It’s been three years since we last checked in with one of the best horror franchises, and it definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Scream 7 lost Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as the Carpenter sisters, changed directors and experienced filming delays. But at long last, here we are, with Neve Campbell making her triumphant return to the Scream franchise. Critics saw the flick ahead of its February 27 release, so let’s see what they’re saying about it.

Sidney Prescott will once again be at the forefront of all the stabby action when Scream 7 premieres on the 2026 movie calendar, but she’s far from the only familiar face we’ll see. In addition to Courteney Cox, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown and others reprising their roles, we’ll get the return of previous Ghostface killers Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, as well as plenty of new characters. Pete Hammond of Deadline celebrates Kevin Williamson’s direction, saying the horror movie is “wickedly entertaining and sweetly nostalgic.” The critic writes:

Other critics, however, are less than enthusiastic about the upcoming horror movie. Rating the film 3 stars out of 5, NME’s Lou Thomas says Scream 7 is still worth the watch with its references, looping circumstances and tricks. However, when it comes to franchise’s seventh movies — like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, which was basically a Scream forerunner — this film isn’t anywhere near as noteworthy. Thomas continues:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety says Scream 7 gets back to the basics — emphasis on “basic” — as he wonders if anyone even cares who Ghostface is? The critic points out that the movie largely drops the franchise’s signature meta commentary, explaining:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap also says Kevin Williamson seems desperate to get back to the basics, as if the previous two “pretty darn good” movies had whiffed it. It ends up feeling like more of a feature-length celebration of (and apology to) Neve Campbell in what the critic says is a competent but uninspired sequel. Bibbiani writes:

Frank Scheck of THR says to put a knife in this franchise, because it’s done — if not commercially than definitely creatively. The mechanics of the franchise have become “numbingly familiar,” and regardless of who ends up behind the Ghostface mask (or if the trailers give any hints), it’s a letdown. Scheck continues:

While the critics aren’t jumping to call the seventh Scream film the best of the bunch, even many of those who have complaints are still saying the movie’s worth seeing — especially if you’ve already invested in the first six. If you’re pumped about Scream 7’s mix of legacy characters and new cast members, you can check this one out starting Friday, February 27.

One of the biggest whodunnits of the year will no doubt be the upcoming horror movie Scream 7, which brings OG star Neve Campbell and OG screenwriter Kevin Williamson back into the fold in huge ways. The sequel’s first trailer showed off a slew of Ghostface action combined with new looks at Sydney Prescott’s current life in Indiana, and the latest Super Bowl ad played up a lot of the same sequences. And now I’m even more convinced that we’ve already been given clues about the killer twist.

Check out the new promo below and then join me in predicting how the 2026 movie release is already trying to pull the wool over audiences’ heads.

I'm Already Convinced Sydney's Husband Mark Is The Killer

One major shake-up going into Scream 7 is Sydney's married life, as her previous marriage Patrick Dempsey's Mark is no more, as Dempsey was unable to join the production. He was replaced by Joel McHale, who will play a totally different character, but one who's also named Mark. Perfectly normal stuff here.

Despite McHale being a popular actor (albeit more on TV than in movies), he hasn't been core to the marketing for the sequel, and doesn't get any dialogue-enhanced screentime in the previews we've seen thus far. But what we do see of him is obviously very major, as he appears to be one of Ghostface's victims.

Mark works for the local PD, and as soon as we see him in uniform, he gets assaulted by Ghostface, who covers Mark with a bunch of plastic sheeting. The way the scene is edited, it looks like he's all bloodied and unable to breathe beneath the plastic, with Ghostface appearing to deliver a killing blow. But why would this trailer already clue viewers in on such a major plot point like Sydney's new husband being killed off by her biggest nightmare?

To throw everybody off-track, of course. If we see someone seemingly die in the trailer, then we go into the feature itself thinking that character is no longer in the running as a potential suspect. This is a Scream movie, though, so it's never a guarantee that what we're seeing is 100% authentic.

To me, Joel McHale appears to have been de-aged a little, but even if he hadn't been, I think we could be looking at a slightly younger Mark here. One who was previously one of Ghostface's victims, but not one who succumbed to his wounds. Instead, what if Mark survived that attempt and became something of a minion within the Cult of Ghostface, combining Richie and Amber's toxic fandom vibes with all of Jigsaw's acolytes in the Saw movies?

To reiterate, I think the promos are setting us up to think Joel McHale's Mark will die, which I don't think is actually the case, and he'll end up being the killer in the end. Unless of course that's not the case...

It Doesn't Have To Be Joel McHale's Mark Under The Mask

Considering it's not entirely clear why Kevin Williamson chose to give Sydney's current husband the same name as her other one, it's worth the time to theorize that maybe this confusion factors in somehow. This theory also centers on the shots of Joel McHale, but with the idea that he actually does get attacked and does get killed off.

Who might want to do such a thing? Why, Sydney's former husband, of course. It's not entirely clear what happened there, but I could easily see this movie playing up the idea that Sydney and Patrick Dempsey's Mark split up years ago for one reason or another, and that he's back in her life with a vengeance.

From a scheduling perspective, Dempsey wouldn't actually be needed on the set for more than a day or two, since the character would be in the Ghostface mask throughout anyway. He'd just be required for a five minute monologue near the end, and I don't doubt that Kevin Williamson could make such a bonkers twist come together.

Or, you know, maybe Ghostface will be revealed as one or more completely different characters. I've been wrong before, and with all the returning actors like Matthew Lillard in the mix, this movie may have a back-half twist that no one could see coming without watching the first half.

Find out along with me and millions of other horror fans when Scream 7 hits theaters on February 27.

The mid-to-late '00s brought forth a lot of shows that are now considered some of the best sitcoms available today. For many of those series’ beginnings though, including Community’s, that title was far out of reach. Even with a growing fan base that seemed to enjoy the junior college comedy, critics had varying opinions on Community. Joel McHalen, one of the shows’ leads, recalled a particularly brutal one early on that hit closer to home.

Though the now-beloved Community has long since ended on the small screen, we’ve seen McHale multiple times over on the 2025 TV schedule since then (Animal Control, Yellowjackets, etc). Yet, while talking with Collider, the staple series remains as a large talking point. The comedian revealed he kept his head down while transitioning from hosting The Soup to acting, but wondered how he’d be received. He recalled that reporters were harsh to Community and, similar to Andy Richter’s experience, it was before everyone jumped onto the bandwagon:

Ouch! That’s brutal, but seemed somewhat common then, with Richter experiencing the same thing. Newer faces and projects that seemed to stray from the norm were subjected to that deeply scrutinized write-up. I do love that McHale took note of how his funnyman peer kept the receipts to share with critics who eventually changed their tune.

Humorously, it seems like as Joel McHale, pivoted, he took that karmic page right out of O’Brien’s partner’s playbook. As the Community cast started to attend Comic-Con events with some regularity, journalists probed about the possibilities of cancellation. That’s when McHale jumped in to combat the doubters by citing the rising ratings. Then when he realized they filled their first hall, he knew that the razor-sharp oddball comedy was doing just fine, as he said:

Don’t you just love an underdog story? I’m sure it must’ve felt pretty incredible that first time the Community cast filled a whole room at Comic-Con, and especially so riding the wave of The Office and going toe to toe with Parks and Recreation. But by having Dan Harmon at the helm and an A+ cast, it was destined to be great.

With the long-awaited upcoming Community movie on the way (though likely not for the 2026 movie calendar), I’m sure McHale and co. are gearing up for its airing. Though this time around, there shouldn’t be any reviews as personal as the one the Jeff Winger actor got hit with. It looks like people, overall, enjoyed his role in the 2025 movie California King. And with how thrilled McHale is about signing onto Scream 7, another great performance seems to lie ahead of us.

Here’s hoping the Community actor doesn’t have any more unwarranted savage critiques of his person. If he can hold the disgruntled lawyer act down against the incredible Troy and Abed antics, there are no notes that need to be discussed, in my opinion.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched the latest episode of Yellowjackets on Showtime or with a Paramount+ subscription.

With its deadly penultimate episode, Yellowjackets Season 3 continued thinning out the herd of adult survivors, while also delivering a fairly shocking murder in the ‘90s timeline that follows the demises of Coach Ben and the frog-studying Edwin. Now, I can’t sit here and say I truly believed Community vet and Animal Control star Joel McHale was destined for the long haul as the standoffish and overly self-confident wildness guide Kodiak, but I guess I didn’t expect him to get shanked in the face by Hannah, who’d previously seemed to fancy him.

Such as it goes in the heightened world of Yellowjackets, and I'm hoping its impending finale is among the bloodiest 2025 TV events and when I talked to “How The Story Ends” director Ben Semanoff, I had to ask him about filming a scene that showcased an unspeakable act such as plunging a knife into a face as good-looking as McHale’s. (Tongue planted firmly in cheek, of course.) The effect looked awesome, and Semanoff told me this was a situation where a variety of crew teams had something to say about pulling the face-stabbing off. As he put it:

Ben Semanoff mentioned earlier in our talk that Travis' scene setting up "The Pit" was one where seemingly everyone who could possibly have an opinion about it made that opinion clear, with an abundance of meetings and conversations held ahead of time. With good reason, mind you, since the staff working on Yellowjackets behind the scenes are consistent at crafting excellence from one episode to the next, and setting up such iconic lore moments has to be handled with a deft touch.

But we're also talking about taking out a household name like McHale with a gnarly demise, so I could easily believe that more people thn normal would want to voice ideas for it. Who doesn't want to say "I think the best way to stab Joel McHale's face is..." as a way to start a work meeting?

Alas, no matter how much time is set aside for preparatory conversations and outlining ways for everything to work, that might all fly out the window when it's time to actually bring the scene to life. As the director put it:

There's something so wonderfully chaotic about weeks worth of conversations all dovetailing and glomming together and then being filtered out into roughly 20 pressure-filled minutes worth of filming. I mean, it maybe didn't feel so wonderful for Ben Semanoff to know he had to get that shot as perfect as possible in such a short timeframe. But considering how great the stabbing looks in the final cut, I dare say the additional pressure didn't cause any major damage.

Joel McHale Gets Big Praise From Yellowjackets' Ben Semanoff

When it came to working with the future Scream 7 cast member himself, outside of dealing with all the crew-filled meetings and conversations, Semanoff had nothing but kind words to say about Joel McHale, especially in regards to the actor and host taking on material outside of his normal comedic comfort zone. In the director's words:

I can only hope that whenever the script for Peacock's long-awaited Community movie gets the greenlight for production to start, Joel McHale welcomes each of his former co-stars back with a poster-sized shot of Kodiak's impaled face. I would also appreciate such a poster.

So no big heartbreaking Kodiak arc to expect from the Season 3 finale, for better or worse. I'm not exactly celebrating being right in assuming Van would die in Season 3, and I cannot wait to see how Taissa and others gain vengeance on Hilary Swank's Melissa. If the greedy-ass Wilderness truly does need another sacrifice, that deceitful, murderous bitchface should be the one to take the fall.

Yellowjackets' Season 3 finale, "Full Circle," is set to stream for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers on Friday, April 11, and will air on Showtime on Sunday, April 13, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The horror renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, and some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters with new sequels. That includes Wes Craven's Scream, with a seventh movie currently in development. The cast is coming together, with fans thrilled Neve Campbell is back as Sidney Prescott for the upcoming horror movie. Joel McHale was recently cast, and his role destroys a popular fan theory.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, and each new casting news is breaking the internet. The latest comes to us from Deadline, which revealed that McHale is joining the next sequel as Sidney's husband Mark Evans. But fans had assumed that the "Mark" she mentioned in the 2022 movie was actually Patrick Dempsey's Mark Kincaid from Scream 3. Alas, this latest casting news put the kibosh on that possible pairing, which is something fans have thought was canon for years.

It seems all but impossible that Patrick Dempsey will appear in Scream 7, despite fans wanting to catch up with his character. Back in October, Dempsey said he as waiting on a script, but seemed down to reprise his role years later. But perhaps negotiations failed, leading to Joel McHale to step in as Sidney's husband, who will be an entirely new character altogether.

Mark Kincaid was one of many Scream legacy characters who longtime fans are eager to see return to the slasher property. The seventh movie's cast list is still coming together, so only time will tell if any of them sign on the dotted line. But moviegoers can rest easy knowing both OGs Neve Campbell and Courtney Cox will be back in action for the movie.

With Joel McHale's newcomer confirmed as Sidney's husband, I'm eager to learn more about the couple's story. The 2022 movie confirmed that Campbell's signature character was married and with kids, but the details of her backstory since the fourth movie weren't revealed. But now that Sidney is once again at the center of the franchise, Scream 7 should presumably fill in those blanks.

Neve Campbell was noticeably missing from Scream VI, shifting even more of the franchise's focus on the Carpenter Sisters. Unfortunately, both Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera aren't returning for the next movie, which will presumably result in Sidney Prescott once again becoming the protagonist/final girl of the property. While Mason Gooding was confirmed to return as Chad Meeks-Martin, fans are still waiting on whether or not his onscreen twin Jasmin Savoy Brown will also be back as Mindy... especially since she's taken on the Randy-esuqe horror fan role in the franchise.

Scream 7 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 27th, 2026. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the movies this year.

Community has been one of my favorite shows since its NBC run, on top of it just generally being one of the best TV sitcoms of all time, and I can’t wait to see Joel McHale return to the role of Jeff Winger for Peacock’s Community movie. But now I want to nerd out like Abed after learning that McHale has now joined one of my absolute favorite shows currently in production. Buzz buzz, everybody!

McHale was revealed to be the newest cast member to join Showtime’s stellar horror series Yellowjackets Season 3, giving the show yet another actor who’s more known for comedic roles than dramatic ones. Not that I’m complaining, since there’s certainly a deep, dark vein of pitch black comedy running throughout both timelines, though more so for the adults. (I need Elijah Wood’s Walter Tattersall back in my life.)

Check out the Yellowjackets social media post that revealed the news, albeit with an amusingly cornball pic of the actor instead of episodic footage.

It's close to impossible to guess who Joel McHale may be playing within this universe, though the easy assumption to make is that he'll be part of the current-day story. It's highly unlikely the struggling teens will run into any brand new characters in the woods, though I guess it's not impossible, considering Season 2 left them without shelter and without a clear throughline to the flash-forwards with the mysterious Antler Queen.

But will he be a new threat from an authoritative standpoint, such as a police officer or government agent looking into the survivors' lives? Or perhaps a mysterious figure from one of their pasts who has information that no one else knew about? Or will he potentially have a connection to the woods and the corpse that was found in the cabin? Is it possible all those things are true? Well, no, but it's fun to hope.

The fact that the casting was made public, and wasn't meant to be a surprise upon viewing, makes me think it'll be something larger than just a one-off guest spot. But considering Joel McHale hosts Crime Scene Kitchen, stars in Animal Control, pops up on game shows with frequency and has other movie projects in the works, he probably won't have a huge role. But maybe.

Yellowjackets isn’t the only upcoming horror TV show that I’m looking forward to, but it’s somewhere near the top of the list, no doubt gnawing at the heels of whatever’s just above it. (Because cannibalism!) It’s not likely that Season 3 will be on the 2024 premiere schedule, which is a bummer, but I’m sincerely hoping the bonus episode Showtime has teased will arrive somewhere around Halloween.

As far as the Community movie timeline goes, Dan Harmon’s most recent update addressed the script being given a final pass before the next steps would be taken, while also calling out fans harassing Donald Glover about returning. Maybe McHale can talk Donald Glover into also joining Yellowjackets at some point. Or better yet, potential scream queen Alison Brie!

Yellowjackets Season 3 is in the throes of production, with a specific release date yet to be announced. But both prior seasons are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

Since what we know about the Community movie still has us waiting for a release date and other components to fall into place, there’s one thing you can probably count on. Per series star Joel McHale’s previous comments, Chevy Chase almost definitely won’t be a part of the Community movie, and for some pretty good reasons that don't include his character, Pierce Hawthorne, being dead. Among them is the fact that Chase continues to badmouth the experience of making the NBC cult hit series, which McHale dug deeper into during a recent podcast appearance. 

Apparently, the Jeff Winger actor literally has a chapter in his memoir Thanks for the Money, which includes a detailed fold out on how to fist fight Chevy Chase. That revelation led to quite a bit of dishing the dirt during the Animal Control star’s visit to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, as the host was taken aback by stories of Community’s contentious production. That in turn led McHale to share his own reflections on Chase's view on making the series, which included the following: 

The history of Chevy Chase’s feud with creator Dan Harmon probably was enough to keep the SNL vet away from the set of the long-promised Peacock original film. But if anyone was hoping that maybe this would be similar to that time Caddyshack ended Chase’s feud with Bill Murray, you can sadly keep dreaming.

