Community is back. After months of speculation, a flash mob at NBC headquarters and fan campaigns on Facebook and Twitter, the quirky community college sitcom has an official date of return to NBC's primetime schedule.
In December, the network pulled the show from its schedule and said it wouldn't be back until midseason. Many loyal viewers took this as a sign that the show, which hasn't always done well in the ratings, would be booted off its lineup for good. NBC announced on Tuesday that the show will return to its Thursday night schedule starting March 15.
"We know that the loyal fans of Community will be pleased with its return to its home on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.," Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, said in a statement.
However, NBC is putting the show up against the wildly popular Big Bang Theory. Community will air at 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays, followed by 30 Rock at 8:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation will take a few weeks off and return on April 19 at 9:30 p.m. In the meantime, Up All Night will finish up its first season during the time slot.
Community writers and cast members such as Joel McHale (Jeff Winger) and Gillian Jacobs (Britta Perry) issued tweets relishing the news. The black goatees -- a reference to a recent episode's "evil timeline" -- were worn by members of the Occupy NBC flash mob.
The real March Maddness. RT @danharmon: What you call 8:00, we call home. #Community returns to Thursday nights on March 15th.— Joel McHale (@joelmchale) February 21, 2012
Put down your black goatees- we have an air date! March 15. Very excited for you guys to finally see these episodes! dlvr.it/1DWhJ8— Gillian Jacobs (@GillianJacobs) February 21, 2012
NBC also announced new additions to its Wednesday lineup, including Bent, Best Friends Forever and Betty White's Off Their Rockers.
The network says its spring schedule incorporates the most original programming in its lineup in the network's history with only 13 total hours of repeat programming from Sunday to Friday through mid-May.