Can’t wait for the return of the Greendale gang on October 19th? Well, you’re gonna have to wait for a while longer, because NBC is pushing back the season 4 premiere of Community – as well as the season 2 premiere of Whitney – from October 19th, their originally scheduled airdates, to a date that’s yet to be determined.
In a statement, NBC said that the delay would allow the network to focus on its promotion for other shows:
Given the success we’ve had for the past four weeks — including winning the first week of the season in adults 18-49 — we’ve decided to continue to concentrate our promotional strength on our new NBC shows that are scheduled Monday through Wednesday and have therefore decided to hold Community and Whitney from their previously announced premieres of Oct. 19…Without having to launch these comedies on Friday at this time, we can keep our promotion focused on earlier in the week; plus, we will have both comedies in our back pocket if we need to make any schedule changes on those nights. When we have a better idea of viewing patterns in the next few weeks, we will announce new season premieres of Whitney and Community.
Community writer Megan Ganz has already expressed her dissatisfaction at the delay: “This Halloween I’ll be going as bitter,” she Tweeted shortly after NBC released its statement on Monday night.
The season premiere of Community is my most anticipated TV event this season, so this indefinite delay is a huge disappointment. NBC wasn’t doing the show any favours to begin with though, since it was already set to premiere on what is known as the “Friday Night death slot”, which pretty much marked it for imminent cancellation.
Then again, the news doesn’t come as a big shock, given that NBC cancelled the comedy mid-season last year. To quote Troy Barnes: NBC, “you are the opposite of Batman.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter