Dan Harmon’s Epic A.V. Club Interview

Over the last four days, the A.V. Club has published separate sections of an astoundingly detailed and honest interview with “Community” showrunner Dan Harmon. Harmon sat down and went through Season 2 of the NBC sitcom episode by episode, and his candor and insight into the making of a TV show — particularly one as smart and as in danger of cancellation as “Community” — is staggering. I’m not accustomed to seeing showrunners say things like, “Yeah, that [episode’s] got to be my least favorite, that’s a piece of sh*t”.

If you’re at all a fan of “Community,” you should carve out a block of time and read it all — parts one, two, three, and four — for his commentary on having a writers room with lots of women, trying to slip things past the studio, falling behind schedule, how the network almost killed the Dungeons & Dragons episode, making subpar episodes, and more. I particularly liked the directive to his staff to make a “normal” episode after the particularly unusual My Dinner With Andre episode.

I mean, it’s a sitcom. There is whistling and clapping, and some guy says, “Got milk?” and some other guy says, “Talk to the hand,” and then it goes “boing,” and there is a reaction shot, and there is a tuba. I was like, “Give me that sh*t.” That’s my directive in those moments.

I could totally write one of those episodes! I’ve got an entire bag filled with bike horns and “OH NO YOU DIH-IN’T.” Call, me, Dan! I can be on a plane to L.A. tomorrow.

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