we think.
ghoti For me, different IS a disaster.
May 23, 2012 at 1:08PM ESTgeoff_rose
May 22, 2012 at 7:47PM EST Reply to CommentJust got my "Greendale Community College (Go Human Beings!)" Tee and "Troy and Abed In The MOOORRRR-NING!" mug in the mail. Now they're tinged with sadness :(
But good grief, Alison Brie with those baby blues in the first pic O_O (That's Troy getting his first look at Annie Adderall post-high school.)
Lazy Iggy
May 22, 2012 at 8:59PM EST Reply to CommentThanks, Alan, for this post. I still can't believe it happened. I am still gutted about it. The whole situation makes me recall a childhood experience. When I was very little, I remember watching Gargoyles after school. It wasn't afraid to be dark, complex, and character driven even though it is for kids. Of course, I didn't know it at the time - I didn't have the language or even understanding, I just knew it was different from all other cartoons and thus, special. After the show changed hands, I also remember coming home one day and starting season 3, and thinking, What the heck? Elisa and Goliath dating? Why is everyone speaking so differently? Where did so and so go? Why did they ruin my show?. I stopped watching immediately...so going forward with Season 4, now that I am much older, I am still going to watch Community...but with a side-eye.
Craig Interesting parallel. I went through the same thing with Gargoyles (I was 12 during that awful third season). Did you know the original creator wrote a buncha comic books a few years ago, returning to his original vision (and ignoring that third season?). It was cancelled after 12 issues, and it's not QUITE as good as you probably remember the show being as a kid...but there's a lot of worthwhile stuff in there.
May 23, 2012 at 12:23AM ESTLazy Iggy Thanks, Craig! I didn't know that, and will definitely check it out. Excited!
May 23, 2012 at 3:05AM ESTA Watkins Wow -- I had this same experience with Gargoyles but didn't know why until now.
May 26, 2012 at 3:43PM ESTJoyeful
May 22, 2012 at 10:25PM EST Reply to CommentI actually would have gone with Intermediate Documentary Film-making as one of the greatest and most defining episodes of Dan Harmon's style. It was the perfect blend of genre and story. Not only was it a great homage to/parody of the documentary genre, it was one of the best and clearest character studies of each member of the group.
Not to mention it gave us the most epic Troy Barnes freak-out ever. "I ONLY WANTED A PICTURE!! YOU CAN'T DISAPPOINT A PICTURE!!"
jon the moral of the story is you can't pick a list of 10 defining Community episodes. Every episode is good compared to nearly everything else on TV and even the lesser episodes are only seen as lesser because you're comparing them to the best Community has to offer.
May 23, 2012 at 2:05AM ESTLook at the three finale episodes - that was awesome stuff and is honestly better than most of the rest of TV, but Alan said they were just 'okay' for Community
Matt W
May 23, 2012 at 11:26AM EST Reply to CommentThe picture of Annie letting her hair down turned me on.
The picture of Chang in blackface freaked me out.
The picture of Britta singing "Roxanne" made me LOL.
Mike
May 24, 2012 at 4:42PM EST Reply to CommentPost-Harmon Community is the next Van Hagar.
oliver 'Dreams', 'Right Now' and 'Why can't this be love' didn't exactly stink.
May 24, 2012 at 5:08PM ESTJust remember that even the worst episode of 'Community' (even sans Harmon) is still better than most of the dreck on television.
Haik Mendelovich
May 24, 2012 at 6:06PM EST Reply to CommentYou have to see Sony's Talking Points memo to the Community staff on how to handle Harmon's firing...
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com//live-feed/leaked-memo-dan-harmon-community-studio-talking-points-nbc-328815
Kalin that`s $%$%($ $*(/P*%.
May 27, 2012 at 11:21AM ESTAlf
June 4, 2012 at 7:57AM EST Reply to CommentA parody account for the new showrunners, funny and sad:
twitter.com/guarascioport