It began as a quick throwaway gag in “Community,” a phrase that later became a rallying cry for fans of the critically adored, but perpetually low-rated, “Community” itself.
Despite being canceled by NBC more than a month ago, “Community” found a new home, courtesy of a surprise pickup by Yahoo! on June 30.
Hoping to get into the original programming business like Netflix and Hulu, Yahoo! aims to use a sixth season of “Community” to entice viewers to watch their slate of new shows.
Originally billed as a standard sitcom about a group of friends at a fictional community college named Greendale, “Community” quickly embraced its weirdness. The show pours meta-humor and pop-culture jokes around a group of characters that are just damaged enough to only fit with one another.
Series creator Dan Harmon has also shown a boldness in making the show whatever he wants it to be each week; a mafia movie, a zombie outbreak or an eight-bit video game.
A move to the Internet is just the latest strange turn for a show that has seen plenty in five short years on the air. Rumored tensions on the set spilled out into the public as the show’s creator, Dan Harmon, and series cast member Chevy Chase sniped at each other, leading to the Harmon being fired from the show after season three.
Chase then quit the show before season four even finished filming. Dissatisfaction among fans and the cast with the new show runners led to Harmon’s improbable return for season five.
At this point, almost no story about this show would be unbelievable.
More than being a win for fans of the show, “Community” has been a case study in the changing ways that audiences are measured. Traditional ratings told the networks that the mass audiences were not watching the show, and rumor of its demise has punctuated every season finale.
However, on social media sites like Twitter, it has always been easy to find passionate fans of the show, often with the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie. The devoted fan base, combined with decreased production costs, brought the show back season after season.
In honor of the show that can never die, here are ten episodes to prep newcomers before “Community” transfers to Yahoo!
Investigative Journalism (season 1, episode 13)
A great introduction to the show, this episode showcases the progress made between the premier and what the show would become. The episode features a guest appearance by Jack Black, and makes a nod to classic sitcom “M*A*S*H.”
Modern Warfare (season 1, episode 23)
Directed by “Fast Five” director Justin Lin, this homage to action movies expanded the idea of what “Community” could do, marrying a high-concept premise to stories that stayed true to character.
Cooperative Calligraphy (season 2, episode 8)
Not to be overshadowed by Zombie outbreaks and Claymation adventures in season two, “Cooperative Calligraphy” flips the script, featuring only the seven main cast members stuck in the study room for the entire episode.
Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design (season 2, episode 9)
A conspiracy thriller involving the Greendale night school crashes into Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed’s (Danny Pudi) ever-expanding blanket fort to create a chase scene as hilarious as it is thrilling.
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (season 2, episode 14)
Showcasing both the good and the harm that the study group is capable of, “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons” is one of the most imaginative episodes of the show, somehow transforming a group of people sitting around a table into an epic adventure.
Paradigms of Human Memory (season 2, episode 21)
The clip show has been a staple of many television productions as a cost-saving measure, packaging clips from old episodes with only a little new footage. The “Community” clip show, however, featured more than 70 brand new clips of adventures the study group had while the audience was not looking.
Remedial Chaos Theory (season 3, episode 3)
Beginning with a simple question of who will get the pizza, “Remedial Chaos Theory” spins six parallel timelines that explore each character’s place in the group and what happens when they are removed.
Pillows and Blankets (season 3, episode 14)
Troy and Abed’s disagreement about how to construct the world’s largest blanket fort leads the entire campus to choose sides in Greendale’s civil war. The framework of a Ken Burns documentary only adds to the craziness.
Basic Lupine Urology (season 3, episode 17)
In another homage to the traditions of TV, “Community” spoofs police procedurals like “Law & Order” and “CSI” with a case involving a murdered science project.
Cooperative Polygraphy (season 5, episode 4)
After many public squabbles with the producers of the show, Chevy Chase finally left “Community” after season four, and the character of Pierce was written off. Pierce was not forgotten, though, as he forces the study group to admit what they have been hiding from each other with a group lie detector test.
Community fans shouldn’t have to have worked so hard making original art, videos, twitter campaigns and tumblr and facebook pages touting the brilliance of their beloved TV show.
Community makes many clever homages to TV tropes but it is different than anything else on TV. That is why it will continue to be a cult favourite with a rabid fanbase that will continue to grow long after #sixseasonsandamovie. Yahoo will reap the benefits of the loyal fandom that helped save Community.