Community returns to screens this month and after getting a glimpse at season 3 last week, we have now been treated to a longer preview which features Joel McHale (Jeff Winger) and new guest star John Goodman discussing the new year at Greendale. If this isn't enough to get you excited for the new term then we also have some spoilers regarding certain romantic entanglements old and new.
The preview gives a recap of the events of last season's paintball finale that saw the Greendale students defeating rivals City College.It shows the short lived celebration as the season ended with the now Pierce-less (Chevy Chase) group after his season of villainy. Whilst the preview doesn't say whether Pierce will in fact return to the group we are told that the first episode should answer a lot of questions about his fate. We get to see the group in the study room minus Pierce and Joel McHale makes it clear that Jeff would prefer it if Pierce did not return. It does seem unlikely that Pierce will be banished for the year but I look forward to seeing how they resolve this issue, and whether Pierce will continue on his destructive path.
In this group scene we get to see Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) sporting his new goatee and he explains that there will be no more "National Lampoonery" like paintball, trampolines and spaceships. He also reveals that he is now a "lean, mean, deany machine" though the sneak peek with John Goodman's vice dean Laybourne would suggest otherwise. The addition of John Goodman to the cast is something that Joel McHale is especially excited about, a sentiment that I definitely echo. There is still no appearance of Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Boardwalk Empire) who will be in the first episode "Biology 101" as the new biology professor. Jeff will not start the new term well as in true Winger fashion he manages to rile up the new teacher and gets kicked out of class.
In some non-school related news it looks like Jeff and Annie (Alison Brie) fans can expect some developments this season; TVLine spoke to Joel McHale who said that "The relationship between Jeff and Annie will definitely be pumped up." Alison Brie further added "There’s definitely more Jeff/Annie chemistry this year than ever before." There is another couple who could be seeing their relationship going beyond friends and that is Troy (Donald Glover) and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) who have had previous flirtations, but usually in a dance/acting arena. Alison Brie spoke to TVLine about how this might cause tension amongst others in the group:
"It's very vague and we're not sure if it's just an attraction or something more. In the third episode, Jeff and Annie kind of notice the Britta-and-Troy thing and get a little territorial, like, 'Wait a minute! We want each other [but] we don’t want you guys to be with anyone.' It’s very incestuous."
This reaction seems appropriate (if not a little irrational) as Annie did spend the first half of season 1 with a big crush on Troy, and Jeff and Britta have a somewhat complicated 'friends with benefits' past. The writers have handled these romantic entanglements well in the previous two seasons and I'm intrigued as to how it might change the dynamic of the group this year. The chemistry between these actors is superb and it makes sense to explore these avenues.
An update to last week's Danny Pudi (Abed) story about his guest starring role on Chuck as Abed: he will still be appearing on the show but not as his Community character. Instead his character will have something to do with Lester (Vik Sahay) and the appearance will be very brief.
The above photo is from the new season of Community, can anyone hazard a guess as to what is going on in this scene?
Community season 3 returns Thursday, September 22 at 8/7c on NBC.
Season 2 is now available to purchase on DVD on Amazon: Community: The Complete Second Season