Stories surrounding the later years of producing Community are no match for the one Joel McHale told about his first meeting with the comedy legend. Recalling his first brush with Chevy, Joel had this equally uplifting story to tell: 

With more fuel to the speculative fires coming from Chevy Chase, former co-star Yvette Nicole Brown’s short, but sweet rebuttal of his cantankerous nature is even funnier to behold. While it would be nice to see the entire Community gang to get back together, if Mr. Chase really was having that lousy of a time on set, it’s probably best not to extend his sentence.

Community is currently streaming for those readers with a Hulu subscription to brush up on the funnier side of Greendale Community College. And while you’re at it, don’t forget that everything new on Hulu will include the Season 2 premiere of Animal Control, which is set to air on Fox at 9 PM ET on March 6th. 

Having your life scrutinized by the public is part of what comes with being a celebrity — for better or worse. While it can understandably be frustrating when prying eyes threaten people’s privacy, there’s also an aspect of accountability involved, with those who may be idolized by millions of fans being held to a certain moral standard. That seems to be the goal of PETA, and the animal rights organization has butted heads with a number of celebrities over the years, calling them out publicly for practices including wearing fur, eating meat and purchasing pets from breeders, rather than adopting.

While the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals seems to have its heart in the right place, many have criticized the organization for using outrageous tactics, bullying and spreading misinformation to get its points across. Whichever side of the issue you fall on, here are some of the celebrities who definitely got on PETA’s bad side recently: 

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton drew the ire of the animal rights organization in July 2023, after she got her new Chihuahua — a reported relative of the hotel heiress’ dog Harajuku Bitch, who died in May — from a breeder rather than a shelter. A rep for PETA told TMZ: 

That wasn’t the first time PETA addressed this issue with Hilton. In 2016, a billboard was reportedly put up in Los Angeles, referring to her as “the Puppy Pimp.” 

Pete Davidson

Pete Davidson had a similar experience with the activists in 2023, after he and girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders were seen taking home a cavapoo puppy from the Manhattan pet store Citipups, following the death of his 2-year-old dog Henry. After PETA urged the actor to show some “big heart energy” by adopting, Davidson lashed out in an expletive-filled voicemail to PETA’s senior vice president of cruelty investigations Daphna Nachminovitch, in which he explained he had to get a specific dog due to his allergies. He ended his message by saying, “Fuck you, and suck my dick.” 

Kim Kardashian

For reality TV queen Kim Kardashian, it was the treatment of her two Pomeranian pups that inspired PETA to speak out in December 2022, after a video showed Sake and Sushi living in a windowless garage. The organization’s senior vice president pointed out (via Page Six) that dogs are “highly social pack animals who need more than just soft beds and decorative stockings,” imploring the billionaire businesswoman to allow Sushi and Sake inside her home.

Kardashian’s most notorious run-in with the animal activist group — the flour-bombing of 2012 — actually had nothing to do with PETA at all. Her former media strategist has admitted the “attack” on the reality queen was an inside job for publicity. It was believed at the time that PETA was responsible, despite the group denying involvement. 

Kylie Jenner

The animal rights group has also spoken out over the years to praise celebrities and TV or movie productions that show that animals don’t have to be harmed for entertainment or fashion. That was the case for Kardashian’s sister, Kylie Jenner, when the makeup mogul wore a dress with a huge (but fake) lion’s head sewn on the front. PETA praised the bold look for being “a statement against trophy hunting,” crafted from only cruelty-free materials. 

Dakota Johnson

In January of 2023, Dakota Johnson found herself in hot water with the animal activists for becoming the ambassador for Gucci’s Jackie 1961 series of handbags, with the site boasting that their products came “from distinct styles in crocodile to new favorites in python.” PETA described videos that allegedly showed animal cruelty at the slaughterhouses that provided Gucci with their skins, and asked the Fifty Shades of Grey star to commit to not wearing or promoting exotic skin as fashion. 

Brittany Mahomes

The wife of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Brittany, deleted some vacation posts in July 2023, after PETA criticized her pics that involved a dolphin. They showed Brittany “snuggling” a 400-pound dolphin as well as her and daughter Sterling Skye swimming with them. A spokesperson for the group explained what happens to dolphins under the “stressful conditions of extreme captivity,” asking her to extend her compassion for animals to include marine life. 

Joel McHale

PETA took aim at the Fox comedy Animal Control back in February 2023 for its use of live animals on its show, rather than CGI or other VFX, but the group’s statement got a bit personal with series star Joel McHale. After asking if the actor — like the aforementioned Paris Hilton — lived under a rock, PETA went on to criticize the “sickening soup of animal exploitation,” and ended its rants against McHale by saying: 

Yikes! With the series, surprisingly, being renewed, should we expect another strongly worded statement for the actor ahead of Season 2? 

Rihanna

In the weeks following Rihanna’s epic pregnancy announcement in February 2023, the soon-to-be mother of two was seen out and about wearing a full-length coat made from what PETA said was probably real fur. They offered to send her a faux fur coat, appealing to her maternal instincts with a letter that read (per TMZ): 

Whether you side with PETA or agree with the celebrities who have beefed with the organization over fashion or where they find their pets, nobody can deny that the group’s tactics are often successful in drawing attention to the issue. For that reason, we'll likely continue to see these kinds of run-ins in the future. 

When the Community movie was officially announced last September, fans were quick to notice that a couple names were missing from the list of actors who were confirmed to be a part of the feature. The press release included Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong as part of the cast, but there was no mention of either Donald Glover or Yvette Nicole Brown. Fortunately, fans were satiated by optimism from show creator Dan Harmon a couple weeks after the announcement, and now Jeff Winger himself has confirmed that Glover will definitely be back for the film as Troy Barnes.

Joel McHale recently discussed the status of the Community movie as a guest on the podcast Let's Talk Off Camera With Kelly Ripa, and he acknowledged that the project having Donald Glover involved is a big deal. Glover didn't star in the full run of the show (Troy Barnes sailing off into the sunset with LeVar Burton early in Season 5), but audiences will see his story continue in the long-promised film... either with the rest of the Greendale Community College study group or without them. Making reference to Glover's acclaimed FX series that he made after leaving the NBC sitcom, McHale said,

As a die-hard Community fan, obviously getting to see the movie get made is a priority, but, for what it's worth, I certainly wouldn't say no to more of Atlanta beyond the Season 4 finale as a backup plan.

For those who don't recall the details, Troy Barnes left Greendale Community College following the death of Chevy Chase's Pierce Hawthorne. In Pierce's will, Troy was offered the chance to claim a massive inheritance, but the single condition was that he had to complete a sailing voyage around the world. Dan Harmon suggested at San Diego Comic-Con in 2014 that a movie could feature the Community characters rescuing Troy from pirates, but that idea is probably off the table at this point.

In addition to being asked about Donald Glover being in the movie, Joel McHale also addressed whether or not Chevy Chase would be a part of the project – unleashing a tidal wave of sarcasm in the process, referencing behind-the-scenes Community controversy:

Chevy Chase's run on Community officially ended after Season 4 (the season that was made following Dan Harmon being fired by NBC), though there was a proverbial hatchet-burying featured in the Season 5 premiere (the season when Harmon came back to the show). Chase did a cameo as Pierce, appearing as a hologram set up as an installation on the Greendale Community College campus. A couple episodes later, in the David Fincher-esque "Basic Intergluteal Numismatics," it was revealed that Pierce had died.

The Community movie, fulfilling the Six Seasons And A Movie "prophecy" from Season 2's "Paradigms of Human Memory," is being developed as an original feature for Peacock – though you presently need either a Netflix subscription or a Hulu subscription if you want to watch all six seasons of the original series. Stay tuned for more updates about the project, which is presently on pause due to the on-going WGA strike.

The past couple of years have been as busy as ever for Joel McHale, and audiences can no doubt expect to see him promoting his new Fox show Animal Control while witnessing the latest eliminations on The Masked Singer’s newest season or while guesting on The Tonight Show or Rob Lowe’s podcast or Straight Up Steve Austin. But I doubt he’ll be invited to take a tour of PETA’s offices anytime soon, as the organization released a statement about his new comedy’s use of real animals while filming, and I’d be lion if I said it was super positive and kind to McHale’s career. 

PETA, which already had gripes with Animal Control over all of the zoological representation on display for the show’s Super Bowl ad, which featured dogs, a ferret, some ostriches and a cougar, while teasing a real bear showing up later in its first season. A statement was issued following the series premiere’s debut on Fox, and one can’t help but think the abundant snark therein, which would have felt at home coming out of McHale’s Community character Jeff Winger, may have watered down the sincerity of the message. According to Debbie Metzler, PETA’s Foundation Director of Captive Animal Welfare (with the italicized words coming straight from the release):

• Animal Control is a sickening soup of animal exploitation that has PETA questioning whether Joel McHale’s been living under a rock. He either doesn’t know or doesn’t care that it’s 2023 and that CGI, VFX, and other humane forms of technology should be used, instead of dragging abused animals onto TV and film sets. Read the room, Joel McFail: Animals aren’t the key to your comeback, and neither is this sad show.

Don’t get me wrong: if the entire point was to embody a Joel McHale character, or the sarcasm-embracing persona that the actor himself puts out there, then Metzler’s approach might get a polite golf clap. Six words in, there’s a reference to his work hosting The Soup, which ended in 2015, and then the assumption that it’s McHale who doesn’t know what year it is. The kicker, of course, is the Dad-joke of an insult “Joel McFail,” which precedes the idea that this “sad” show is meant to be the actor’s comeback.

It’s a bit weird for a PETA exec to have used this statement to go after the new comedy for suspected animal-related transgressions that aren’t specified in any way beyond the organization’s general stance on Hollywood productions. Only to then use roughly the same amount of words just to specifically insult arguably the show’s most recognizable lead actor. (McHale isn’t one of the show’s three creators, though he does serve in an executive producer capacity.)

I get that the org is coming off of championing The Walking Dead for its (often comedic) CGI animals, and that it’s spent the early part of 2023 taking aim at Kylie Jenner’s lion-headed look and Dakota Johnson’s Gucci modeling. So maybe not everyone there has been too busy to notice Joel McHale seemingly being everywhere at once in the last two years, from recurring in the cast of AMC’s hit dramedy The Bear to showing off his universe-expanding superhero efforts in the now-concluded Stargirl to one-off roles in Love, Death & Robots and American Housewife. Not to mention hosting the cooking competition series Celebrity Beef, appearing in 75% of currently airing game shows, being a regular in morning and late-night talk shows, being a go-to podcast guest/actor, and lending his vocal talents to video games such as Area Man Lives and Fortnite.

The broad comedy that fuels Animal Control’s hijinks may not be everyone’s cup of tea, as perhaps exemplified by its 67% critics score and 48% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s not like it’s a lofty shot at regaining the Hollywood spotlight he once held so dear. It's more of an avenue to stardom for the rest of the cast more so than McHale himself, but nobody else suffered PETA's verbal smackdown. 

Is there a good point to be made in questioning why the show is leaning on using real animals so heavily at a point when animal cruelty in the entertainment sector has been put into focus? Certainly. And I'm sure that more than just PETA would raise a fuss if someone claimed such cruelty was taking place on the sets of Animal Control. But would other organizations go after McHale personally in the same breath? Probably not. Unless that organization is Greendale Community College. 

Six seasons and a movie! The prophecy has been fulfilled! Well, it's going to be, anyway. 

Community was beloved by many when it premiered on NBC way back in 2009, igniting careers for some of its cast and crew such as Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi and so many others, but since its ending in 2015, fans have been wondering if a side-comment made about The Cape from Season 2 of the show would come true for Community. 

The comedy ended up getting those six seasons, but it’s been long rumored and hoped that a movie might someday happen. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the cast got back together for a virtual table reading of one of the episodes, reigniting those rumors of a possible movie. The Community movie has officially been announced. But when exactly is this film going to come out? Who is going to return to Greendale Community College? This is what we know. 

What Is The Community Movie Release Date?

At the time of updating this in May 2024, there is no set release date for the Community film, but we do have plenty of other updates that give us hope that it’ll at least come out soon. Maybe not as a part of the 2024 movie schedule, but maybe as a part of the one in 2025.  

Also, according to a Deadline report from September 2022, the Community movie is actually going to be premiering on the streaming service, Peacock, NBC’s exclusive streaming platform for some of their shows.

Community has been streaming on Netflix for years at this point, with all six seasons there, and is arguably one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, in my opinion. But, as the Deadline article said, Peacock won the rights to the film in a “competitive situation.” 

It’s not that big of a shocker that the movie would land at Peacock, considering that the series originally aired on NBC, and ever since its cancellation it’s only grown in popularity through streaming platforms like Netflix. 

Several Cast Members From Community Are Set To Return

Confirmed in the Deadline article from September 2022, we know now that several of the original stars of the Community cast are set to return for the sequel film:

Joel McHale as Jeff Winger

Joel McHale is confirmed to return as Jeff Winger in the Community movie. The actor even tweeted out his excitement for the film on Twitter, simply sending “.” while tagging his former cast members’ Twitter handles before the film was officially announced.  

McHale has appeared in films like The Happytime Murders, Becky, Happily, and more since Community ended, and also hosts a show called Crime Scene Kitchen, which was renewed for Season 3. He currently stars in Animal Control. 

Gillian Jacobs as Britta Perry

Gillian Jacobs will return as Britta Perry for the movie. The actress has appeared in movies like Magic Camp, Life of the Party and more, and has held roles in major TV shows such as Invincible and The Bear. 

Alison Brie as Annie Edison

Alison Brie will return as Annie Edison. Her best movies and shows include Mad Men, GLOW, BoJack Horseman, The Post, Promising Young Women and many more. 

Danny Pudi as Abed Nadir

Danny Pudi will return as Abed Nadir for the film. He held a voice role in the reboot of Ducktales, and played a main part on Mythic Quest. He also appeared as part of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender cast. 

Jim Rash as Craig Pelton

Jim Rash is confirmed to come back as Dean Craig Pelton. He has since appeared in TV shows like Girlboss, black-ish, Harley Quinn, Solar Opposites and more. 

Ken Jeong as Ben Chang

Ken Jeong will be back as Ben Chang for the Community movie. Jeong has hosted a variety of TV shows since then, and even had his own television series called Dr. Ken. 

Donald Glover as Troy Barnes

For a time, it seemed that Donald Glover returning as Troy Barnes would be near impossible, since Glover has had a very busy schedule with new films and his own TV shows like Atlanta and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. However, we can confirm that he will be back as Troy. 

Glover himself confirmed the news in an interview with GQ back 2023, and fans have been eager to see him return to the role after his departure. 

Dan Harmon was quick to say that Glover’s return would probably happen in an interview with Variety in October 2022, so it’s not that surprising that the actor/creator said he would be returning.  

Yvette Nicole Brown as Shirley Bennett

Also confirmed is Yvette Nicole Brown, who will come back as Shirley Bennett for the film. Jeong confirmed the news in an interview with The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon back in January 2024, so it looks like the gang will be all back together. Brown has appeared in various TV shows, such as Big Shot, Mom, Soul Man and more. She even earned a PrimeTime Emmy nomination for her role in A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Is anyone else as excited as I am to see this?

Chevy Chase Will Not Be Back

As expected, it’s been confirmed Chevy Chase will not be back as Pierce Hawthorne. That’s not surprising, as even the Deadline article from 2022 reported that Chase had problems with Harmon behind-the-scenes. 

Then, in an interview with the New York Post in April 2024, McHale himself confirmed that Chase was most likely “not interested” in returning and that even if he was, he’s “not allowed to:”

The Community Film Will Feature A College Reunion

Thankfully, we have some idea of what the Community film will be about. In an interview that Glover did with The Hollywood Reporter in February 2024 before Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he revealed a few details about the movie, including that it’ll involve a college reunion, and that Dan Harmon told him directly what it would be about:

Other than that, there isn’t that much out there confirmed – but I for one am down for a college reunion and Abed being a huge film director. 

Dan Harmon And Andrew Guest Wrote The Film

As confirmed by the Deadline article in 2022, Dan Harmon, the creator of Community, wrote the film alongside Andrew Guest, who has written on shows such as 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and of course, Community, where he wrote six episodes. 

While the screenwriters are set, Harmon is not set to direct the film, and this has not changed as of May 2024. However, he does have people in mind, according to the statement that was in the Variety article: 

I’m sure that as more news begins to come out about the film, we’ll get an update on who is set to direct. But wow, could you imagine the Russo Brothers returning to comedy after directing the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame? I would adore them in the Community world again, but only time will tell. 

