NBC’s ‘Community’ Renewed For Fourth Season With 13-Episode Order

Community fans won’t have to stage an uprising. (Well, maybe just a small mutiny over the size of the order.) The cult NBC/Sony Pictures TV comedy series has been renewed for next season with a 13-episode order. The short pickup is not a surprising. As we reported, NBC had been eying abbreviated orders for most or all of its returning comedies, which freed up money to pick up more freshmen. With the renewal secured, the question Community faces heading into its fourth season is whether it will return with both creator/showrunner Dan Harmon and co-star Chevy Chase on board. There has been a well documented feud between the two, raising speculation whether they could continue to work together or one would step down. I hear it is unclear as of now if Harmon will continue as showrunner. That is a possibility, with other scenarios also explored. Leaving Community are longtime executive producers Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan who just signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV.

Comments (59)

  • Very happy this got picked up.

    I see the reasoning, both financial and scheduling-wise, for the abbreviated seasons… but does this mean that those 13-ep season shows won’t get picked up beyond that? Either extend the seasons or go for a S5 in this case? Or is the implication to the short order that they’re wrapping up the show (a la FRINGE)?

    Or will we just have to wait and see?

    Comment by Curious — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:06pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • It looks like NBC is going for more of a cable style programming. Less reruns & more shows may improve there fortunes. Now what is the fate for Harry’s Law ?

    Comment by Daniel S — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:06pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • I’m glad the show is back, I enjoy it, but I’m sorry for all the ugliness. Both Chevy and Harmon seem to be seriously disturbed and unpleasant people. Shouldn’t be so tough to make good TV. I hope this next season will tell real stories and stop doing easy spoofs.

    Comment by Victor — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:07pm PDT  Reply to this post
    • Yeah, isn’t it horrible when real world ugliness gets in the way of the stories of the show? Sometimes, it’s just better for everyone to keep their mouths shut and deal with their issues behind closed doors! Look at that mess with Glee last summer, that nastiness really tainted the show for a lot of people.

      Comment by Mark — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:37pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • YES! But it deserves WAY more than 13 episodes!

    Comment by Kavyn — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:07pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Ugh I don’t care. I want Parks & Rec news!

    Comment by Jsoh — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:08pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Yeeeeeea! Cool co cool!

    Comment by ann — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:11pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • I hope Opposing Views ends up eating crow for their report.

    Comment by Daniel — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:12pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Huzzah! Is that right?

    Comment by Molly — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:12pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • Deantastic!

    Comment by Jason Dolan — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:25pm PDT  Reply to this post
  • This is very good news, and I understand the shorter order. Makes sense, and I’ll take it over cancellation of course.

    But is Chevy that big a star or that big a show that he could possibly bump Dan Harmon off his own show? Given it’s different style, I would imagine he’s more integral to the show than Chevy??

    Comment by dax3d — Thursday May 10, 2012 @ 5:29pm PDT  Reply to this post

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