Community is a television sitcom that is based at Greendale Community College. It was created by Don Harmon and airs on NBC, debuting in September 2009. Harmon based the show on the experiences he had while attending Glendale Community College in the northeast of Los Angeles. Community is filmed at Los Angeles City College, California.The show uses an ensemble cast made up of Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Donald Glover, Chevy Chase and Ken Jeong
The premise of the show is that an unlikely study group forms when Jeff Winger (McHale) pretends to be a Spanish tutor in order to spend time with Britta (Jacobs). However, she invites Abed (Pudi) to the group, who also invites Shirley (Brown), Annie (Brie), Troy (Glover) and Pearce (Chase). The group soon learn of Jeff’s deceit, but eventually decide to remain in the study group together. Despite their very different backgrounds and circumstances, the group becomes friends. They all begin to see things from other people’s views, and Jeff in particular evolves due to his interactions with the group. The setting, Greendale Community College, is filled with crazy scenarios, inspired in no small part by Dean Pelton (Rash). Pelton is constantly trying to legitimise Greendale as a college and elevate its status.
Jeff Winger is the sarcastic but grounded character who is constantly pointing out the ridiculousness of the events happening at Greendale. Jeff is the main focus of Community, although the show is largely an ensemble effort. Winger was a lawyer who was disbarred for exaggerating his law degree. He is attending Greendale to get a legitimate law degree. McHale will be familiar to television audiences as the host of The Soup.
Community relies heavily on popular culture references and meta-humour. This is to stay it draws attention to its own status as a television show and pokes fun at itself. It is more self aware than most TV shows. The main source of this humour is Danny Pudi’s Abed Nadir. Abed is one of the breakout characters of the show. Another audience-favourite is Senor Chang, played by the familiar Ken Jeong. Chang begins series one as the study group’s Spanish tutor. However, it turns out his situation is similar to Jeff Winger’s and he is faking his job credentials. He then returns as a student and is desperate to join the study group.
Community is sure to gather a cult following due to its unique take on the sitcom genre and it has already been renewed for a third season.