Filming Should Begin In 2024

This is probably the news that everyone has been looking forward to for a while. In March 2024, Deadline confirmed that the Community movie is looking to film in the same year, and that Peacock is “working around” Glover’s schedule. McHale says that he has read the script and that it is complete, and that the plan is to film later in the year.

He added that he would be “shocked” if they didn’t begin filming soon. A 2024 filming date makes me excited – and hopefully, that means we might get it next year. 

With this news in mind, I can’t wait to see where this Community movie goes and how our characters are going to return to Greendale after being away from it for so long. Are we going to get Troy and Abed in the morning again? Another Spanish rap? All these questions I need answers to.  

Since its debut in June 2022, The Bear has not only become one of the best shows on Hulu, but the FX-produced restaurant drama is arguably one of the best shows on TV. The gritty dramedy series that is at times incredibly funny while at others intensely somber is made all the better because of its stellar cast. Thankfully, The Bear season 3 has been officially confirmed. But, if you’re late to the game and just now hearing about the show, or you've already seen how things end in the Season 2 finale, there’s a good chance you want to know where you’ve seen the actors behind Carmy, Richie, Sydney, and the rest of the faces at that Chicago-based Italian beef shop. I can’t make a delicious sandwich magically appear, but I can serve up where you’ve seen The Bear cast before...

Jeremy Allen White (Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto)

Leading The Bear cast and the Chicago Italian beef shop on the incredibly fun-to-watch series is Jeremy Allen White’s Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto.

Before becoming the thirst trap of Summer 2022 (sorry Joseph Quinn), White made a name for himself on the long-running Showtime series Shameless, where he portrayed Philip “Lip” Gallagher for maybe a little longer than he would have liked. The talented actor has also had memorable roles on shows like Homecoming and in movies like The Rental in recent years.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richard ‘Richie’ Jerimovich)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richard “Richie” Jerimovich quickly became a character you both loved and hated for a whole variety of reasons throughout The Bear Season 1, but became even more loveable in season 2 – particularly after Richie's Taylor Swift moment – but the actor has done more than master the Chicago accent.

Prior to landing that unforgettable character on The Bear, Moss-Bachrach cut his teeth by doing things like hitting a “Dick Wolf Hat Trick” by appearing on Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Law and Order: Trial by Jury, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. But, that isn’t all, as he has had major roles on The Punisher, NOS4A2, The Dropout, and John Adams, proving he can handle just about any type of character effortlessly.

Ayo Edebiri (Sydney Adamu)

One of the best things about The Bear has to be Ayo Edebiri and her portrayal of sous chef Sydney Adamu, who brings a breath of fresh air to the chaotic kitchen.

If you like her performance and the way it elevates The Bear cast, then you should check out some of her other roles on shows like Big Mouth (she replaced Jenny Slate as Missy Foreman-Greenwald), The Premise, and Dickinson. She also has movies like As of Yet, How It Ends, and Cicada that are worth a watch. See Ayo Edebiri's best movies and TV shows. 

Lionel Boyce (Marcus)

Lionel Boyce brought a much-need sense of calm to the otherwise turbulent kitchen on The Bear, on which he portrayed bread-maker and later dessert expert, Marcus.

Like Jasper Dolphin, who was one of the standouts of the Jackass Forever cast earlier in 2022, Boyce came up as a member of the rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, appearing on multiple albums and mixtapes produced by the group as well as shows they created like Loiter Squad and The Jellies over the years. Boyce has also appeared on shows like Hap and Leonard and Hey You, It’s Me, as well.

Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina)

Liza Colón-Zayas provided one of the most complex characters in The Bear Season 1 with her incredible portrayal of Tina.

Prior to landing the role of the queen of the kitchen on The Bear, Colón-Zayas made a name for herself as a tour de force on the stage, in movies, and on TV. Over the years, she has starred in plays like Sistah Supreme (which she also wrote) and We’d All Be Kings, movies like United 93, All Is Bright, and Purge Election Year, and a list of shows that includes everything from Law and Order to Rescue Me and Dexter to Blue Bloods.

Abby Elliott (Natalie ‘Sugar’ Berzatto)

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Abby Elliott gave a tremendous performance on The Bear as Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, the sister of series lead, Carmy.

Elliott, who left SNL in August 2012 after four seasons on the sketch comedy show, has appeared on quite a few shows over the years, including How I Met Your Mother, King of the Hill, Odd Mom Out, and Indebted. She most recently showed up as a member of the Cheaper by the Dozen cast in the Disney+ remake of classic family comedy.

Edwin Lee Gibson (Ebraheim)

Probably the most prolific member (103 stage productions per BroadwayWorld.com) of The Bear Season 1 cast, Edwin Lee Gibson portrayed longtime restaurant staple, Ebraheim, on the intense dramedy.

In addition to his scores of stage performances, Gibson has popped up on some pretty well-known shows throughout his career, including Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Shameless, and Fargo. He is also another member of the cast to have a “Dick Wolf Hat Trick,” having appeared on Chicago P.D., Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and Law and Order.

Matty Matheson (Neil Fak)

Matty Matheson plays the shop’s handy man, Neil Fak, on The Bear, but in real life he’s one of the most exciting and unique chefs today.

The tattooed Canadian chef has written several cookbooks, hosts multiple cooking shows, and often makes appearances on videos produced by the likes of Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, and GQ, to name only a few. His Just a Dash cooking series is also a must for fans of The Bear. But, don’t let his funny nature fool you, Matheson’s dishes take a ton of work to pull off.

Oliver Platt (Cicero)

Oliver Platt appears in a couple of episodes of The Bear as Cicero, a.k.a. Uncle Jimmy, Carmy’s uncle and the owner of his late brother’s massive debt.

Platt has been a major fixture of film and TV for decades now, having appeared on everything from underrated HBO comedies like Bored to Death to Beethoven and disaster films like 2012 to NBC's Chicago Med. Pretty much, if you flip through enough channels on any given day, you’re going to find one of his movies.

Chris Witaske (Pete)

And then there is Chris Witaske, who portrays Carmy’s suburban Chicago brother-in-law, Pete, on The Bear.

Outside of his work on The Bear, Witaske is probably most recognized from his portrayal of Chris Czajkowski on the Netflix romantic comedy series Love or from his various one-off appearances on shows like New Girl, Arrested Development, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

There are also quite a few other actors who appear briefly throughout the The Bear  including Jon Bernthal as Michael ‘Mikey’ Berzatto in a touching flashback, Joel McHale as the abusive executive chef not remembered fondly by Carmy, and Molly Ringwald who is seen moderating an Al-Anon meeting. And, with The Bear Season 3 becoming a reality, I’m sure the list will continue to grow.

The CW is the place to be on broadcast TV when it comes to DC Comics superhero action, and Stargirl (starring Brec Bassinger as the titular superhero) will return for Season 2 in August. The show will officially get one step closer to the larger Arrowverse with even more heroes at the forefront, with appearances from John Wesley Shipp's speedster Jay Garrick and Joel McHale's Starman on the way. Stargirl creator and showrunner Geoff Johns previewed the "grander universe" of Season 2, with these two stars and heroes in the mix.

News broke back in February that John Wesley Shipp would make an appearance in Stargirl Season 2, which was a big deal right off the bat even before there were many details about what is in store. Although Shipp's time playing a speedster technically started in 1990 as star of CBS' short-lived The Flash series, the version of Jay Garrick he'll bring to Stargirl is one he debuted in the Arrowverse's Flash. Geoff Johns explained what Shipp will bring to Stargirl at a press event via EW, saying:

John Wesley Shipp will reprise his role as Jay Garrick in the ninth episode of Stargirl Season 2 as the Golden Age Flash, part of the previous incarnation of Earth-2 Justice Society of America. Stargirl had previously established that there have been some of the same heroes on Earth-2 as Earth-1 (and later Earth Prime), but with different people wearing the mask. At the same time, Season 2 cast a former Arrow villain actor to play an entirely different Stargirl villain, so Stargirl connecting to the Arrowverse courtesy of Jay Garrick is certainly going to be interesting.

And Geoff Johns is already thinking about what a direct connection between Stargirl and the Arrowverse could mean for Courtney Whitmore and her friends' adventures moving forward. The creator shared the potential impact of John Wesley Shipp's Jay Garrick on Stargirl, saying that it:

None of this is to say that another "Crisis" is on the way to bring Stargirl to Earth Prime to join The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and the rest, even though the upcoming end of Supergirl does mean that a vacancy is on the way when it comes to a superhero show centered on an optimistic young female hero. Still, Stargirl is nine episodes away from getting much closer to the Arrowverse than the likes of Titans, for example, even though characters from both shows cameoed in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover event.

But what about the hero who briefly appeared at the end of Stargirl Season 1, who hasn't had an Arrowverse doppelganger turn up already? Joel McHale's appearance as Sylvester Pemberton in the first season finale came as a surprise, but Starman seemingly isn't returning to the action to try and rejoin the JSA, but rather reunite with former sidekick Pat, played by Luke Wilson. Geoff Johns previewed Joel McHale in Season 2, saying:

A promotional photo for Season 2 confirms that Joel McHale will appear as Sylvester Pemberton in the premiere, but only time will tell on subsequent appearances between Episode 1 and Episode 9. It does sound like McHale will share the screen with John Wesley Shipp, since Shipp's appearance is slated to be in Episode 9. Plus, Luke Wilson (whose brother joined a Marvel universe over the summer) will appear as Pat, so fans clearly have a lot to look forward to.

Stargirl returns for Season 2 on Tuesday, August 10 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW, a year after the Season 1 finale in 2020. DC Comics heroes have a strong presence on superhero TV thanks to The CW, and more are returning to the network in the fall.

When a certain show about a community college ended up airing long ago back in 2009, no one expected it to become as big of a hit as it did, and creating the stars that came along with it. Now, more than a decade later, Community has developed a cult following, to the point where there have been plenty of rewatches, and even a cast reunion recently. Pretty sure all of us are still waiting for that “six seasons and a movie” plot point to finally come true.

However, it’s been nearly six years since the end of Community, and one can only wonder what the Community cast has been up to since then. From Alison Brie to Donald Glover, they have truly been all over the map in terms of work, and we’re here to catch you up to date on where they have been since the famed show about six adults in a community college came to a close.

Joel McHale (Jeff Winger)

As the main star of the show, I’m pretty sure that at some point, we all wanted to punch Jeff Winger in the face – but usually, he would save himself not that long after and make me like this once-lawyer even more. Joel McHale did a fantastic job of bringing that character to life – and making my emotions change about him about as much as he changed partners.

Joel McHale himself has been pretty busy since the end of Community. In regards to films, he’s kept it pretty low-profile but has had several guest and recurring appearances on TV shows like the Netflix hit Santa Clarita Diet, Mr. Iglesias, the superhero show Stargirl, and X-Files. McHale has also had a couple of voice roles in animated shows, such as Regular Show and BoJack Horseman. In terms of upcoming projects, a new film titled Queenpins is due to release soon, so keep an eye out for everyone’s favorite ex-lawyer in theaters soon.

Gillian Jacobs (Britta Perry)

Be honest – you also got annoyed by Britta just as much as Jeff at some point, but at least she had a good heart for most of Community. Gillian Jacobs portrayed the famous activist for the entire run of the series and has been working hard since its end. Like many of her costars, she’s had several recurring and guest roles on big TV shows, such as the HBO comedy Girls and the Netflix show Love. On the big screen, she’s had plenty of roles in comedies to show off her joke skills, like Hot Tub Time Machine 2, Ibiza, Life of the Party, and the 2020 Disney+ release Magic Camp.

For upcoming movies, Gillian Jacobs does have a couple of new films coming out, the comedy Mark, Mary & Some Other People, and the action film Violence of Action, but there are no set release dates yet. However, it’s sure to be interesting to see her in a film that different from her normal comedic roots. She's also expected to be seen in The Fear Street movies coming to Netflix.

Danny Pudi (Abed Nahir)

Arguably, I’d say that Abed Nahir was one of the most remembered characters from Community just for the randomness that he would spew from his mouth and the absolute craziness that would occur whenever he decided to stir up trouble. Danny Pudi did an excellent job of portraying Abed and has kept himself busy since the end of the show. Though he's appeared in major films like Star Trek Beyond, mainly, he’s stepped into the world of voice work, so you might recognize his voice from several other animated shows. His most prominent piece of voice work has been portraying Huey in the Hulu reboot of DuckTales. In terms of live-action acting work, Danny Pudi has been seen on several other shows in guest appearances like Dr. Ken but has mainly stuck to a lot of voice work.

Danny Pudi has a couple of movies coming out this year – the Disney+ release Flora & Ulysses and a black comedy film Corner Office, with the former having released back in February. It’s fun to see that he’s stepped a little bit more back into the live-action world, but hopefully, we can see even more of Danny Pudi’s hysterical jokes and scenes – whether that be in person or animated.

Yvette Nicole Brown (Shirley Bennett)

I swear to God, I have seen Yvette Nicole Brown everywhere. Shirley Bennett was one of my favorite characters out of everyone in the group in Community – just for how religious and yet absolutely ridiculous, she was. It was like a complete 180 constantly for her character and that’s what made her so fun. Yvette Nicole Brown shined in this role and has had plenty of work since the end of this show.

Prior to her role on Community – and I’ll just put this in here because I loved her in this – Yvette Nicole Brown played Helen from the iconic Nickelodeon show, Drake & Josh (one of my all-time favorites), but since the end of Community, she’s been busy on television and film alike. In terms of movies, she’s had several roles and cameos in big-time hits such as Avengers: Endgame, and the Disney+ release Lady and the Tramp.

On television, Yvette Nicole Brown has had so many guest and recurring appearances that if I wrote them all down here, you’d be reading this article for days. Just trust me on this one – you’ve seen her most likely on many comedy shows. Brown is also a prominent guest on talk shows, such as The View, The Talk, and The Real. Another big side-hustle that she does is that she loves The Walking Dead, and has appeared on the post-talk show, Talking Dead, several times because of it. Stars have to have their obsessions with TV just like us, right?

With future projects, Yvette Nicole Brown does have an upcoming movie coming out in 2021 titled Broken Diamonds, a drama that made its debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. She's also set to appear in the Disney+ series Big Shot, so keep an eye out for this iconic actress to return back to our screens in the future.

Alison Brie (Annie Edison)

Alison Brie is amazing in every single way in my opinion because she is a true master of genres. Her role on Community as Annie Edison showed that she had some serious comedy chops and could make me laugh until my stomach hurt, but she’s had plenty of work in other shows and movies as well. For example, Alison Brie had a recurring role in the AMC drama Mad Men, and then a main role on the Netflix hit, GLOW, as well as a part in the animated series, BoJack Horseman ­­– three very different genres, and she was amazing in each part.

She’s also had plenty of work in movies since the end of Community as well, such as the biopic- comedy film The Disaster Artist, the Academy-Award nominated The Post, and most recently, Promising Young Woman, one of the standout hits of 2020 and has recently been nominated for the Best Picture award at the 2021 Academy Awards.

A future project Alison Brie has coming up is a new TV series that is in pre-production, called Roar, but not much info has been released yet. Even so, it’ll be exciting to see the return of her to TV soon since GLOW was recently canceled. I think we all need a little bit more Alison Brie in our lives to make us laugh again.

Donald Glover (Troy Barnes)

Let’s just get this down in writing right here – in my opinion, Donald Glover is right for leaving the show and Troy back in Season 4 of Community, because he has done some amazing things since the end of it – even if his character was iconic. Let’s start out with film and television. Donald Glover has made appearances and had roles in many blockbuster films, like Spider-Man: Homecoming, and even portraying a young version of Lando Calrissian in Star Wars in Solo: A Star Wars Story. On television, he’s created a hit FX series titled Atlanta, a comedy-drama that won Donald Glover a Primetime Emmy.

But that’s just film and TV. Donald Glover is also known as his music counterpart, Childish Gambino, for which he has released several albums since the end of Community. He's won several Grammy awards, including Song and Record of the Year for "This is America." So this man really is a jack of all trades.

In terms of what he has coming up, Donald Glover is extremely busy. He is currently working on a reboot of the classic Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie film, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where he will be playing Mr. Smith. He is also writing and moving into Seasons 3 and 4 of Atlanta after a long wait, so fans of the show, be on the lookout for him to return to our TV screens once more.

Ken Jeong (Ben Chang)

Is this man the face of many memes everywhere? Yes, for sure. But Ben Chang, while problematic, was a funny as heck character and Ken Jeong is the reason behind it. Since the ending of Community, Ken Jeong actually had his own series for a while, titled Dr. Ken, for which many of his Community co-stars guest-starred on it. He’s also made appearances in many films, like his role in the rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, and the Disney+ movie, Lady and the Tramp, as well as the 2021 release, Tom and Jerry.

