Season 5 had great episodes, but it didn't have the great character arcs of seasons 2-3. But let's also be honest, a lot of season 5's best ideas were retreads of previous ideas. I expect the same from season 6. Great theme episodes. No great character arcs. Lots of sequels. It will be entertaining, it will be fun, and it will not add anything to the whole.
By the time it's filmed there might not be any characters left on the show. It's almost to the point I kind of wish it was a spinoff with only Jeff being a teacher with a bunch of new teachers also around and the dean. The old main characters show up once and awhile and cause trouble.
I still trust in Harmon to make the show work...although this upcoming season will most likely be the last. I also expect everyone to return if they get the green light for a film.
If anyone spins off I would want it to be Abed & Annie. The best non-Buzz Hickey character development I think they did in season 5 was finally talking about Annie's family. Her brother hinted at huge abandonment and hurt feelings issues that occurred as fallout from her addiction. There is so much implied character development that the show has never touched before.
I do really love season 5, but I understand why other's don't, or think it's lesser. They did get carried away doing high concept episodes and didn't spend much time really developing characters or trying to advance any kind of story-line. Season 5 is really a bunch of one offs with some lip service paid to character development (such as them randomly mentioning that Jeff is a teacher now, or paying lip service to the 'Save Greendale committee). In his commentaries Dan seemed pretty much in alignment with the criticism, admitting that they didn't have the slightest idea how to approach a 13 episode season, and committed to doing episodes that they probably shouldn't have (the Dungeons and Dragon sequel for example). I'd like to think Dan will take these criticisms (from the fans, and from himself) and use them in order to shape Season 6 into being much improved over Season 5, and like Adam, I trust in him to do this.
Another reason the high concept episodes worked so well in seasons 2 and 3 is that they always had more grounded episodes to balance them out. I do like season 5, I think it was better than season 1. But like you said, it was a series of one offs without any real thread between them.
Nice interview with Harmon. He briefly talks Season Six at the end...looks like we can expect more human stories...hopefully meaning more character work. http://collider.com/dan-harmon-harmontown-community-season-6-interview/
Didn't Harmon say he focused away from the relationship and family stories in season five because season four leaned on them so much? I hope he really treats season six like the last season and really does amazing things with his character arcs.
No disrespect to Yvette Nicole Brown (and I can really sympathise with her situation), but I've always felt that if any main character was expendable, it was Shirley.
I would agree there. She was a great character but other than Pierce she had the least natural situations in common with the other characters. The defining aspects of her character, an extremely religious woman with a dark past, made her averse to the kind of situations the other characters get naturally involved in. She had some great moments though. Foosball, the bar, the musical, the storytelling episode. Bit of a spoiler in your avatar. Anyway if the Dean wasn't already a main character it's easy to make him one. He's one character who (Season 4 notwithstanding) clearly has some unexplored depth. We've never seen anything of his life outside the college (Other than attempts to spend time around Jeff). And if they made a great character out of nothing with Buzz Hickey last season they can do it again.
I completely agree but I just love Yvette Nicole Brown so much! Have you ever watched an episode of The Chew where she is a co-host? She is amazing and so much fun to watch!
Somewhat good news... http://tvline.com/2014/10/04/yvette...uple-series-regular-cbs/#comment-list-wrapper
Good news for who? We still don't get her as Shirley That's also rubbing salt on the wounds, I at least was sympathetic when she said she was only able to recur on 'The Odd Couple.'
Good news to people like me who love seeing her on TV. I think it's clear that she doesn't want to do Community, it's been 5 years and a cancelation, she is moving on.
I don't get that impression. She has said a multi-camera show is less working hours than a single-camera show and she wants to spend the maximum amount of time with her dying father. What's not to believe? And I agree with what's said earlier in the thread - Shirley is somewhat expandable as a character anyway. Certainly much more so than Troy and Pierce were.
If she wanted to spend the maximum amount of time with her sick dad she wouldn't be working or only work in the recurring role that she had originally.