The guy who watches it all for you, The Soup's Joel McHale, is moving to network television, in a new show which also costars The Daily Show's John Oliver and SNL alumni Chevy Chase.
With its cast, it almost seems as though this show can't go wrong. McHale is a very talented comedian who hosts The Soup on E!. If you're a fan of TV shows that poke fun of pop culture and reality shows, then chances are you've probably seen his work. John Oliver, is also a brilliant comedian who acts as The Daily Show's, British correspondent, and is arguably that show's biggest asset right now, aside from maybe Jon Stewart himself. Not to mention that just about everybody who has ever transitioned away from The Daily Show has gone on to do big things on their own. Look at Stephen Colbert and The Office's Steve Carell. As if that isn't enough, the show also costars Nicole Brown from Rules of Engagement, Alison Brie from Mad Men and 30 Rock's Donald Glover.
Misfits Who Learn a Lot About Each Other in a Breakfast Club Sort of Way
According to NBC.com, this new show is about "a band of misfits" at a community college and we can expect "a smart comedy about higher education...and lower expectations." McHale's character, a fast-talking lawyer whose degree has been revoked, starts a study group at the college in order to get know an attractive woman who he says looks just like Elisabeth Shue.
Once the people actually arrive at the group, some of them question why they're really there. Abed, the one who is the pop culture geek, asks if this in any way like The Breakfast Club, half-jokingly. Judging by the promos, however, it would seem more like a parody of that film and a pretty funny one at that.
The main characters are all quirky and lovable. From the middle-aged divorced woman to the younger drop out with something to prove, there's a spectrum of characters we all can relate to.
A little later in the study group scene, Abed bangs his hand on the table and begins to rant, "You know what I got for Christmas? I got a carton of cigarettes. The old man grabbed me and said, 'Hey, smoke up Johnny.'"
Everyone looks at him dumbfounded, until McHale finally speaks up and says, "That actually was from The Breakfast Club."
NBC is Taking a Few Risks
To be fair, the casting choices do come with a few minor drawbacks. It'll be interesting to see if McHale can make the transition from the silly frat boy type of one-liners that he delivers in front of a green screen, to a more serious acting gig. There will surely be some skeptics among the TV critics out there. As for Chevy Chase, he is a bit of risk factor simply because, whatever he appears in will either do very well or it will bomb. Remember Fox TV's very short lived The Chevy Chase Show?
But if the short clips that we've seen so far are any indication, McHale seems to be doing just fine as an actor. This new show is right up his alley, given that it is after all a comedy. As for Chase, the risk factor odds are still probably in NBC's favour. He's appeared in so many brilliant SNL comedy sketches as well as so many memorable flicks, such as Fletch and National Lampoon's Vacation, that you can easily forgive a few misses.
When and Where?
Community is the product of Emmy Award-winning directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Arrested Development), and will debut September 17th, where it will air on Thursday nights at 9:30/8:30 Central on NBC. Later in the season, the show is scheduled to move to 8/7 Central, once the series of SNL: Weekend Update Thursday episodes are up. The Soup can be seen Fridays at 10 PM ET on E!.
Steve Hatton - Steve Hatton is a Montreal-based freelance writer and journalist who covers the television industry, including TV show reviews and media ...
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