But where you’ve most likely seen him the most since then is his competition shows. Ken Jeong is currently a panelist on both The Masked Singer and The Masked Dancer, where people have to guess what celebrity is hidden behind costumes. He does have a new movie coming out soon, El Tonto, another comedy film, but there’s no set release date up yet. I’m still just as excited though.

Chevy Chase (Pierce Hawthorne)

Pierce Hawthorne was most certainly not the most accepting character but he sure was funny, and Chevy Chase delivered those lines and iconic scenes amazingly. Since Community ended, Chevy Chase has kept it relatively low key in terms of acting. He’s more known for many of his comedic roles back in the '90s and '80s, but he has been in a couple of movies like Hot Tub Time Machine 2, The Last Laugh, and The Incredible Mr. Dundee. And he reprised his role as Clark Griswold for the 2015 comedy Vacation.

As for what's ahead, Chevy Chase does have a voice role in a new movie coming out soon, called Panda vs. Aliens. I think I can make a pretty educated guess what that is going to be about, so I can only imagine what a comedic legend like Chevy Chase is going to bring to the table.

Jim Rash (Craig Pelton)

The dean of Greendale was one of my favorite parts of Community, because he was so random and out there, and I adored that. Jim Rash, the man behind the memorable Dean Craig Pelton, has had plenty of work since the show's end. He has popped up in many films, such as Captain America: Civil War, Thoroughbreds, and a film out right now tightly Long Weekend, a romantic science fiction comedy-drama – jeez, talk about a lot of genres. And that's just acting. As a writer, Jim Rash won an academy award for co-writing the screenplay for the 2011 movie The Descendants.

He’s also developed a pretty prominent voice acting career as well. Jim Rash has a role on DuckTales on Hulu as Gyro Gearloose, and a recurring role on the cartoon Harley Quinn, and the Star Wars animated series as Flix on Star Wars Resistance. Jim Rash has a new show coming up in the future titled My Dad the Bounty Hunter that is in pre-production, so I’m looking forward to watching my favorite dean back on TV again – and to be honest, don’t we all want someone to love us the same way the dean loved Jeff?

Now that is one talented cast. Which of their future projects are you looking forward to the most? Hopefully, some of them will be in some new 2021 releases.

Although romances are often known to follow a predictable formula, over the years, there have been a number of unconventional takes on the genre. Whether it's Guillermo del Toro’s odd sea monster love story Shape of Water or that awkward moment when Ryan Gosling introduced his sex doll girlfriend to his character’s family in Lars and the Real Girl, it can be fun to expect the unexpected. Well, expect something wild in Joel McHale and Kerry Bishé’s new movie, Happily.

It’s a romance, it’s a comedy and it’s a thriller centered on a very much in love married couple after 14 years as husband and wife. Community actor Joel McHale and Argo actress Kerry Bishé play Tom and Janet, who end up realizing that some of their friends are resentful for their doe-eyes for each other so many years into marriage. When they meet a mysterious stranger and go on vacation with their friends, some crazy stuff starts to unfold. When speaking to CinemaBlend, Kerry Bishé spoke about her first reaction to the script without going into spoilers:

So Kerry Bishé calls it bonkers, but what did The Masked Singer’s new judge Joel McHale think of the Happily script upon his first read through? In his words:

A good gauge of a great rom-com is the cast having fun on set, and according to Joel McHale, he had a great time translating the “batshit” script for BenDavid Grabinski’s vision. The movie has a bizzare air about it that hinges close to horror territory, which must have been fun to play around with on set.

It’s definitely an interesting concept for a movie about a couple to follow them in a secure place in their long term relationship and discuss how their friends and other outside factors can try to drive them apart. It’s rare for an established couple in a movie to without major problems, but hey, they do exist out there and Happily plays into some of that paranoia that can be bred from those who are on the outside looking in.

Aside from Joel McHale’s recent hosting gigs, the actor recently got some attention for updating Community fans about their hopes for a movie to follow the series. He definitely has some history with batshit with the beloved comedy series there. Happily is now available to buy or rent on Amazon.

Spoilers ahead for the October 14 episode of The Masked Singer Season 4 on Fox.

Group B returned to The Masked Singer in the playoffs to belt their best and try to stay in the running for Season 4 champion, but it was a different return entirely that leaves me wanting more. Guest judge Joel McHale returned for his second episode of Season 4, which follows appearances in every other season so far. After his latest venture as guest judge, I'm ready for The Masked Singer to bring him in as a permanent member of the panel, with or without the sequined cape! Here's why.

Although the singing celebrities in their elaborate masks get the spotlight each week, I doubt that The Masked Singer would work if viewers had nothing but anonymous singers to go on. The commentary between host Nick Cannon and judges Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, and Nicole Scherzinger adds some grounding humor to the craziness of the show, and their chemistry has gotten comfortable after three full seasons. They mess with each other as much as they support each other, and Joel McHale fits right in.

Part of Joel McHale's ability to gel with the rest of the panel is undoubtedly due to working with Ken Jeong on Community back before The Masked Singer existed, but the other judges are in on the humor by this point, so it doesn't feel like a Community reunion with a couple other people awkwardly hanging outside of the banter. With all the pandemic-related changes and the somewhat unsettling addition of a fake audience, some shenanigans on the panel are more than welcome, in my book.

Robin Thicke still wins the top prize for best quarantine hair, and Ken Jeong can't be beaten when it comes to wild guesses (despite Thicke giving him a run for his money last week), but Joel McHale fits with the original four judges.

And since the judges don't actually matter when it comes to deciding who stays and goes, unlike competition series like America's Got Talent on NBC and Dancing with the Stars on ABC, The Masked Singer can add a judge without cutting any of the others. An even number vs. an odd number doesn't make a difference for anything other than the size of the physical panel and the amount of airtime allotted to the judge guesses, so why not add a fifth? And why not make Joel McHale that fifth?

It's worth noting that despite the banter, Joel McHale does take The Masked Singer seriously and gives solid guesses for the identities of the singers. He may not have been correct in guessing that the eliminated Baby Alien was Eric Bana of Dirty John fame, but none of the other judges managed to identify retired NFL quarterback and sports commentator Mark Sanchez either!

The Masked Singer is already a major hit with Nick Cannon and the existing panel of four, so it technically doesn't need to make any changes to attract an audience, but I for one would appreciate more Joel McHale. At least keep bringing him back as a guest!

Unfortunately, this was the last episode of The Masked Singer for a few weeks thanks to the 2020 Major League Baseball World Series. When The Masked Singer returns, new episodes will air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. For some viewing options in the coming weeks in case baseball isn't up your alley, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule!

Constraints of genre have found ways to break apart in exciting ways in the past few years, and a number of comedians’ shift to darker roles is an example of this. Shortly after Adam Sandler’s buzzy role in the Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems, Kevin James starred as a neo Nazi the horror movie Becky. When Community’s Joel McHale was asked to join the movie, he was excited to work with his Deliver Us From Evil co-star Lulu Wilson and witness James’ on-screen transformation. In McHale's words:

Yeah… that was our reaction too. Kevin James has built up a reputation with audiences as this comedy dad on projects such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and his long-held role in The King of Queens. We never would have imagined him donning a head tattoo and hunting a 13-year-old girl in an R-rated thriller take on Home Alone. But that was the kind of detail Joel McHale took notice of when he signed on to the role, per his interview with Daily News.

In the recent flick that has become one of the few movies to find a theatrical release at select drive-in movie theaters, Lulu Wilson plays the titular role of Becky, a preteen who is brought to a remote cabin by her dad (played by Joel McHale) over the weekend in an effort to bond with her. However, when she gets there, she learns he is planning to get remarried, and his to-be wife and son are on the trip with them.

The true horror of Becky isn’t family drama, but the appearance of Kevin James’ Dominick, a white supremacist with a few buddies behind him, and an intense need to obtain something within Becky’s possession. The movie becomes a cat and mouse game between him and the 13-year-old – but sorry, no John Hughes charm here.

Since Becky hit some theaters and VOD in early June, it has been warmly received with a 70% Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score and 62% audience score. The movie is a much more under-the-radar attempt for Kevin James to establish himself in a new way, but it will perhaps serve as an indicator of the actor picking more challenging roles for himself.

Coming up from Kevin James so far is a NASCAR comedy television series called The Crew, which also stars Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Ahdoot, Freddie Stroma, Sarah Stiles and Jillian Mueller. He will also be rolling with Adam Sandler, Steve Buscemi, Maya Rudolph and Rob Schneider for the comedy Hubie Halloween. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more movie news.

Seth MacFarlane has been a part of a lot of popular shows and movies over the years. In fact, when he was creating the big screen movie Ted starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Joel McHale, he already had several successful TV series under his belt, including Family Guy. Yet, even he had no idea if he could pull off an R-rated movie about a talking bear.

Joel McHale was recently out and about talking about his career highlights, including Community and Ted. Of the latter, he revealed that even when he was in the middle of filming the movie, Seth MacFarlane was open about having no idea if people were going to latch on to his idea and was open with the cast and crew about the fact it could very well flop. Per McHale:

Speaking with EW, Joel McHale admitted Ted was a chancy proposition. It was R-rated movie with a cuddly but gross bear voiced by Seth MacFarlane. Given its cast, it also was given a middling budget of $50 million. That wouldn’t be huge for an action movie, but given it was unclear if Ted would work that’s a pretty big budget. It's not like MacFarlane was the only one with concerns about Ted either, as Mark Wahlberg's wife humorously admitted her own thoughts recently about the actor taking the movie right after The Fighter.

Luckily, the move paid off for Seth MacFarlane and Universal. The movie went on to make $549,368,315 worldwide -- becoming one of the biggest money makers in the r-rated comedy sphere ever. It spawned a sequel in Ted 2 that was less profitable but still made money for everyone involved. Plus, it ended up being a highlight of Joel McHale’s career. The actor also said that despite Seth MacFarlane’s reservations about whether or not Ted would work, it was an easy sell for McHale to sign on.

Starting out in the animated sphere, Seth MacFarlane has taken more and more chances as he’s expanded out his producing, writing, directing and acting work. There was Ted and then A Million Ways To Die In The West. He’s also supported shows like Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey as they've been pushed out into the public sphere. Most recently, he’s headlined and producer The Orville, which has an avid fanbase. So, while MacFarlane may not always know if his risks are going to pay off, it’s cool that he’s taking them.

The Orville will next be heading to Hulu for Season 3, as soon as it can be finished filming that is. Meanwhile, Family Guy is animated and should have less of a problem getting back into the saddle.

It is currently a great time to be a Community fan. Not only has the show recently arrived on Netflix, allowing even more people to discover its brilliance, but the cast recently reunited with showrunner Dan Harmon for a special table read that will be arriving online later this month. And as if all that weren’t enough, the making of said table read was also followed by the cast staying together for a special episode of the Ken Jeong and Joel McHale-hosted podcast The Darkest Timeline, and in it there are many great never-before-shared stories about the making of the show and the relationships within the group.

We highly recommend checking out the whole episode, as a big part of its greatness is just watching Dan Harmon and the cast banter, but we also wanted to take the time to highlight it by recognizing some of our favorite moments:

Danny Pudi Distinctly Remembers When He Knew Donald Glover Was Eventually Going To Leave The Show

In the years since his time on Community, Donald Glover has become one of the biggest stars in the world, not only earning awards for his FX series Atlanta, but also his music career. His albums have won him great acclaim and five Grammys – and it was actually because of the star’s Childish Gambino persona that Danny Pudi knew that it was only a matter of time before Glover left the show to pursue other endeavors.

The recent table read for the cast unlocked a lot of memories in the mind of the actor who starred as Abed on Community, and including a moment he shared with Donald Glover off-set. The duo was hanging out at the Blue Sky Tank on the Paramount Pictures lot (which is a parking lot when not in use), and Glover gave Pudi the chance to listen to his song “Heartbeat.” His immediate reaction?

Given that “Heartbeat” was released in late 2011, it’s likely that Danny Pudi first heard the song while they were filming Season 3 of Community – and he would prove to be right a few years later, and Donald Glover amicably left the show in the middle of Season 5.

Donald Glover Had An Extremely Weird Character He Played Behind The Scenes

As discussed throughout the reunion, a lot of the magic in Community was found because of the freedom that the cast was given to improvise – and evidently the comedic improvisation and role playing didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. As revealed in rather blunt terms during the recording, Donald Glover had a character he slipped into during breaks who was a homeless man obsessed with trying to perform fellatio on Joel McHale.

Rather than be anything physical, the game was that Glover’s character would try and trick McHale into putting his penis into his mouth. The two stars provided some examples for context:

Ken Jeong Got Blackout Drunk And Started Ranting At Donald Glover At A Cast Reunion Dinner

The entire Community reunion podcast special is a testament to how much all of these people legitimately enjoy each other’s company, but that sentiment apparently went a touch overboard last fall when the cast and Dan Harmon got together for a dinner. For an unexplained reason, Ken Jeong had been drinking a few beers throughout the day before the event, and so by the time he finished drinking his way through the evening he was blackout drunk.

As described by Jim Rash, who says he has a lot of video from the night, Ken Jeong wound up spending the night screaming in the faces of Danny Pudi and Donald Glover as though they were a mile apart instead of just a few feet, and his rantings to Glover specifically included lauding him for his work on something called Alien Bralien – a project that doesn’t exist.

Ken Jeong Would Not Stop Improvising His Breakdance Exit In One Episode

Continuing the discussion from earlier, improvisation was definitely a major asset on the set of Community given the impressive talent of the cast, but one thing revealed during the reunion was that it was also occasionally a way that the schedule got strained. A first act scene in the second season episode “Accounting For Lawyers” is a prime example, as Ken Jeong spent take after take expanding on a bit even when he was told to simplify what he was doing.

The end of a scene where Chang talks to the study group about the school’s upcoming Pop 'n' Lock-a-thon, Ken Jeong was told to perform breakdance moves while heading out the door, and they kept being more elaborate take after take. Given that the subject came up when Alison Brie talked about it as a scene that was hard to get through because of breaking, Ken Jeong surely felt egged on by his co-stars, and as a result ignored Dan Harmon’s pleas for something faster. Said the showrunner,

Gillian Jacobs Caught Ken Jeong Mid-Rant On The Set Of Dr. Ken, And Started Cracking Up

Following the discussion of his unstoppable improv, Ken Jeong delivered a blanket apology to everyone, and explained that he has a better perspective on it all now because of his time making Dr. Ken – which he co-created, produced, and starred in following the end of Community. Having been in the position that Dan Harmon was in, he now has a better understanding of the stress involved in making a network series… and that revelation led Gillian Jacobs to share a funny anecdote.

Weird as it sounds, Ken Jeong added to Gillian Jacobs story by saying that he was ultimately grateful for her presence:

Community’s Budget Was So Small That The Art Department Decorated The Wrap Party

Community was never a big ratings hit, and thus never a big money-earner for the studio, and a natural extension of that was the series having a thin budget to work with year after year. This wasn’t just in the later seasons either, as the reunion podcast episode reveals serious penny pinching was happening from the beginning. For example, the art department wasn’t able to fully enjoy the Season 1 wrap party because the event was held on set, and they were given the task of both decorating it, and deconstructing it.

Said Dan Harmon,

Rough.

Community’s Line Producer Straight-Up Lied To Dan Harmon About The Show’s Budget

The budget of Community was a popular topic of conversation during the reunion, and through the back and forth a kind of paradox was discovered. While the cast and crew was repeatedly told how little money the show had, there were also some major expenditures – with two examples being Professor Hickey’s desk machine and Shirley Island in the Season 5 episode “Geothermal Escapism.” So how did that happen? The answer was provided by Ken Jeong later in the episode, with the actor/filmmaker revealing a secret that producer Patrick Kienlen shared when the two worked together on Dr. Ken:

Some say that limitations breed creativity, so I guess we should thank him?

There Was A Possum Living In Community’s Prop Room

One of the weird details featured in “Documentary Filmmaking: Redux” is a bit that finds Dean Pelton in possession of a strange new pet: a possum that lives in his office. It’s strange and funny, perfectly matching the tone of Community – but what makes it even better is the fact that it seems like it was inspired by a funny behind-the-scenes incident. Specifically, at one point during the show’s production there was a possum that took up residence in the prop room.

It was a memory that Gillian Jacobs brought into the conversation about Community’s limited budget, and Donald Glover added that it provided him a funny revelation:

During A Scene In “Introduction To Statistics” Gillian Jacobs And Yvette Nicole Brown Were Basically Blind

It would be a struggle to find any actor that really loves to do night shoots, as there’s simply not a lot that’s enjoy able about being up at 3am waiting around while you get to perform the same scene over and over again from multiple angles. In the context of Community, making the Season 1 Halloween episode “Introduction To Statistics” was rough because it required the stars to be on call for some late nights – but it was a particularly difficult experience for Gillian Jacobs and Yvette Nicole-Brown, because there was one scene where they were both basically blind.

Jacobs described the night, saying,

It was only then that Yvette Nicole-Brown revealed to Gillian Jacobs for the first time that she too was dealing with the same contact lenses issue that night, creating a literal circumstance of the blind leading the blind.

These are just some of the highlights from the Darkest Timeline episode, so if you like what you’ve read here, go and give it a listen yourself.

It's somehow been over eleven years since the students and faculty from Greendale Community College entered our lives, but fans are ready for Dean Pelton to enter us all over again. (Wait, did the Dean write that sentence?) Community's renewed popularity on Netflix has kicked some of the dust off the #SixSeasonsAndAMovie argument, and fans are once again wondering if Jeff, Britta, Abed and everyone else might one day get their own feature film. For the first time in a while, creator Dan Harmon has some forward-leaning news.

Dan Harmon currently has Rick and Morty Season 4 airing on Adult Swim, and is in the process of working on Season 5. You know what else he's doing? Apparently having conversations about making more Community happen! Below is the encouraging message Harmon gave to TheWrap, saying that Community's upticks in popularity have definite effects on the marketplace. In his words:

By all means, long-time Community fans have watched the show go through about as many hardships as a fan-beloved comedy could without completely falling apart. From Dan Harmon's exit in Season 4 to the assortment of casting changes to the NBC cancellation to the Yahoo Screen resurrection, Community soared on where other shows likely would have fallen hard. So while tenacious fans do indeed know better than to form lofty expectations about the show's future, we also know that Community is a survivor.

As well, it's known that MCU directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed several Community episodes in its first three seasons, have expressed interest in directing a potential feature if the details would work out. Netflix-friendly Joel McHale has also talked about there being more murmurings about a follow-up Community project, so here's hoping those murmurs and conversations turn into full-blown big-budget agreements in the nearest future.

Of course, Community recently cause big waves by announcing nearly the entire cast (minus the plethora of guest stars) would be reuniting for a video chat table read of the Season 5 episode "Cooperative Polygraphy." The charitable event should be a good time for all, with The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal joining the fun as a special guest, which probably means Walton Goggins isn't reprising his role.

The group also recorded an episode of Joel McHale and Ken Jeong's podcast The Darkest Timeline, in which former co-star Donald Glover realized the cast had kept him out of the loop on their big group chat. Everyone should know by now not to keep Glover out of anything.

All six seasons of Community are currently available to stream on Netflix and Hulu, so keep watching it and keep talking about it and keep on making the marketplace take notice! In the meantime, head to our Summer 2020 TV premiere schedule to see all the new and returning shows that are on the way.

Tiger King became a national obsession overnight and, now a month later, Joe Exotic is a household name. Many have their thoughts and opinions about the former big cat owner and the rest of the colorful characters featured in the docuseries and, apparently, Joel McHale learned a lot of those opinions when he got some backlash from the after-show special he hosted.

Joe McHale's post Tiger King special featured interviews from some of the people featured in the docuseries and gave the subjects a chance to answer fan questions and perhaps also defend themselves. Following the special, McHale was shocked to learn that some viewers had a real problem with one particular question he asked, and he's still confused by it:

Joe Exotic is many things but, in the eyes of the law and Joel McHale, completely innocent is not one of them. Regardless of what Tiger King viewers think, Joe Exotic was tried and convicted of a crime and, per the laws of our country, has to serve time in prison for the various crimes he was found guilty of.

In short, Joel McHale made it clear on Conan that he wasn't sorry he asked the question but does think he understands why so many took issue with it. Tiger King is an outlandish story that feels like a made up television series, but it's actually real life. Characters like Riverdale's Archie Andrews can commit felonies without much consequence, but that's not how things work in the real world:

Maybe not everyone feels that way about Tiger King, though there's no denying others have treated the series as though it were a work of fiction. It's not often the real-life felons have celebrities dress up as them and have a TV series that receives widespread acclaim. Some have even proclaimed Joe Exotic to be a hero, which is not something you'd typically hear of any person accused of murder-for-hire. Joe Exotic may be a popular person at the moment, but that popularity shouldn't make him immune to criticism as Joel McHale has shown.

Those who still haven't seen Tiger King can currently check it out on Netflix. Of course, always stick with CinemaBlend for more on what's coming to Netflix and other streaming services, and for the latest happening in the world of television and movies.

The future is looking bright for superhero TV shows, with the Arrowverse still going strong on the CW, and Marvel's big-screen heroes and villains heading to Disney+ over the next few years. The next superpowered badass who will grace the small screen with her heroics will be the titular teenager fronting Stargirl, the latest effort from DC Universe's streaming service. (Which will also be airing on The CW.) For those wondering what to expect from the new drama starring Brec Bassinger and Joel McHale, we've got you covered.

Reviews for Geoff Johns' Stargirl recently started popping up, offering a sign of what DC Universe is doing with its first live-action debut since the unfortunately short-lived Swamp Thing. The show centers on Brec Bessinger's Courtney Whitmore, a high schooler who moves from California to the midwest and discovers that her stepdad Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson) is in possession of mystical staff that once belonged to Starman (Joel McHale). To be expected, the staff comes alive when Courtney is near, and it serves as a beacon for other heroes familiar to comic book readers.

Somewhat surprisingly, Stargirl reviews aren't nearly as plentiful as they would be for many other high-profile projects, especially for a show that's splitting its time between both streaming and traditional broadcasts. Now let's see what the critics thought about the latest live-action take on teen Courtney Whitmore.

By and large, Stargirl reviews are positive in nature, though not everyone is 100% on board with everything. One of the most glowing examples of praise came from Collider, which compared Stargirl's quality visuals and untethered optimism to Steven Spielberg's run of '80s classics.

Series creator Geoff Johns also created the comic book character Stargirl, basing her on his sister Courtney Johns, who was killed in the TWA Flight 800 crash in 1996. The already iconic writer has promoted the positive nature of the series and the idea of formed families, and that notion seems to have made an impact with those who reviewed it.

To that end, stars Brec Bessinger and Luke Wilson have garnered praise for their performances, both singularly and as a stepfather/daughter unit. Here's what ComingSoon had to say about it.

Getting Luke Wilson and Joel McHale in the same superhero show and avoiding the comedy would have been a most unwise choice. Over at Newsarama, the characters were actually less of a plus, at least in the pilot itself. However, that outlet was far more fond of Stargirl's pricy visuals and the specifics of what this group of heroes are bringing to the small screen, saying:

Another shared notion is that Stargirl stumbles here and there when coming out of DC Universe's gate, with the plainly developed villains earning lots of finger-pointing. But the consensus is also that Stargirl ramps up the quality as the episodes go by. Take this, from Digital Spy:

The Arrowverse did showcase its own Stargirl on Legends of Tomorrow, but the new DC Universe character got some love within the recent "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover, where the franchise also showcased the interconnectivity of nearly all the DC TV and movie universes. It's not clear whether or not this world will ever coincide with the standard Arrowverse shows again, especially since Stargirl may have its own Flash and Green Lantern, but its co-home at The CW can't hurt its chances, even though it films in Georgia instead of Vancouver.

In any case, TVLine is already giving Stargirl credit for being the superhero pop that stands out amidst The CW's superhero fare.

With a cast that also includes Amy Smart, Nelson Lee, Yvette Monreal, Christopher James Baker, Anjelika Washington, Neil Jackson, Henry Thomas and more, Stargirl is hopefully going to get a ton of attention airing across two different platforms. Let us know below if you'll be watching!

Stargirl will make its streaming debut on DC Universe on Monday, May 18, and will make its linear TV debut on The CW on Tuesday, May 19, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

This poll is no longer available.

While Community has been off the air for a few years now, the show is still hitting with audiences, as it's currently experiencing incredible popularity on Netflix. According to the streamer's new top 10 feature, the comedy is currently its #7 TV show, which is an impressive feat when you consider how many TV shows are available on Netflix. Now, this sudden craze for the show has encouraged Joel McHale to offer an optimistic update on the Community movie.

Joel McHale can admit that he didn't think a Community movie would actually happen but, with the renewed hype for the show, he now believes more than ever that it could happen, even if he hasn't gotten the call yet:

Joel McHale's comments to Variety that he hasn't heard from Sony yet are somewhat surprising. Regardless, it's clear that McHale is getting just as caught up this Community craze as fans are. His former castmate Alison Brie hasn't been quiet about a Community film, as Brie has mentioned that not only does she want a movie, but she wants Netflix to produce it.

Now that the Joel McHale-starring series is streaming on Netflix, it makes even more sense for Netflix to create one. While the tide has risen and receded when it comes to a Community movie, fans have never given up hope. With the show being known for its goal of “six seasons and a movie,” Community fans have been anxiously awaiting the "movie" part. They also have a number of reasons for why the film deserves to happen and many already know what they want to see in such a project.

Community completed its six-season run in June 2015. During its first five seasons, the show aired on NBC but then finished out its sixth and final season on Yahoo! Screen.

While you figure out what episodes are the best ones to start with when you stream, there are other things to also consider. Will momentum finally build into an actual movie being produced? This isn't the first time news of film talks has surfaced and, at one point, director Justin Lin was even being pinned to potentially helm it.

Still, that was a few years ago, and a lot has happened since then. The cast of Community gone on to great things, and there is every reason to believe they will continue to do even more, but will that include a feature film of their hit cult comedy?

Well, the momentum is certainly swinging in the right direction. Netflix has been known to boost a series’ profile, and it's clearly doing that for Community. Since the series is getting such a warm reception as of late, the buzz should only continue to build around that potential movie. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend to learn if one gets off the ground.

You can currently stream every season of Community on Netflix, along with newly arrived 2020 content. While you wait to find out if a Community movie comes to fruition, you can check out this spring’s premieres.

One of the biggest crimes in TV history is that Troy and Abed in the Morning never became an actual morning talk show (though it inspired a great coffee mug). Thankfully, the next best thing is possible, in that each of Community's six seasons are currently available to binge on Netflix. The pop culture-driven ensemble comedy was far more of a critical darling than a ratings monster when it aired on NBC (and then Yahoo Screen), but the tides of popularity are now turning quite quickly for Community.

Similar to how modern classic TV series like Friends, The Office, and Breaking Bad reached previously untapped swarms of binge-happy viewers, Community is once again being quoted by both viewers who have been down with Jeff Winger's law advice for years, and those who are only now becoming familiar with how Britta fares in each of the multiple timelines. Twitter has seen a constant stream of Community-centered love since the show popped up in Netflix's library on April 1, such as the following shower of appreciation.

And Jesus wept! There are definitely episodes from the Dan Harmon-less fourth season that I could go most of my life without seeing again, but the majority of Community's episodes belong in the upper echelon of scripted comedy. As much credit goes to the writing and BTS crew as it does to cast members such as Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Allison Brie, Chevy Chase, Donald Glover, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong. (Not to mention the efforts made by short-term stars such as Paget Brewster and Keith David.)

Even though Community's cast became untethered after its first three seasons, everyone who stuck around managed to keep things interesting through all the paintball fights and pillow forts. (Not to mention all the unexpected cameos, such as those from Breaking Bad's Vince Gillian and Lisa Loeb.) That said, even Dan Harmon admitted that the show faced its biggest blow whenever Donald Glover exited. It's unclear how this fan feels about it, but the love for Greendale is more than evident.

New viewers have been pretty celebratory about finally hunkering down and watching Community, too, for one reason or another. Such as finally grasping the meaning behind one of the show's most iconic and bizarre moments...

For many comedy fans whose Netflix appreciation has waxed and waned depending on what licensed shows were available, Community's arrival on the service has been Dean-omite. It's a show that rewards rewatches, thanks to the abundance of movie/TV references, callback jokes and Jim Rash's Dean, obviously. The tweet below definitely wasn't the only one that shared the central claim.

As of this writing, Community is #7 in TV for Netflix's daily Top 10, behind some of the company's more insanely popular original programming such as the WTF docu-series Tiger King and the Jason Bateman-led crime drama Ozark. Pretty great news for a show that is more niche comedically than The Office or something like the current #3 offering, The Big Show Show, fronted by WWE superstar The Big Show. In any case, its Top 10 presence has been visibly available to everyone accessing Netflix's interface, so fans know what that means.

It means the return of the in-universe tag "#SixSeasonsAndAMovie" to call for the long-awaited movie. Netflix already got targeted with that campaign in previous years, given its big budgets, its willingness to resurrect dead shows, and the company's working relationship with various cast members. With his streaming talk show not quite working out, Joel McHale (Santa Clarita Diet) very recently returned to the service for Tiger King's follow-up reunion installment, and Netflix also has solid relationships with Gillian Jacobs (Love, Ibiza), Allison Brie (GLOW, Horse Girl), Danny Pudi (Harvey Girls Forever), and Jim Rash (Beyond Stranger Things, Girlboss). Plus, both Yvette Nicole Brown and Ken Jeong appeared in BoJack Horseman, among other projects.

While most of the Community enthusiasm has been one-sided in favor of Greendale's glory, there are more than a few who are reacting to the uptick in chatter by pointing out that all the new fans have had ample chances in the past to get behind the show. Not just during the struggle-filled original run on NBC and the single season with Yahoo, but also Community's streaming past on Hulu and Amazon. Here's a more insightful and less biting take on that viewpoint.

At the end of the day, we should all be able to agree that the more places there are to currently stream Community, the better.

Personally, I go for Netflix for Community binges and Hulu for episodes to fall asleep to. But while we're agreeing about how great Community is, can we also agree that the following should automatically be included as an alarm in all mobile devices, and also ovens timers and doorbells.

In case it wasn't already beyond obvious, all six seasons of Community are available to stream on Netflix and Hulu.

It’s been about three weeks since Netflix’s Tiger King hit the streaming service but it’s still holding strong at No. 1 of the platform’s most popular titles. Streamers just can't get enough of the wild true-crime documentary series centering on Joe Exotic’s cat breeding zoo that takes a number of jaw-dropping twists. And earlier this week we learned that a bonus episode might be coming via an announcement from Tiger King’s Jeff and Lauren Lowe. Netflix has now dropped what to expect from the eighth episode. Check it out:

There you have it. This Sunday, Netflix is dropping a Tiger King bonus episode, but it’s probably not what you expected. Instead of another documentary format episode of the series, Community’s Joel McHale will be hosting a Tiger King aftershow featuring interviews with key players from Tiger King.

In the Twitter announcement, the actor made the announcement in full Joe Exotic attire clarifying that it would be called The Tiger King and I and focus on interviews with those involved with the project. It sounds like the eighth episode was filmed after the release of Tiger King back in March and will be about how their lives have changed since the release of the series.

Joel McHale promised the aftershow will be eye-opening and a funny look at the show everyone loves to discuss right at the moment. (Just watch some of our CinemaBlend staff discuss the real villain of Tiger King). While the infamous Joe Exotic is currently in prison and likely busy setting off a gigantic lawsuit from behind bars, there are confirmed appearances and interviews from John Reinke, Joshua Dial, John Finlay, Saff, Erik Cowie, Rick Kirkman, and Jeff and Lauren Lowe. Probably via video chat considering the circumstances?

The news comes following Doc Antle’s recent update about placing his tigers is isolation at their home at Myrtle Beach Safari to protect them from coronavirus following word that a tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the virus, becoming the first known animal to have COVID-19 in the US. Fans of the series will undoubtedly like to to catch up on the lives of Tiger King’s real people – especially after all the attention the show has received over the past few weeks.

This bonus episode seems not unlike the reunion episode of Netflix’s viral Love Is Blind shortly after the series aired. This may be the start of a growing trend for the streaming platform to give its subscribers more from the original shows and movies they are watching once the hype reaches its peak.

Tiger King And I, the eighth Tiger King episode and aftershow hosted by Joel McHale, hits Netflix on April 12.

As TV schedules get larger and more spread out, the more opportunities there are for shows that could potentially be hosted by Joel McHale. While it's true that fans are mostly used to him dishing out snark-tastic reactions to video clips from a variety of TV telecasts, McHale is heading somewhere unexpected for his next hosting gig: a broadcast television game show reboot. ABC announced that the former Community star will head up its upcoming Card Sharks revival.

As part of its successful ongoing run of classic game show revivals, ABC is set to try its luck with Card Sharks, which was announced in mid-March. Since every good primetime game show needs a charismatic and attention-grabbing host to anchor things, ABC went after a fan favorite. With a talent to poke fun at everyone equally, including himself, Joel McHale knows how to keep people laughing while still moving things along. Only now lots of prize money will be involved.

To be expected, Joel McHale had a fun quip in the big announcement.

