Community season 5 explained

Season Number:5
Bgcolour:
  1. bcad8e
Network:NBC
Num Episodes:13
Episode List:List of Community episodes

The fifth season of the television comedy series Community premiered on January 2, 2014, and concluded on April 17, 2014. The season consists of 13 episodes and aired on NBC on Thursdays at 8:00 pm ET as part of the network's "Comedy Night Done Right".[1] [2] The season features the return of series creator Dan Harmon as showrunner, as well as the exit of cast members Donald Glover and Chevy Chase from the series. John Oliver returned as Ian Duncan after a two-year hiatus. Jonathan Banks made his introduction to the series as Buzz Hickey, a criminology professor.

NBC announced the series' cancellation in May 2014,[3] but in June 2014, Yahoo! announced it had commissioned the show's sixth and final season to be streamed online on Yahoo! Screen.[4]

Cast

See also: List of Community characters.

Starring

Recurring

Guest stars

Episodes

See also: List of Community episodes.

Production

On May 10, 2013, NBC announced it had renewed the series for a fifth season, to consist of 13 episodes.[5] The season does not feature original cast member Chevy Chase in a regular role, as he left the series near the end of the fourth season by mutual agreement between the actor and network.[6] Chase does appear in a guest role during the first episode of the season, and the character's exit from the show is finalized in "Cooperative Polygraphy." Donald Glover, who portrays Troy Barnes, only appears in five of the thirteen episodes.[7] Jonathan Banks appears in eleven of the season's thirteen episodes as criminology professor Buzz Hickey.[8] John Oliver, who played Ian Duncan throughout the first two seasons, reprises his role in season five for seven episodes.[9] Rob Corddry reprises his role as lawyer Alan Connor in the season premiere.[8] Walton Goggins guest stars in "Cooperative Polygraphy" as a mysterious man named Mr. Stone, "with a dangerous accusation, a tantalizing offer and a devious plan that will change the group forever."[10] Other guest stars in the season include Vince Gilligan, Mitchell Hurwitz, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Brie Larson, Nathan Fillion, Robert Patrick, Paget Brewster, Kumail Nanjiani, Katie Leclerc, and Ben Folds.[11] David Cross guest stars in an episode that serves as a sequel to season 2's "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons", playing Hank Hickey, the estranged son of Professor Hickey.[12] B. J. Novak has a cameo in the second part of the two-part season finale.[13]

Season 5 began shooting on August 19, 2013.[14]

The fifth season marked the return of series creator Dan Harmon as showrunner and executive producer after he was fired from the show after the end of the third season. Former writer-producer Chris McKenna also returned as an executive producer. Season 4 showrunners Moses Port and David Guarascio did not return for season 5, as their contracts were for one year.[15] The only other returning writers are Andy Bobrow and Tim Saccardo. Meanwhile, Annie Mebane, Steve Basilone, Maggie Bandur, and Ben Wexler all departed to join The Michael J. Fox Show, while Megan Ganz joined Modern Family.[16] [17] Writers who joined for the fifth season include Parker Deay and Jordan Blum (American Dad!), Alex Rubens (Key & Peele), Ryan Ridley (Rick and Morty), Dan Guterman (The Colbert Report), and Matt Roller (Funny or Die).[18] Other writers include Carol Kolb, Briggs Hatton, Clay Lapari, Erik Sommers, Monica Padrick and Donald Diego.[19] [20]

Reception

The fifth season received strongly positive reception from television critics and is considered an improvement over the previous season. The season received a Metacritic score of 80 out of 100 based on 15 reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[21] On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 93% with an average score of 8.5 out of 10 based on 42 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "With Dan Harmon back as its show runner, Community returns with a familiar new energy and more fun, exciting adventures for the Greendale gang."[22]

Verne Gay of Newsday gave the back-to-back episodes an "A" grade, remarking that the first of the two ("Repilot") was funny, while the latter ("Introduction to Teaching") was "simply hilarious."[23] Alan Sepinwall, writing for HitFix, remarked that the show "is back, and back to being itself."[24]

