Dan Harmon’s time working on Community didn’t go smoothly, considering the creator was fired ahead of season 4. Harmon initially developed the series after being influenced by his own experiences as a student at a community college. The series, starring popular figures like Joel McHale, Alison Brie, and Donald Glover, was a sleeper hit when it originally aired, but it has since gained new life by streaming on Hulu and Netflix.

Before working on TV, Harmon served as a member of a sketch comedy troupe named “The Dead Alewives.” He then developed shows such as Heat Vision and Jack, Computerman, Acceptable, TV, and The Sarah Silverman Program. Harmon also served as a writer on movies such as Monster House and Kung Fu Panda before developing Community. Though the NBC series obtained a following, his most notable work is the animated series, Rick and Morty.

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Based on his career thus far, there’s no doubt that Harmon has a brilliant creative mind. That said, his behavior and misconduct have often gotten in the way of his image. He has made no secret of his past missteps and has taken full responsibility. Some of those elements have affected Harmon’s time working on Community, resulting in a firing and an eventual rehiring due to a few factors.

Why Dan Harmon Was Fired After Community Season 3

Community was renewed by NBC in May 2012, but a week after the news broke, Harmon was informed that his position as the showrunner was terminated. It was bad enough that he was fired, but to make matters worse, he learned of the decision through a text message. Sony Pictures Television and the network cited Harmon’s erratic behavior as the reason for the firing. There were rampant rumors that he would arrive on set late, fell asleep on the job, and caused trouble with his offbeat leadership. He also switched back and forth from being a perfectionist to a procrastinator. David Guarascio and Moses Port replaced Harmon for season 4 which also saw the departure of multiple executive producers and writers.

Why Dan Harmon Was Rehired For Community Season 5

Guarascio and Port failed to live up to the standard that Harmon created with Community and the network knew it. The show wasn’t the same as it once was. After being fired, Harmon took his live comedy show, Harmontown, on the road. He still had a very loyal group of followers who were vocal that if Community continued, Harmon needed to return. It was McHale, however, that pushed Sony and NBC to allow Harmon to return. He and other cast members realized that Community served as a passion project for Harmon and it was only right that he was at the helm. They listened and Harmon took back the reigns until the series ended with season 6 in 2015.

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About The Author


Kara Hedash
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Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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