Well, I guess that's just an educated assumption that he's only being facetious about the tiger sharks, since they weren't mentioned anywhere else in ABC and Fremantle's announcement. But I guess some producers really do have to think outside the box in order to make these game show revivals relevant for today's audiences, who obviously love watching sharks eat people.

(Okay, there won't be any actual tiger sharks chomping down on the less successful contestants. Probably.)

Joel McHale found his first big claim to fame in 2004 when he was tapped to host The Soup, E!'s revised take on the similarly formatted Talk Soup. He had that gig for over a decade until E! cancelled the series in 2015. (McHale says the show was doomed as soon as the decision was made to pull back on Kardashian coverage.)

Before too long, Netflix brought McHale in for its fairly similar series The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale, which mixed celebrity guests in with the video clip critiques. Sadly for all involved, the show was axed after just 19 episodes were produced.

He's kept up his acting career as well over the years during and after Community's six-season run, too. Joel McHale appeared in The X-Files' latest seasons, he starred in CBS' The Great Outdoors, he recurred on Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet, and took part in the witch trials on Drunk History. Plus, he's one of the stars of DC Universe's upcoming Stargirl live-action series, so that should make for a strange balance with Card Sharks.

With its initial network run spanning from 1978-1981 on NBC, Card Sharks has had a fairly simple yet addictive set-up over the years. Half of the game involves answering survey-based questions in the style of Family Feud, and the other half involves a Price Is Right-esque "higher or lower" system of guessing each turn of a new card. I'm hoping for endless number-based jokes from McHale from the opening moments.

Fans can catch Joel McHale hosting Card Sharks whenever it debuts on ABC in Summer 2019.

DC Universe’s Stargirl TV show is getting ever closer to its debut. In a sign that it is, DC Universe shared the first look at Brec Bassinger in the title role of Stargirl. Bassinger also shared the image, which debuted Friday night at WonderCon. She is all suited up, and it is a starry sight to see. Check it the photo:

Stargirl’s shimmering costume and the Cosmic Staff are fully aglow. Her costume is replete with the illustration’s eye mask, red gloves, utility belt, and star-filled suit.

The blue is reminiscent of Henry Cavill’s Superman costume in the DC movies. Both are deeper blues, which draws an interesting parallel between the suits.

It is hard to tell if Courtney is going to opt for Stargirl’s red boots. She appears to be wearing shorts, so maybe she will go with ankle boots? Or will it be knee highs? As for the Cosmic Staff, it is incredibly well-rendered, in my opinion, and it looks ready to save lives.

Brec Bassinger posted the first look on Instagram, after it made its debut at DC Universe’s WonderCon. At the panel, DC announced that Stargirl will premiere on its streaming platform in 2020. Other release dates included James Wan’s Swamp Thing (May 31) and Young Justice: Outsiders (July 2). The animated series, Harley Quinn, and Titans Season 2 are set for the fall of 2019.

In case you were wondering or need a refresher, Stargirl will follow high schooler Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl. Her teenage life starts like one of the usual ones. However, some radical changes in her home life drastically alter things.

Her mom gets married, and she and Courtney relocate from the bright lights of Los Angeles to Blue Valley, Nebraska. The most significant change happens later, though.

Courtney learns that her new stepdad, Pat (Luke Wilson), had a secret “super” life. He used to be a superhero’s sidekick known as Stripesy. Having found the superhero’s Cosmic Staff, Courtney borrows it. The rest is Stargirl history, as she inspires the next generation.

The reveal of Stargirl’s costume is another major step towards the series’ debut. Four months ago, Joel McHale got cast as -- per DC Universe -- the “courageous” and “confident” Starman. As his known-to-the-world alter ego, Sylvester Pemberton, he is a wealthy socialite. How does he tie into Courtney’s story?

Starman is the superhero that Courtney’s stepdad was sidekick to. Thus, expect some crucial things from him. Joel McHale is set to recur on the series, so it remains to be seen how much action he will have.

Not too long after news broke of Joel McHale’s casting, Hourman and Wildcat were also cast. Given that all of these occurred a few months ago, it is nice to get a visual update on the show. It is coming along!

A precise premiere date for Stargirl has not gotten set yet, so stay tuned. The television show is set to arrive next year in 2020. When it premieres, it will do so on DC Universe.

Although The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale came to an end on Netflix a while ago, its star's career is not slowing down. Joel McHale has joined the ranks of actors bringing superheroes to life. DC Universe has cast McHale in one of its upcoming series -- Stargirl!

Now to the superhero Joel McHale will be playing. It is a crucial one! McHale has signed on to star as Starman. Yes, McHale will be the one to bring Sylvester Pemberton and his superhero alter ego to life. In the comics, Sylvester went by Star-Spangled Kid or Skyman. Despite that, DC Universe clearly states that Stargirl's Sylvester will go by Starman. Now to the specifics.

The version of Starman he will be playing is described as "Golden Age Starman." He is said to be "courageous" and "confident." Also known is that on Stargirl, Sylvester Pemberton is a "rich socialite."

Starman is also a member of the illustrious Justice Society of America. Like many superheroes, he has a sidekick. Starman's goes by Stripesy. Stars and stripes? Anyway, Stripesy's real name is Pat Dugan, and he is Stargirl's stepdad.

So, it makes total sense for Starman to make his share of appearances on Stargirl. DC Universe previously revealed some intriguing details about the series. It will follow the "smart, athletic" and "kind" Courtney Whitmore.

The teenager's life takes a huge turn when her mother marries, and the family moves from L.A. to Nebraska. She ultimately makes a significant discovery about her stepdad's life. He's a superhero's sidekick. Not too long after, Courtney takes Starman's Cosmic Staff and becomes the inspiration for a new generation of superheroes.

Joel McHale's casting as Starman marks the addition of another crucial facet to the cast. McHale is a strong choice, who should infuse a sense of humor to the series. That is if he is given a chance to play that.

Considering that Stargirl chose to cast him, you would think they had that in mind. Superhero dramas can tend to be just that -- dramas. A bit of comedy goes a long way, especially when you are dealing with a world that can often be grim.

Joel McHale is not the only actor to bring Sylvester Pemberton to life. In 2010, the character appeared in live-action form on Smallville. Actor Jim Shield played the role during the long-running series' two-hour special event Absolute Justice. On Smallville, Sylvester went by Star-Spangled Kid.

In that episode, it is Sylvester's murder that sets off the ensuing events. Hopefully Joel McHale's version of the character does not face similar mortality. It would be a waste of great casting.

Joel McHale has what it takes to play a great superhero. He tends to play his roles with a quirky, fun and lively quality. Those are always good attributes to have on a superhero show. McHale will recur on the series according to Variety, which may hint at how much screen time he gets.

In DC Universe's earlier description of the series, it refers to Starman being "long-lost." Given that Pat has Starman's Cosmic Staff, it makes sense to presume Starman has stepped out of the spotlight when Stargirl begins. When the show premieres, his superhero status should be better known.

A premiere date has not yet been set for Stargirl, so stay tuned. Tons of shows airing this fall and throughout the midseason will keep you busy.

In early August, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale was cancelled by Netflix, along with another chat-centric series. McHale's show, which utilized the style he had perfected on his E! series The Soup, lasted for just around six months. In an interview, McHale was asked why the streaming giant cancelled his show and McHale had a humorous theory before getting down to brass tacks. McHale responded by saying:

Using his trademark humor before delving into the issue surrounding any talk-style show finding its footing on the streaming platform, Joel McHale hit the nail on the head. In his interview on the Jim and Sam Show, McHale mentioned the method of content consumption Netflix is credited for popularizing among viewers. Even Guy Pearce says that Netflix does not like the term being used. But is the issue only binge-watching?

While Joel McHale and fans of his show may have wished that it would be the one to break the spell, Netflix viewers seem drawn to scripted series they can pick up at their own pace. With a show that revolves around recent events, or episodes of currently airing series, that makes a series like Joel McHale's a tougher nut for Netflix viewers to crack.

Unfortunately, a clip show may be one of the casualties of the ever-changing world of television. While Netflix may not have found runaway success with its topical talk fests, perhaps YouTube or paid subscription service YouTube Premium holds the key. Or maybe MTV?

In the interview, Joel McHale was also asked if he is relieved about not having to watch the reality shows his Netflix series had a lot of fun satirizing, to which McHale intimated that he would not miss them. He also had some rough things to say about The Real Housewives franchise and its plot points, which he described as consisting of drinking and fighting.

With The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale over, fans who are aware of reality television's more infamous moments will miss the chance to have a few knowing laughs about it. For fans wondering, McHale left the door open to a future opportunity that would find him making fun of reality television. If only Netflix would have held out on cancelling the series until Temptation Island returned, at the least. Imagine the things he would have to say about it!

The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale is over, but you can still relive the show's run on Netflix. For new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. Wondering what else you can watch? Well, summer is still happening! Check out the new shows still on the horizon with CinemaBlend's summer premiere guide. For new television premiering this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

The greatest Fortnite player alive today is undoubtedly Ninja. He's managed to become a household name for anyone who plays Epic's Battle Royale shooter, and is regarded as one of the most ardent players in the community. It takes a lot of time, energy and dedication in order to become one of the best at a game like Fortnite. But, imagine that one of the very best players in the game managed to lose to an actor and comedian like Joel McHale, who doesn't even play video games. Yes, it happened, and Joel explained how.

The actor was on Late Night With Seth Meyers, talking about his wedding anniversary. However, the conversation shifted over to McHale's kids and what they're into, and given that they're teens they happen to be into Fortnite. McHale then explained how he was invited to a celebrity event featuring Ninja and Markiplier and other YouTube celebrities, and he was teamed up with Markiplier. He said that his strategy for the third-person shooter was essentially to hide...

The setup to the story was a story all on its own. Every time McHale name dropped someone like Markiplier or Marshmallow, the audience in Seth Meyers' studio were as silent as a mouse, but McHale had to remind them that to kids and teenagers people like Drake, Ninja, and Markiplier are huge stars.

The comment section was actually less interested in how Joel McHale used his "coward" tactic to skim a win over Ninja in Fortnite and more perplexed at the idea that no one in the studio audience knew what McHale was talking about.

The thing that many people tend to forget is that while Ninja and the rest of the Twitch streamers may have reached hundreds of millions of viewers, and accrued billions of cumulative views, the reality is that Ninja has a global reach. His audience isn't just contained within the a certain part of the U.S., nor is it contained within the continent. It's something that's easy to forget when someone mentions PewDiePie, Markiplier or Ninja on a talk show and the audience essentially reacts with silence and ambivalence. It makes for awful reactions on live TV but it's also important to keep in mind that the small audience in a TV studio isn't representative of the global audience that these content creators reach.

You can check out McHale's full story in the video below.

On the upside, at least the audience seemed to react to his jokes even though they obviously weren't all that interested in Fortnite and the celebrities that the game has spawned.

Although, it certainly speaks volumes to the popularity of Epic Games' third-person builder-shooter when celebrities from the mainstream are able to talk about the game on a late night talk show as if it's something special.

Joel McHale is returning to once again lampoon pop culture with his unique brand of mordant wit and edgy quips. Since The Soup ended in 2015, McHale has focused on his acting career. He's headlined a sitcom and built up his film and TV resume with some impressive credits that include a role on the X-Files revival. Now he's gone back to the format that made him famous with his new Netflix series The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. He recently addressed the similarities between his new show and The Soup and explained why he isn't sweating what E! has to say about it:

Joel McHale shared his thoughts regarding his recent career moves and the inevitable comparisons that can be drawn between his new Netflix series and The Soup, and let's face it: if there can be a million crime procedurals, there shouldn't be any limit on the number of clip shows. McHale also discussed how his new show came to fruition, revealing that fans of The Soup should undoubtedly be grateful to director Paul Feig, who McHale credits with spearheading the new show. The vacuum left in the absence of McHale's particular style has been felt.

The first season of The Joel McHale Show will only last 13 episodes. Unlike The Soup, which principally focused on entertainment, the Netflix series will take aim at pop culture in general, including entertainment, sports, politics, celebrities, and the internet as a whole. So where does Netflix fit into this picture? In his interview with IndieWire, McHale shared the difficulties that came at E! when he took jabs at the network's expense and the network didn't exactly appreciate it. The Netflix show could be entirely different, as McHale explained that the folks at Netflix have been pretty cool at making fun at themselves, but the "quality of the programming" is "so high that it's a little bit harder." Based on his work in the past, it's probably safe to say that he'll find a way.

While Netflix has a lot of high caliber shows, that doesn't mean McHale will be unable to find the humor in an out-of-context clip or two. That being said, taking on a Netflix show may be a little more difficult than it seems. New episodes of E! network series are released on a weekly basis, whereas new seasons of Netflix's scripted series are infamously released in bulk. That could make sifting for clips, especially relevant and spoiler-free ones, a lot harder. Not impossible, just harder. For more options of what to watch on Netflix, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule.

Joel McHale's new Netflix series The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale is just a few extra Kardashian jokes short of being fairly identical to his former E! show, The Soup. Many popular segments and comedic bits from The Soup have continued on in the new series in certain ways, including McHale's faux disdain for Today's Kathie Lee Gifford, and the host wasted no time in reviving his grudge against Gifford and co-host Hoda Kotb when his new series premiered. It didn't take long for the morning show duo to respond, either. Here's the latest:

If Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb were trying to get Joel McHale to lay off Today's web host Donna Farizan with that segment, they probably failed. Things were going well for Donnadorable in the early half of the segment, and then for whatever reason, Gifford started saying some goofy stuff that The Joel McHale Show is definitely going to have a field day with. For example, what was that whole part about Gifford putting ol' Donnadorable in her place when she mentioned wanting to go on Joel McHale's show? It sounded like an "I made you" discussion of power that people usually have behind closed doors, and while that's probably not what Gifford was gunning for during her banter, McHale will probably run with it all the same.

Unfortunately for Donna Farizan, she has found herself in the crossfire of what's been a long and playful feud between Joel McHale and Today's Kathie Lee Gifford, and Hoda Kotb. The one-upping rivalry is an odd one, as Today's hosts maintain they loved The Soup and currently love The Joel McHale Show, yet McHale has never really seemed genuine when saying he enjoys Today, and his constant riffs on it don't suggest anything otherwise. That doesn't seem to bother Gifford or Kotb much, since they have frequently invited McHale to their show to do his teasing in person, which he's taken full advantage of over the years.

Fortunately, it looks like Joel McHale's feud with Kathie Lee Gifford won't negatively impact Donnadorable's career. In fact, McHale namedropping the young host and her celebrity-snubbed YouTube show has only boosted Donnadorable's profile, as the segment poking fun at her is far and away the most viewed video in the Off-Air With Donnadorable playlist. Perhaps Today should consider letting the young host make an appearance on The Joel McHale Show in the near future to help propel her online popularity even further! If nothing else, perhaps she get a hold of the upcoming guest list for McHale's show, so that she won't have to worry about Today's guests potentially canceling on her!

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale is now streaming on Netflix, with new episodes being uploaded every Sunday. The Today show airs on NBC every weekday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET. For a look at other Netflix shows worth checking out, visit CinemaBlend's Netflix premiere guide. For more on new television in general in 2018, visit our midseason premiere guide.

The Soup made Joel McHale a household name more than a decade ago, and while the show had a good run, it ended in 2015, opening up the door for McHale to sign on with Netflix for new clips show The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. Although The Soup ran for over a decade, Joel McHale recently revealed he felt the end of the show coming before it happened, noting that the show was doomed after parent network E! refused to let the show make fun of The Kardashians. He said:

Early on in the history of The Soup, Joel McHale and the creative worked with then E! President Ted Harbert. Joel McHale described the working environment at E! early on as edgy and creative, telling Variety that the network encouraged them to poke fun at E! and themselves quite a bit. Which meant Kardashian jokes were par for the course. He did also note that during the reign of Ted Harbert, occasionally Kris Jenner or one of the other Kardashians would get offended and The Soup would get a note, but that's as far as things went.

After Ted Harbert, there was a shuffle over at E! and things changed, per what Joel McHale has said. E! hasn't responded to the claims, yet, so we don't have the network's side of the story. Although Ted Harbert didn't leave NBC until 2016 (after The Soup was canceled), he had expanded his role at the company, and E!'s management went in a different direction before ultimately cutting the show from the lineup, according to McHale.

So, will McHale be back to Kardashian-oriented jokes on The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale? He says it is really going to depend on how "good" the clips are.

All is well that ends well, though. Keeping up with the Kardashians is still going strong over at E!, and it no longer has to worry about what The Soup thinks. In addition, Joel McHale has moved on to seemingly greener pastures, as he has also said he likes the freedom of episode length and other perks that come with working with Netflix. The first episode of The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale is now streaming. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly. To find out what else is headed to Netflix, check out our full schedule.

