I am a bad Community fan. When the show moved from NBC to Yahoo! Screen, I didn’t follow it. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but that only offers the coldest of comfort.
Thankfully, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has given me a chance to redeem myself by releasing all 13 episodes (and ample extras) as the two-disc Community: The Complete Final Season? box set.
Season 6 sees the introduction of new characters–Paget Brewster as administrative consultant Frankie Dart and Keith David as 20th-century tech guru Elroy Patashnik–and plenty of screen time for old favorites Jeff, Britta, Abed, Annie, and Chang… not to mention the delightful scenery-chewing of Jim Rash as Dean Pelton. Even Abed’s long lost best friend Troy is there in spirit and memory, and Yvette Nicole Brown manages a couple of perfect guest spots as the boisterous Shirley Bennett.
The episodes are, overall, excellent, with the Dean and Ben Chang confronting cultural stereotypes with mixed results (“Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing”), an ill-fated road trip with a giant fiberglass hand (“Basic RV Repair and Palmistry”), the wedding of quintessential background character Garrett (“Wedding Videography”), and an unexpected take on the obligatory paintball episode (“Modern Espionage”). Mostly, though, season six is about television’s most self-aware situation comedy coming to grips with its own inevitable demise (“Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television”).
And also hugging.
It’s mostly about the hugging.
Tucked snugly alongside these stellar episodes are some great extras that longtime fans will adore. They include deleted scenes, a gag reel, and the emotional “Six Seasons and a Finale” behind-the-scenes look at the taping of the final episode. Best of all is easily the “Community Trivia” feature, wherein the cast and crew attempt to answer perfectly ludicrous trivia questions from the show’s six-year history.
While these web-only episodes feature a bit harsher language than their preceding network TV counterparts (and the extras still more than that), this collection is a must-buy for Community diehards. Especially those of us who missed out on all the fun when they were originally released.
Now we just have to keep hoping for that movie!
Review materials provided by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