DVD release

The fifth season was released on DVD in region 1 on [25] and in region 2 on .[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'Ironside' & 'Welcome to the Family' Canceled by NBC; 'Community to Premiere January 2, 'Chicago P.D.' January 8. https://web.archive.org/web/20131021032645/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/10/18/nbc-yanks-ironside-community-to-premiere-january-2-chicago-p-d-january-8/210019/. dead. October 21, 2013. TV by the Numbers. Sara. Bibel. October 18, 2013. October 18, 2013.
  2. NBC fall schedule reveals big moves . Entertainment Weekly . James . Hibberd . May 12, 2013 . May 16, 2013 . May 4, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140504183517/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/05/12/nbc-fall-schedule-2013/ . live .
  3. Web site: Community Cancelled by NBC. Goldman. Eric. IGN. May 9, 2014. May 9, 2014. June 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180616030201/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/09/community-cancelled-by-nbc. live.
  4. Web site: 'Community' Revived To Air On Yahoo In Fall With 13 Episodes . Deadline . Nellie . Andreeva . June 30, 2014 . June 30, 2014 . July 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140701160941/http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/community-returning-yahoo-season-6/ . live .
  5. Web site: School's Not Out: NBC Renews Community . TVLine . Michael . Ausiello . May 10, 2013 . July 21, 2013 . June 2, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230602111641/https://tvline.com/2013/05/10/community-season-5-renewed-nbc/ . live .
  6. Web site: Chevy Chase Leaving NBC's 'Community' . Deadline.com . Nellie . Andreeva . November 21, 2012 . November 22, 2012 . November 22, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121122225205/http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/chevy-chase-leaving-nbcs-community/ . live .
  7. Web site: Community Season 5: Donald Glover Not Returning Full Time — Who's Gonna Tell Abed? . TVLine . Michael . Ausiello . July 8, 2013 . July 8, 2013 . July 10, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130710184628/http://tvline.com/2013/07/08/community-season-5-donald-glover-leaving/ . dead .
  8. Web site: Breaking Bad's Jonathan Banks Joins Community . IGN . Eric . Goldman . August 20, 2013 . August 20, 2013 . August 20, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130820203510/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/20/breaking-bads-jonathan-banks-joins-community . live .
  9. Web site: Joel McHale: 'Community' Season 5 scripts are 'some of the best we've ever done' . Zap2it . Chris . Hayner . October 29, 2013 . October 30, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029234453/http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2013/10/joel-mchale-community-season-4-scripts-are-some-of-the-best-weve-ever-done.html . October 29, 2013 . dead .
  10. Web site: Exclusive: Justified's Walton Goggins to Guest-Star on Community . TV Guide . Michael . Schneider . September 4, 2013 . September 5, 2013 . September 8, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130908042758/http://www.tvguide.com/News/Community-Walton-Goggins-Justified-Exclusive-1069933.aspx . live .
  11. 'Breaking Bad' creator Vince Gilligan to guest on 'Community' -- EXCLUSIVE . Entertainment Weekly . Dan . Snierson . November 4, 2013 . November 4, 2013 . November 4, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104224853/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/11/04/breaking-bad-creator-vince-gilligan-community/ . live .
  12. Web site: David Cross Will Guest-Star on a Very Special Episode of Community . Vulture . Josef . Adalian . November 11, 2013 . November 14, 2013 . November 13, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131113193218/http://www.vulture.com/2013/11/david-cross-will-guest-star-on-community.html . live .
  13. 'Community': B. J. Novak to guest in season finale . Entertainment Weekly . Dan . Snierson . February 5, 2014 . February 5, 2014 . February 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140205232509/http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/02/05/community-bj-novak-season-5-finale/ . live .
  14. Web site: Lights, camera, #Community! First day of shooting on season 5! . Twitter . Tim . Saccardo . August 19, 2013 . August 19, 2013 . October 26, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131026054216/https://twitter.com/TimSaccardo/status/369484663464554496 . live .
  15. 'Community': Dan Harmon officially returning for season 5 . Entertainment Weekly . Dan . Snierson . June 10, 2013 . July 21, 2013 . June 13, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130613000846/http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/06/10/community-dan-harmon-returns-season-5/ . live .
  16. Web site: Yes it's finally official. Dan is back. Chris McKenna is back. I'm in too, as well as Tim Saccardo. Gonna make us some Community this year. . Twitter . Andy . Bobrow . June 10, 2013 . July 21, 2013 . February 25, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160225122128/https://twitter.com/abobrow/statuses/344146011972857857 . live .
  17. Web site: 'Community' Writer Megan Ganz Heads to 'Modern Family' . The Hollywood Reporter . Jordan . Zakarin . January 3, 2013 . July 21, 2013 . January 6, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130106230606/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/megan-ganz-modern-family-community-407941 . live .
  18. Web site: NBC's 'Community' season 5: Who's joining Dan Harmon, Chris McKenna on staff? . CarterMatt.com . June 21, 2013 . July 21, 2013 . December 24, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131224092649/http://cartermatt.com/68789/nbcs-community-season-5-whos-joining-dan-harmon-chris-mckenna-on-staff/ . live .
  19. Web site: Writing Staff on Twitter . Dan . Harmon . Twitter . August 31, 2013 . January 7, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140107094438/https://twitter.com/danharmon/writing-staff/members . live .
  20. Web site: Dan has kindly updated the list of Community writers on Twitter . Reddit . Tim . Saccardo . August 27, 2013 . August 31, 2013 . June 29, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140629224210/http://www.reddit.com/r/community/comments/1l4v97/dan_has_kindly_updated_the_list_of_community/cbvyidl . live .
  21. Web site: Community: Season 5 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140105061351/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/community/season-5/critic-reviews . January 5, 2014 . January 1, 2014 . Metacritic.
  22. Web site: Community: Season 5 . Rotten Tomatoes . November 13, 2021 . December 2, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171202173109/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/community/s05/ . live .
  23. Web site: 'Community' season 5 premiere review: As good as it gets . Gay, Verne . December 30, 2013 . . January 1, 2014 . January 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192354/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/community-season-5-premiere-review-as-good-as-it-gets-1.6695569 . live .
  24. Web site: Sepinwall, Alan . December 30, 2013 . Review: 'Community' returns to its old self with Dan Harmon back in charge . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140101012157/http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-community-returns-to-its-old-self-with-dan-harmon-back-in-charge . January 1, 2014 . January 1, 2014 . HitFix.
  25. Web site: Community - Sony Sent Over a Press Release for 'The Complete 5th Season' . TVShowsOnDVD.com . David . Lambert . May 27, 2014 . May 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140528025523/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Community-Season-5-Press-Release/19845 . May 28, 2014 .
  26. Web site: Community - Season 5 (DVD + UV Copy) . Amazon.co.uk. April 24, 2014.