The NBC show “Community” aired its season three finale this week. Shortly after, showrunner Dan Harmon was fired.
NBC and Sony “replaced” Harmon as the showrunner of “Community” with David Guarascio and Moses Port. Harmon will still be a “consulting producer” but Harmon said that the title won’t give him any actual power on the show. Maybe, according to Harmon, they’ll let him sharpen their pencils.
Harmon said:
“Guys like me can’t actually just be shot and left in a ditch by Skynet, we’re still allowed to have a title on the things we create and “help out,” like, I guess sharpening pencils and stuff.”
Harmon, who had a falling out with cast member Chevy Chase earlier this year , said that he wasn’t exactly sure why he was let go. Harmon writes on his Tumblr page :
“Why’d Sony want me gone? I can’t answer that because I’ve been in as much contact with them as you have. They literally haven’t called me since the season four pickup, so their reasons for replacing me are clearly none of my business. Community is their property, I only own ten percent of it, and I kind of don’t want to hear what their complaints are because I’m sure it would hurt my feelings even more now that I’d be listening for free.”
Harmon couldn’t elaborate on the reasons behind his demotion, but the show creator did say that season four wouldn’t be the same without him. Harmon said that NBC may still put out a quality product, but his voice wouldn’t be a part of it.
“If I actually chose to go to the office, I wouldn’t have any power there. Nobody would have to do anything I said, ever. I would be “offering” thoughts on other people’s scripts, not allowed to rewrite them, not allowed to ask anyone else to rewrite them, not allowed to say whether a single joke was funny or go near the edit bay, etc.”
Are you a fan of “Community?” Last night’s finale ended with a brief flash of the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie. “Community” has been picked up for a 13 episode season four. Do you think they’ll make it to season 6 without Harmon?