Joel McHale has made a name for himself with acting stints on Community and other projects, but it's hard to dispute that some of his legacy lies in the talk show format. McHale was the face of E! Network's The Soup for over a decade, and now he's getting back in the saddle with a return to the talk show genre, except this time, it's at Netflix. Netflix subscribers will soon see McHale on the platform with The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale, which is set to debut Sunday, February 18.

Netflix announced that The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale will air 13 30-minute episodes in its initial run, with a new episode being taped every Thursday and then aired the following Sunday. The weekly rollout for the series is necessary because the show will focus on the trending events of the week prior, similar to how things were done on The Soup, except, on this show, McHale won't be forced to mention any E! Network originals. Topics teased for the series include politics, sports, celebrity culture, television, and things found on the internet. McHale, who will bring his patented sarcasm and wit to any topic the show covers, is already off to a great start; his announcement video poked fun at once again being put in front of a green screen:

Joel McHale will not only be the host on The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale but an executive producer as well. McHale shares executive producing duties with some familiar faces from his past like K.P. Anderson, who was an executive producer for The Soup. Anderson isn't the only alumni from the canceled E! Network talk show on board, either. Two writers from the former show, Brad Stevens and Boyd Vico, are executive producers as well. One other, seemingly random, but big, name attached to the list of executive producers is director Paul Feig, so it would seem this Netflix series is already off to a great start.

Of course, fans of The Soup probably already knew that considering Joel McHale kept his E! network series running from 2004 to 2015. Much like The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale, he accomplished that with just a green screen, television clips, some great humor, and the occasional celebrity appearance. For those wondering if that last feature of The Soup will make its way into the new series, yes it will, although no names have been teased regarding who might show up in this new project.

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale premieres on Netflix Sunday, February 18 at 12:01 PT. It's not the only show set to debut in February; the month is jam-packed with shows both new and returning set to make their 2018 debut. For a look at what's coming, visit our midseason premiere guide.

Comic book shows are all the rage on the small screen nowadays, ranging from superhero ventures like those on ABC and The CW to adaptations like The Walking Dead on AMC. A new series based on Valiant's Quantum and Woody comic series is in the works, and the show may have just landed its first star. Joel McHale of Community and The Great Indoors is reportedly in talks to play one of the two lead characters.

Joel McHale would play Woody Henderson in Quantum and Woody. Woody is a slacker whose tendency to play the field with the ladies and crack wise about pretty much anything puts him at odds with his much more serious adoptive brother, Quantum. The two are brought together by their father's death. In the course of their investigation into what happened in their father's final days, they end up with unpredictable superpowers courtesy of energy control bands. Unfortunately for the mismatched brothers, they need to get together and "klang" these energy bands together every 24 hours, or they'll be killed by the effects.

There is no word just yet of who will play Quantum, although The Wrap reports that the casting is expected to be announced in the not-too-distant future, as a number of big names are currently in the running. It's no surprise that the show was already able to land a veteran TV actor like Joel McHale as one of the leads, given the team behind the scenes.

Anthony and Joe Russo of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are putting Quantum and Woody together for the small screen. If anybody nowadays has a magic touch when it comes to bringing comic characters to life on screen, Anthony and Joe Russo definitely qualify after directing the last two Captain America movies and the next two Avengers movies. Quantum and Woody will mark a reunion for McHale and the Russo brothers, who worked together on Community.

The pilot for Quantum and Woody also hails from a team of proven comic adaptation talent. Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, who wrote Ant-Man and the upcoming Ant-Man and The Wasp, wrote the script for the pilot, outlined the series, and are likely to work as co-showrunners. If they can bring what worked for Ant-Man to the small screen for Quantum and Woody, the new show could be the next big thing in the comic book TV market.

Despite Joel McHale's casting, the project is still in the relatively early stages of development. No network is yet attached to Quantum and Woody, so we can only wait and see if production moves forward at a faster pace now that a star is attached. For Joel McHale's sake, I hope Quantum and Woody finds more of an audience than The Great Indoors did, as his big return to broadcast network comedy didn't last for very long. Only time will tell. Our fall TV schedule can give you all the dates you need to plan your TV viewing in the coming months, so be sure to take a look.

The DC slate has undergone a ton of changes and developments in recent weeks, and one of the most fascinating films to follow has been Green Lantern Corps. With the promise of a "Lethal Weapon in Space" formula, the adventures of Hal Jordan and John Stewart are going to be unlike anything we have ever seen in the silver screen DC universe, and that's worth getting excited about. And our anticipation has officially kicked into high gear, as we have just learned that DC has reportedly narrowed the shortlist of possible Hal Jordan actors down to Tom Cruise, Joel McHale, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Armie Hammer, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

That's seriously an impressive shortlist of actors, and it's hard to know what to make of it. To help you make sense of it all, we have decided to separate each of these A-listers and figure out whether or not they have what it takes to play The Emerald Knight. Now let's get started with the man who will likely be the most polarizing choice for Hal Jordan.

Tom Cruise

If DC came out and announced Tom Cruise as Hal Jordan for the DCEU, there's a strong case that such a casting announcement would probably receive an avalanche of backlash. That said, despite the fact that Tom Cruise has become a polarizing figure in Hollywood over the years, it's hard to deny the fact that he's kind of tailor-made for a role like Hal Jordan. Playing a cocky hotshot is second nature for him, and he has a proven ability to nail action-comedy hybrids. Besides, even at 54-years-old the guy still looks as good as he did when Top Gun hit theaters. Leave your preconceived notions at the door; this could work.

Joel McHale

If Tom Cruise has the potential to be the most controversial choice for Hal Jordan, then this one is the most blatantly bizarre option. Joel McHale has become widely known for his comedic roles over the years, and he's not the first person who comes to mind when we think of Hal. That said, McHale does play arrogant characters very well, and the fact that he's a comedic actor doesn't necessarily preclude him from turning in an excellent performance as Green Lantern. Remember all of those naysayers who said Micheal Keaton would suck as Batman? McHale doesn't seem like the strongest frontrunner, but there's potential if you look a little bit deeper.

Bradley Cooper

Regardless of the fact that he already has a role over at Marvel (albeit in voiceover form), Bradley Cooper could make a solid addition to Green Lantern Corps as Hal Jordan. He certainly looks the part, and he can deliver comedy and drama in equal measure. On the other hand, it's worth questioning whether or not Cooper is the right choice for Hal. Should he play a Green Lantern? Absolutely, but I think Bradley Cooper's particular talents as an actor would serve him better in the role of Guy Gardner. If future sequels to Green Lantern Corps decide to expand the scope of the Corps, then DC should certainly keep him in mind for Guy.

Ryan Reynolds

This one is arguably the most interesting choice of the bunch. Ryan Reynolds wasn't necessarily miscast as Hal Jordan in 2011's Green Lantern, but that movie has gone down in the annals of comic book movie history as a complete misfire. Reynolds has remained vocal about his personal distaste for the film, and he seems reasonably comfortable in his current role as Deadpool; he has even previously stated that Wade Wilson will be the last superhero he ever plays. For him to go back on that statement now seems unlikely -- particularly if it specifically means going back to the role of Hal Jordan. At this point, a fresh slate seems like the best option for everyone.

Armie Hammer

Out of all the actors on this list, arguably no one looks more like the comic book version of Hal Jordan than Armie Hammer. The guy is an imposing beast of a man, and he has all of the important attributes of a proper Green Lantern. He's also the youngest actor in the running, which makes him very appealing to DC if they want to keep Hal Jordan around for a while. However, we should also take into account the fact that Armie Hammer does not have the best track record when it comes to headlining potential blockbusters. Because The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Lone Ranger both fell flat for Warner Bros., it's worth questioning whether or not DC wants to gamble on him as the face of another franchise.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Last but not least we have Jake Gyllenhaal in the running for the role of Hal Jordan. Like all of the other entries on this list, Gyllenhaal is an undeniably talented actor, and he has a proven ability to deliver the comedy and drama that a role like Hal Jordan requires. Having said that, I think Gyllenhaal is similar to Bradley Cooper in the sense that he might be better suited for another Green Lantern role in the DCEU. If the Green Lantern Corps franchise ends up experiencing any sort of longevity in the near future, DC should consider keeping Gyllenhaal on the back burner to potentially cast him as Kyle Rayner instead.

Casting an actor in a biopic is never easy; the actor not only has to look like the subject he or she is portraying, but they also have to inhabit that person’s spirit. Sometimes Hollywood gets this right, other times they get it so wrong. The upcoming Netflix movie centering on the founding of National Lampoon has thus far nailed its casting. That trend has most definitely continued, as we’ve just learned that Joel McHale has been cast to portray comedian Chevy Chase.

According to a brand new report from THR, David Wain’s upcoming National Lampoon biopic, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, has enlisted none other than Joel McHale to portray comedy icon Chevy Chase. Chase played an integral role in the early successes of the National Lampoon movies, and McHale will play him as a close friend of the movie’s troubled protagonist, Douglas Kenney. Chase was actually with Kenney shortly before his death in 1980, so we as an audience can likely assume we'll see laughs and tears in equal measure.

We have to say: we think the people in charge of A Futile and Stupid Gesture’s casting have absolutely hit the nail on the head with this one. Aside from the fact that Joel McHale could almost certainly pass for a young Chevy Chase, both comedians have developed reputations for employing similar styles of dry sarcasm in their performances. Compared to some of their more wacky contemporaries, both McHale and Chase have become known for their more subtle delivery of lines, and their overall sardonic on-screen personas.

Just watch this scene from National Lampoon’s Vacation. It would be easy to see Joel McHale pulling off the same type of scene in a modern remake – unlike the one we got.

Additionally, Joel McHale likely has an insight into the real Chevy Chase that few other actors can truly understand. The two spent years working side by side on the set of Dan Harmon’s Community, and as such it only feels natural that an actor such as McHale would get the honor of portraying this comedy icon.

Overall, A Futile and Stupid Gesture has begun to assemble an impeccable cast. In addition to Joel McHale, the Netflix film has also enlisted the acting talents of Domhnall Gleeson, as well as Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte. Under the direction of David Wain, we feel incredibly confident that this film could experience some insane success.

What do you think of this casting decision? Could you see anyone else taking on the role of Chevy Chase? Let us know what you think in the comments. We will keep you posted regarding all of the latest and greatest updates pertaining to A Futile and Stupid Gesture as the film goes into production later this month.

Fans of The X-Files have been waiting a long time for the return of the franchise to the small screen, and the tidbits of news that have been dropped ever since the announcement of a continuation have been tantalizing. While the most important casting decisions were definitely going to revolve around who from the original show would be returning for the Fox miniseries event, one of the most curious bits of news was of the casting of comic actor Joel McHale in a key role. Well, the truth behind the casting is out there, and the truth is…kind of surprising. In a look ahead at the upcoming miniseries, The X-Files executive producer Chris Carter was eager to explain:

Joel McHale is known most for his role on Community and his hosting duties on The Soup. He’s a funny guy with great presence on screen, but The X-Files is hardly a comedy. Still, Chris Carter had the magic touch when he cast the unknown Gillian Anderson to co-star with David Duchovny on The X-Files way back in the 1990s; perhaps Joel McHale will be perfect for the role.

The role will be of a character named Tad O’Malley. O’Malley is the host and anchor of a conservative internet radio show who finds himself becoming a rather unlikely ally for the decidedly non-conservative Fox Mulder. The character certainly sounds like an intriguing addition to The X-Files; he just doesn’t sound terribly funny.

Still, McHale landing the role after his remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner explains a lot. According to a report from The Washington Post, it was McHale’s roast of President Obama that combined jabs at everything from politics to the media that convinced Carter that he’d be perfect for the part of Tad O’Malley.

Learning the background behind the casting of one of the new characters of the continuation of The X-Files is certainly helpful in getting even more excited about the upcoming premiere. For a few more sneak peeks, check out this look ahead at the miniseries:

The continuation of The X-Files premieres on Fox at 8 p.m. ET on January 24. For a look at when all of your other favorite shows will be returning to the airwaves in 2016, check out our schedule of midseason premiere TV dates.

It’s taken a while, but most TV realists find it’s no longer impossible to accept that Community isn’t coming back. And while that’s a sad thing, at least we won’t go the rest of our lives without seeing some of the show’s leading actors doing other projects together. Ken Jeong’s ABC sitcom Dr. Ken will soon feature a mini-Community reunion – a Communion? – with Joel McHale and Danny Pudi dropping in for an episode. It’s no Troy and Abed in the Morning, but it works for us.

McHale will be playing a character not too far off from Community’s Jeff Winger. As Ross Kirkland, McHale will be a bullish medical malpractice attorney that’s served as Ken’s nemesis for a long time, and the two men will be forced to come together when their children get into an intense young romance. That should make for absolutely zero drama, right?

Meanwhile, Pudi will play a far less esoteric character than his Abed, although his name is Topher Mitchum, so that’s something. Topher is Dr. Julie’s manipulative on-and-off boyfriend, and he has a way of wooing her all the time with his seemingly naïve ways. I really like the idea of Danny Pudi as a romantic blowhard.’

Take a look at the tweet below from TV Insider, where you can see the former castmates sitting on a couch together, rather than around a table at Greendale.

Now if only every TV show could get Jim Rash on, preferably in the same Dean persona, because that shit just didn’t get old.

While it’s impossible to call a show “dead” these days, give how often things get revived, it’s safe to say that Dr. Ken is much more alive than Community is right now. After being canceled by NBC, the quirk-laden comedy was picked up by Yahoo, and the lone season that streamed there was a giant financial bungle for the company. The cast’s contracts ran out, as well, so unless someone with a bunch of money and a great sense of humor steps up, we’ll likely be getting most of our Community reunions on Dr. Ken.

Currently in its winter hiatus, Dr. Ken will return for the rest of Season 1 at some point in early 2016.

Who knew that a single host and a green screen would make such a winning combination? Over the years, The Soup – along with host Joel McHale – has made a name for itself as E!’s go-to source for satire and snide remarks concerning Hollywood’s biggest names. The show launched numerous careers whilst making fun of others, but now it seems the era of The Soup is coming to a close.

NBCUniversal announced today that The Soup will come to an end before 2016. Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President of Programming & Development for E!, remarked on the successful 22 year run of the show, championing its years-long success and McHale's brand of comedy.

While the younger crowd identifies the show as The Soup, the program’s history goes even further back than that. Before McHale took over hosting duties in 2004, the show went by the name Talk Soup, and was hosted by a variety of household names including Greg Kinnear (As Good as It Gets), John Henson (Wipeout), Hal Sparks (Queer as Folk), and Aisha Tyler (Archer). Of all the comedians to go in front of the green screen, McHale holds the record for longest host – coming in at almost 12 years by the time the final episode of The Soup airs.

In addition to these front men (and woman), the show hosted innumerable guests including, but not limited to: Ken Jeong, George Takei, Chevy Chase, Shaq, Joan Rivers, and even Carrot Top. Check out the clip below of Talk Soup back in the early days; it’s got a distinctly 90’s style, but the core elements of the show are present even at such an early stage:

The Soup’s success created a formula that many other shows attempted to replicate. Programs such as Comedy Central's Tosh.0 and MTV's Ridiculousness similarly formatted themselves around a singular charismatic host set against a pop culture backdrop. However, few of these shows were ever able to replicate the success of The Soup, and were often maligned as imitators of the E! program.

We will keep you informed on more details as they become available. The Soup will continue to air original episodes every Friday at 10 PM on E! until the finale on December 18.

Fans of the television show Community have spent years fighting for the show with the battle cry "Six Seasons and a Movie." Now, however, the six seasons are over, and those same fans have been left wondering whether or not a movie will ever actually happen. The reality is that the future is still a mystery, but a new report indicates that there is actual hope for a feature-length film about the wonderful/bonkers students at Greendale Community College.

It was just a few hours ago that Community star Joel McHale declared that the show has come to a conclusion - mostly due to the fact that the stars' contracts have expired and renegotiation would be too expensive - but Deadline is keeping hope alive that a Community movie could eventually become a thing. According to their sources, Yahoo! and Sony are both continuing to explore potential future opportunities for the beloved series - and should a next chapter be made, the idea would be to make a film.

Of course, the idea of "when" is a big question, and the new report suggests that it will probably be a while before we see any big moves towards a Community movie. This is partially because series creator/showrunner Dan Harmon is currently working on other projects (including the brilliant Adult Swim show Rick and Morty), and would need time away from those deals to develop a proper idea for the feature. This probably isn't a bad thing when you consider that most of the cast has already started working on other things, and could use some distance from Community before a triumphant return to Greendale.

