Can You Handle 3 Episodes of ‘Community’ in One Night?

In a strange scheduling announcement over the weekend, NBC has made the decision to air three episodes of “Community” on the last Thursday of the May sweeps period, May 17th. Other than the fact that it will wreak havoc on recappers and GIF curators the next morning, the decision sounds like it bodes well for the future of the show. NBC had originally planned to air a two-part season finale on May 24th — after May sweeps — but made the decision to move “Awake’s” season finale into the week after sweeps ends, instead. That should suggest that NBC has more confidence that “Community” will generate more ratings in the sweeps period, which one assumes bodes well for its renewal prospects.

Then again, word of the show’s cancellation or renewal will come by May 14th, so if it is canceled, that could mean even higher ratings for the series finale, which might be why they’re moving it into the sweeps period, to capitalize on the series send-off. The last two episode titles certainly suggest that Dan Harmon considers cancellation a possibility: “Introduction to Finality” and “Digital Estate Planning.”

Who the hell knows? In either case, it will mean one episode of “Community” in its regular time slot, 8 EST, plus the hour-long season/series finale at 9 EST (“30 Rock’s” season/series finale will be sandwiched in between, at 8:30). For the record, half-hour season/series finales of “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office” will air on May 10th. Meanwhile, that NBC moved the series finale of “Awake” after the sweeps period almost assures that it will be canceled.