Harmon is back on Community!

I certainly don't think Season 4 of Community was it's finest hour(s). But darn it, if it didn't do right by it's story structure and characters... for the most part. But my ears certainly pricked up when, for the past few weeks, there were rumblings that NBC had secretly approached Dan Harmon with an olive branch to return to the show. But since he had been; in his view, coolly pushed out, the odds were good that even if the red showrunner carpet was laid at his feet, he would pass anyway.

This was thankfully not the case. Not only is Community coming back for 13 more episodes, not only is Harmon back in the driver's seat, not only is the wonderful Chris Mckenna going to write for the show again, but now I think we can finally pierce ('scuse me) piece together what really drove him off the set in the first place.

I'll be honest. I have no concrete evidence on any of the following, but it looks very likely Chevy Chase's industry clout, disdain for the show's writing, as well as personal issues with Harmon specifically, got him the boot a year ago. Why? Well all these "return" rumors only started swirling after the last episode aired. This was also Chevy's last. The man barely clocks in four minutes of screen time and was also noticeably absent for several other episodes this season, but that's more my critical issue with his career choices than evidence.

By looking at the only major difference going into season 5, that being Chase's character being written off the show, the absence of Chase seems the most likely cause. Maybe NBC thought fresh blood in the creative department could help the ratings and backtracked when they decayed even further. Maybe it was both. But now I think it's fair to say that the feud had at least a very big hand to play in this depressing chapter of one of the best written American comedies of the decade.

But who cares?! Harmon's back, the weight of Peirce as one note character and Chase's toxic "behind the scenes" presence is gone, and now we as the audience have the chance to see the show end as it's creator intended, or at least, intends.

  So I think I speak for all Greendalians when I scream at the top of my lungs:

See? didn't even use one GIF.