NBC renews Community and 30 Rock, but with shortened (now-final) seasons
By Sean MorrowMay 10th, 2012, 2:45 pmComments (17)
In a move that is simultaneously streets ahead and totally pulling a Britta (which, to the uninitiated, means "to make a small mistake"), NBC has renewed vitriol-spewing-internet-people-favorite Community and pretty good 30 Rock, with one catch: they're only getting thirteen or fourteen-episode seasons.
Community is one of those shows that seems perennially on the cusp of cancelation, but always comes back, usually with the help of the aforementioned internet people. It's almost as if NBC thinks that by constantly taunting Greendale's diehard fans with cancelation, it'll somehow help ratings. Don't they know everybody who loves television just pirates it nowadays?
30 Rock has been the center of Baldwin-related cast drama — Baldwin threatened to quit the show because NBC was pissing him off. Also, 30 Rock has also been on the air forever, and there's been a general consensus that it's experienced something of a decline in quality.
Community is easily the best sitcom on network TV right now, but if it goes longer than four seasons it might descend into illogical absurdity. "Why haven't they graduated yet?" people would ask, and though a show that frequently goes on metaphysical tangents would probably be able to handle that, I'm just not sure it's necessary. Still, the shortened season is a shame — just because a show may not be able to sustain itself past a certain point, doesn't mean it shouldn't be given the opportunity to sustain itself up to that point.
It's a shame that Community can't get a full season while Glee For Old People (Smash, for those of you keeping track at home) continues to thrive on NBC. But hey, TV is a business, not an awesome-stuff-atorium — the show that makes the most money will always win.
UPDATE: Apparently both shows will end after these final "send-off seasons."
Commentarium (17 Comments)
six seasons and a movie
:(
"Community is easily the best sitcom on network TV right now" -- really?? New Girl, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, even Happy Endings all make me laugh much more.
Just stick a fork in it.
Sj I agree, the shows you listed do make me laugh. However, have you watched Community in the correct order and followed the story line? I charge you to do so and say that this Holy Grail of television shows is =n't at least worth watching.
Realllly? Big Bang Theory? That shit is lamer than How I Met Your Mother.
... just because it has a laugh track doesn't mean its funny.
I realize this... and yes, I think it's very funny. When I do laugh, I laugh hard. And I care about the characters.
New Girl isn't that good.
Other than Modern Family, you should be ashamed. Your opinions are bad and you should feel bad.
That's because you like simple shows you can watch with one eye while simultaneously reblogging on tumblr, SJ. It's okay, you are obviously not alone.
Are you sure it'll be Community's last season? Tvbythenumbers says there's no mention of that. That's the only site I found that outright denies it, but a lot of others don't mention a final season at all.
Also, it's stupid to argue about taste in art, movies, music or, yes, TV. Liking something that is critically acclaimed doesn't mean you're smarter than everyone who doesn't like it. Liking something that's popular doesn't mean everyone who doesn't like it is a snob. Just live and let live and stop fighting about stupid things with strangers on the Internet.
As much as I would love to see Community last 6 seasons and a movie, I've always known it couldn't go for more than 4 years without some MAJOR plot twists. All I want to see is four full seasons of Community and, as an avid fan, I will be content with the show's run. I just want it to get the same chance 30 Rock had in it's fourth (full) season.
Let Them Graduate (https://thegeek531.tumblr.com/post/14191216993/let-them-graduate-community) with four years of a full course load!
Four years at a community college is too many ... I would have expected Annie (at least) to finish in two years.
They answered this last night, actually. Also, Annie may have intentionally not graduated because she loves the study group so much.
Ann raises a valid point. Are ratings still relevant with bittorrent a factor?
30 Rock is forever funny to me. I've loved this season, and I'm glad to hear they were renewed because frankly I did think this would be the last season.
this is poor reporting. the only show confirmed to be final season is 30 Rock. Community is renewed for 13 eppy 4th season, no word on whether it is final. AND Parks and Rec just got renewed with a full 22 eppy 5th season this morning. don't report TV if you don't know the business. Please update your post to stop people freaking out.
NBC is ordering shorter season to free up money to invest in new shows because they desperately need to find a new hit fast.
I agree on the reporting. NBC needs to try to honor the good shows that they already have. I might be alone here but Parks and Rec is a really good show and rather than investing any commercial time in Whitney they should try to break the belief that it's just a government styled The Office (now The Jim and Pam show).
Now you say something