NBC’s ‘Community’ is warm, smart and funny

Sitcoms are notoriously less-than-intelligent shows on television, but lately a new crop of smart (but still funny) shows are appearing in prime-time. One example of this is “Community”, the latest offering from NBC.

I have to admit – my husband and I watched “Community” without having much hope for it. It was stuffed in-between two other shows that we love (“Parks and Recreation” and “The Office”) so we figured we’d try it. And, truth be told, the pilot was underwhelming. The plot meandered, characters seemed weird for weirdness’ sake, and we both felt like: been here, tried it, never mind.

Fortunately for us, a friend told us to keep watching, as the next episodes showed more promise. We’re glad we gave it another shot.

The story of a mismatched study group at a horrifically bland community college is a funny premise in itself, but the acting, witticisms and pop-culture references are what drive the story into it’s most memorable moments.

Joel McHale (of “The Soup,” E!’s irreverent commentary on entertainment,) and Chevy Chase are the big names of the show, but each quirky character makes the episodes funny, unique, and somehow, in their funky way, relatable.

There’s the “heroine” the beautiful, disdainful blonde, Britta, the wanna-be, socially maladjusted film-maker, Abed, a former prom king, Troy, and a loopy inventor, Pierce, described irreverently in the show as one of those…“old people keeping their minds active as they circle the drain of eternity.” Despite it’s irreverence, however, “Community” is rarely mean in its humor and refreshingly wholesome in its storylines.

“Community” is not the stuff of great drama or life-changing stories, but it relates the small instances and funny tales in a way that gives them meaning. After all, we all want a group of buddies to talk to, and even if we come to study group with more than our fair share of quirks, “Community” gives hope that even the loopiest of us can share a laugh and a place to belong.