As a super fan of Community, I'm actually quite fine with waiting for Dan Harmon to find the perfect idea for the film - even if it means being without some of the best TV characters of all time for a little while. The Season 6 finale made a very clear point about really knowing where to end things and moving on, which speaks greatly to the efforts done to keep the show alive over the years, and while there was definitely a sense of finality to it, the last episode also did a great job keeping the door open for the future. At some point in the next few years, Harmon will surely be struck with a great idea for the next chapter, and then hopefully he'll be able to get some money to make it a reality.

Are you in favor of Community's next step being a movie, or would you rather see a new season at some point down the line? If you vote movie, what do you think it should be about? Hit the comments with your thoughts!

When you think of Joel McHale, the first thing that probably springs to mind is the sarcastic smart ass persona that shines through on shows like Community or his hosting duties on The Soup. Well now the Washington native is bringing his particular brand of humor somewhere you might not automatically expect, to Fox’s upcoming reboot of The X-Files.

That’s right, according to The Hollywood Reporter, McHale is joining Mulder and Scully for some paranormal investigation fun. While returning faces like David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and Mitch Pileggi have all signed on to return, McHale marks the first new addition to be announced for the limited event series from creator Chris Carter and the show’s original network.

According to the report, McHale is going to play a character named Tad O’Malley. He is the host and anchor of a conservative internet radio show and becomes and “unlikely ally for Mulder.” It’ll be interesting to see if O’Malley is a Fox News style conservative pundit, or if we’re talking full-blown, off the reservation, conspiracy theory spouting wing nut. Given Mulder’s proclivities, as well as the fact that O’Malley broadcasts online, we’re going to go with the latter. That also sounds like way more fun

At the moment it’s not clear whether or not O’Malley is going to be a recurring character or if he’ll just be a one off. Maybe he helps Mulder dig into whatever conspiracy, cover-up, or alien incursion he’s investigating this time. It also remains to be seen how much of McHale’s sense of humor will be allowed to come through the character. He’s played straight before, but he’s always been best known for his comedic chops, going all the way back to his early days on Seattle-based sketch comedy show Almost Live. And he’s just so damn good playing a smarmy dick that it seems a waste not to use him in that capacity. Then again, he’s an internet talk show host, which leaves plenty of time for jackassery.

After NBC finally cancelled Community, the embattled sitcom was picked up by Yahoo, where it just wrapped up its sixth season. Whether or not it comes back for a seventh season, or a movie, we’ll have to wait and see, but fans are hopeful.

As for you X-Files fans out there, the first of the six new episodes will hit Fox on Sunday, January 24, 2016, appearing on the small screen for the first time since May of 2002. Duchovny and Anderson were last seen together on screen in 2008’s film The X-Files: I Want to Believe, the second of two features spawned by the cult favorite show.

As people on the Internet who read things and then perhaps comment on them, you’re about to get a TV show based on your wordy antics, with presumably less sexism, racism and all-around hatred for all things that exist. Joel McHale is using his newfound production pull at E! to get a greenlight for the unscripted series Comments Section. Rumor has it, commenting on a story about this potential series transports you into an endless online black hole.

Comments Section has a pilot commitment from E!, which marks the first project that executive producer McHale has made with the company since The Soup’s host landed a production deal with the network. And it’s not that far off from the way The Soup pokes fun at the ridiculousness of reality TV and other (relatively) nonfictional fare.

Hosting Comments Section will be stand-up comedian and former professional tennis player Michael Kosta, Deadline reports. Also serving as executive producer, Kosta will spend the pilot humorously going through egregiously snarky and questionable comments that people leave on popular websites. There will be deconstruction of the comments. There will be jokes had at random people’s expense. And one has to assume that McHale himself will pop up at some point to give it the star power it needs…to get past network execs? Will they give people do-overs, Tosh.0 style?

The world of comments has become particularly heinous over the years, with GamerGate and Ferguson, Missouri provoking some of worst things I’ve ever read online. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be the employees (or interns, most likely) reading all of these comments, especially if there isn’t any blood pressure medicine nearby, along with a book to thump the forehead against. As well, I’d have to intentionally avoid throwing dictionaries at the computer screen.

While I admittedly hadn’t heard of Kosta before this news broke, a quick skimming of his material on YouTube reveals he is thankfully quite a funny guy. Check out the clip below of him performing for a summer camp and taking the piss out of a counselor for messing with her cell phone at the beginning of the show. It’s pretty NSFW.

Do you guys think a series about Internet commenters is a good idea? Let us know in the poll below.

This poll is no longer available.

America has been trying to make The IT Crowd happen in the States for quite some time. This week, NBC ordered a Put Pilot Commitment for an American remake of the hit British comedy, which will be coming from Bill Lawrence, Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan. This time around, I’m presuming the network is not going to throw Joel McHale into a sloppy t-shirt and consider him a prime candidate for the lead role. Here’s what’s going on with the new project.

Like the British show, The IT Crowd will follow a couple of IT guys working in the basement of a large company. They also have a new female boss who doesn’t really know anything about technology or how to actually work on computers. The original starred Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson. It was also incredibly funny. The new version hasn’t hired on any funny people to star in the series, yet, but Deadline is reporting that Cougar Town’s Lawrence and Community’s Goldman and Donovan will executive produce alongside Jeff Ingold, Thom Beers and Craig Cegielski.

Here’s how we got to this weird NBC project. The original British series ran for four seasons, as well as one special, which aired in December of 2013. Long before the British version of The IT Crowd finished airing, NBC actually was responsible for putting together another pilot based on the original series. The 2007 pilot they put together starred Joel McHale and brought back Ayoade for the other IT geek role. It was a mess and never moved forward, which ended up being a blessing in disguise for all Community fans across the globe. Even though that failed, multiple networks were interested in Lawrence's version, with NBC landing the bid.

Apparently, NBC feels that the new creative team can make The IT Crowd work on an American network channel. I really hope that they manage to find a premise and format that works, as The IT Crowd is basically a workplace comedy that could be just as funny in an American workplace as it is in a British workplace. Since it’s the same network producing the new pilot, hopefully NBC has learned from the mistakes of the McHale pilot and won't be signing on a smartass to play an awkward due. Although NBC does have a track record of making the same mistakes over and over again.

We’ll let you know if The IT Crowd ends up moving forward later this year. In the meantime, if you’ve got an extra 22 minutes, you can see why the laugh-track filled 2007 version of The IT Crowd totally failed. Head over to the next page to watch the full pilot.

[[ ahref http target _blank video www.dailymotion.com ]] The IT Crowd (US Pilot) by FreakStyler

The trailer for A Merry Friggin' Christmas has arrived and it gives us a good look at the shenanigans that ensue when Joel McHale and the late, great Robin Williams team up as father and son. Check it out in all of its family holiday mayhem below...

Beyond being one of the final films to star Robin Williams, A Merry Friggin' Christmas boasts a solid cast, which includes Community's Joel McHale, Parenthood's Lauren Graham, Bridesmaids (and The Goldbergs) Wendi McLendon-Covey and Hot Tub Time Machine's Clark Duke. Writer and actor Tim Heidecker plays Boyd's bother-in-law, Dave...

Via Entertainment Tonight, the trailer introduces us to Boyd Mitchier (Joel McHale), a man who's reluctant to return home for the holidays with his family, due to the complicated relationship he has with his father Mitch (Robin Williams). As we see in the video, Boyd and Luann (Lauren Graham) have forgotten all of their son's presents at home, resulting in Boyd and Mitch having to make a fast trip to Boyd's house and back before Christmas morning.

"Why are their shotgun pellets in my chicken?"

"Because it's squirrel."

Christmas and a father-son road trip? This has bonding experience written all over it. Plus, we get Lauren Graham returning to the holiday film genre, though we don't anticipate Luann having any interest in the Bad Santa that's seen getting hit by Mitch and Boyd's truck and promptly ordering himself another drink upon awakening.

Of course, watching the trailer is a bit bittersweet, knowing that this is one of the final films in which Robin Williams will appear. A Merry Friggin Christmas was made in spring of last year, and according to Variety, this was the last film he made before his death. The comedian and actor took his own life in August of this year. As tragic as his death and the circumstances surrounding it are, we remember him well for all of the humor, heart and pure talent he brought to his performances.

A Merry Friggin' Christmas is set to arrive in theaters November 7, a bit early for the holiday season, but perhaps it'll pick up some buzz leading into Thanksgiving. Check out the previously released clip from the film after the jump...

Honing in on the duo’s complex, deep South accents and Rust Cohle’s (Matthew McConaughey by way of McHale) inability to talk in anything other than philosophical limerick, the two minute video is less of a takedown and more of a goofy ode to the seriously dramatic series’ tension-building through eschewing. But man oh man did they ever nail the look and visual aesthetic of the series, didn’t they? From McHale’s ponytail and general demeanor (look at the way he paws at those beer cans. Also: Big Hug Mug! Yay!) to Rash’s perma-exasperated Marty Hart, there’s plenty of funny woven into the sketch thanks to True Detective’s highly stylized ways. Dare we say they're a season two dream pairing?)

But theirs is, duh, not the only parody out there on the Internets. No no no: in fact, The Soup’s silliness is merely one way to interpret the series. Several other takes on the show’s purposefully deceptive and philosophical leanings have found their way online. We’ve compiled some of our favorites for you, below:

Like this Law & Order-themed take on the opening credits, fitting perfectly in time with Dick Wolf’s universe of crazy cop shenanigans with its 90s look and goofy but iconic opening theme. The last ten seconds are particularly on-point:

Or this take on the opening credits — being the most Internet-y take, natch — which includes a bunch of cats. Seriously ferocious cats with ‘tude! Because cats apparently make anything and everything on the Internet instantly viral (and not with cat scratch fever, ahyuck):

Certainly, following the series’ finale this weekend (Sunday cannot come soon enough) it’s likely that we’re in for a shitton more of these parodies once the true identity of the killer is revealed. In the meantime we’ll be here trying to decipher what in the shit Rash and McHale just said.

Dan Harmon has returned to his flagship production, NBC’s kooky meta-comedy, Community, but unfortunately the fans may not have followed suit. Oh god: are we living in the darkest timeline, after all? Last night’s season five premiere — which found Harmon back in the creative drivers’ seat after being fired prior to season four — featured two back-to-back episodes and averaged 3.4 million viewers between both episodes. And that’s not even the worst of it: the second half hour’s ratings actually declined overall. Ouch slash yikes.

It’s true that historically, Community hits its high notes, ratings-wise, with its premieres — leaving more than a little anxiety in the pockets of #sixseasonandamovie obsessives — but there is actually a positive spin to be had here. Namely, when you compare it with its NBC comedy bedfellows. Both Sean Saves The World and The Michael J. Fox Show pulled in smaller numbers than Joel McHale and Co., perhaps even wrangling season lows. At least everyone’s sinking on the good ship NBC? Ha…

While it’s not the reality we’d hoped for when we imagined the series’ return, there are still plenty of reasons to hold out hope — and better yet, convince your friends and other people to get on board. First and foremost it should be noted that DVR data (those +3, +5, and +7 day numbers) has yet to be tabulated and it’s no secret that Community watchers are generally not too into watching television live, because commercials are the worst. So! Their numbers are likely to rise once that data has been mined. And with the positive reviews for the return of the series’ original visionary and subsequent episodes, there are plenty of ways to strong-arm friends and foes alike to get familiar with the show.

And if that doesn’t work to convince folks to tune in, perhaps the series’ stars’ endearing pleas and attempts at getting viewers will convince them that this charming little kookaroo that could is worth their time. Otherwise, if we want to see Harmon’s master plan come to life, we may need to call in early on next Christmas’ miracle stockpile. But for now we hold out hope, America: hope that Community can make it through. Like a Starburns rising from the ashes.

The most important night of the year for video games is finally upon us as Spike prepares to kick off the 2013 VGX extravaganza, formerly known as the Video Game Awards. We can only assume that the X stands for either “X-perience” or “X-treme.”

Okay, all sarcasm aside, Spike's annual video game show has sort of grown into its own over the past few years. Yes, it's still dumb as a brick the majority of the time, super sexist from time to time and, all things considered, inconsequential. But at least they're trying to have a good time and give video games a bit of time in the spotlight, right? If nothing else, they do at least deliver on their standard promises of new games announcements, trailers, etc.

This year's show is being handled quite a bit differently, though, as is explained on the official VGX website. Beginning at 6 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. PT, this year's show is being touted as an all-day gaming extravaganza, ditching the usual pomp and circumstance to instead provide an extended drip feed of gaming goodness.

“While its roots lie in the Video Game Awards, VGX will abandon the traditional Hollywood-style award show to feature more world premiere game trailers than ever before, plus extended deep dives into the next generation of games, new looks at gaming culture, one-on-one interviews with the industry's most visionary creatives and expert panels digging into what's coming to consoles in 2014 and beyond,” reads the site.

So less star pretending to be hanging around for purposes of promoting their new show, movie or album? I can certainly get behind that. And the show is going to be streaming this year through a number of sources rather than airing on Spike which, according to my local guide, will instead be showing a never-ending chain of Cops reruns throughout the afternoon so as not to compete with its own video game show.

Hosting this year's shindig will be Joel McHale (see above) and Geoff Keighley which, again, is pretty much a big plus in my book. There will also be an interactive feature involving Twitter, a special “music of Grand Theft Auto V” performance and a behind-the-scenes look at South Park: The Stick of Truth. And, just to name a few games being shown off during the three hours of broadcast, you can expect to see games like Titanfall and Quantum Break, as well as Dying Light and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

To watch, either head to the VGX official site at VGXLIVE.com, or catch the live stream on either the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Twitch, iOS and Android devices. You can also tune in on Hulu, Yahoo Screen and the Yahoo Screen app. If, however, you miss out on the show, you can catch the VGX Replay on Monday, Dec. 9, at midnight, showing off a bunch of the live show's highlights.

A lot of time could be spent debating the “should he or shouldn’t he” argument involving Dan Harmon’s possible return to NBC’s Community, but that’s not what we’re here to discuss. Six seasons and a movie or not, star Joel McHale is slowly making his way into Hollywood, and there’s a startling lack of broad comedy involved.

In fact, The Hollywood Reporter says he’s in final negotiations to join Beware the Night, the latest horror thriller from director Scott Derrickson (Sinister), who co-wrote the screenplay with frequent writing partner Paul Harris Boardman. The film has also added Sean Harris (Prometheus) to be the spooky antagonist.

In Beware the Night, Bana plays an NYPD street cop whose lapsed faith in religion gets tested as he finds himself up against a soldier (Harris) possessed by the devil. McHale is going completely against type to play Bana’s partner, a tough, experienced cop (I bet his biceps come out at some point). Olivia Munn will play Bana’s wife, and Edgar Ramirez has been cast as a Jesuit priest. A film like this could be quite enjoyable if the tone and aesthetic are gritty and realistic, avoiding everything that made The Exorcism of Emily Rose such a cliché-fest.

McHale’s last break from comedy was a fairly useless cameo role in FX’s Justified as a loser conman, but he’ll be in it for the laughs on his next two features, including the Sandler/Barrymore rom-com Blendedand the holiday comedy A Friggin’ Christmas Miracle with Robin Williams and Lauren Graham. Harris, meanwhile, will next be seen in Suzanne Weir’s Serena and you can currently catch him on Showtime’s The Borgias, which is in the middle of its third season.

Unscripted television is E!’s bread and butter, and the network has some new ones up their sleeve. The latest announcements on the unscripted development slate include an inside look at the top families of Sonoma wine country, the lives of high-stakes female poker pros, and a photography competition series. The development announcements follow on new series and a bunch of new specials planned for the network.

The first project features The Bachelor’s Ben Flajnik, along with a group of other Sonoma Valley winery families. Young Sonoma will look at life among the vineyards and how celebrity impacts that world. Next up is a look at four of the top ladies of the poker circuit. Queens are Wild will follow them on the road as they compete for huge cash prizes.

In case you haven’t had enough of checking out the ridiculous homes of incredibly rich people, there’s Palazzo Riggi. It sounds like something of an unscripted, modern Downton Abbey, seeing inside a 24,000 square foot upstate New York estate through the eyes of those who live and work there. The home includes its very own English pub and heated lawns for the dogs. Nice. Speaking of fancy houses, Sex & Real Estate is another one in development that attempts to make the jobs of young, sexy real estate agents interesting by focusing on their sex lives.

Flash is the photography competition series on the development slate. Young photographers on the rise will be given challenges involving pop culture clients, with weekly winners given career-changing opportunities. Finally, E! is developing a spinoff series from The Soup, called The Soup Investigates. Joel McHale will seek out the truth behind any number of utterly unimportant but no doubt amusing mysteries such as where those roses on The Bachelor come from. I'll try to contain my curiosity.