'I Guess I Just Like Liking Things'

There was a new episode of "Community" tonight. After months of waiting, of dropped bombs and delayed debuts, it feels fantastic knowing that brand-new Greendale 7 adventures exist.

Being a (sometimes-obsessive) fan of a beautiful array of television shows and bands, I've come to realize that many people just don't understand the joy brought by the promise of a new television episode or album. They don't quote lines or memorize facts or run their own scenarios. They just watch or listen and then move on.

Luckily, diehard fans have always found ways to gather and share their obsessions. The internet has made this so easy, just a few keystrokes and you can find a discussion thread or entire forum dedicated to pretty much any piece of pop culture ever generated. The wonders of technology!

What's been exciting for me is when those discussions move offline, when fans get the opportunity to gather in the real world to celebrate their shared love. That happened this past weekend at CommuniCon, a celebration of the television show by fans and for fans.

The event was held at LA City College, which was used for many exterior shots during "Community's" first season. It featured a writers' panel, supporting actors' panel ("No Small Parts"), Q&A with show creator Dan Harmon ("Dan Harmon and a Microphone"), costume contest, art show and fan testimonials.

I volunteered at the event, working the registration table as participants in the "No Small Parts" panel were arriving. "Black Hitler" (actor Brisco Diggs) was joking around with everyone. The elevator opened and there was Vicki (actress Danielle Kaplowitz). Up the stairs came Quendra with a Qu (actress Marcy McCusker). Next came Garrett (actor Erik Charles Nielsen), followed soon by Neil (actor Charley Koontz) and Todd (actor David Neher, who's also fantastic as Benjamin on "New Girl"). They were swarmed, people screamed when they saw the actors, got pictures and autographs.

Dan Harmon got a standing ovation when he arrived and was visibly moved. Yvette Nicole Brown and Gillian Jacobs made surprise appearances, causing even more excitement. Throughout the day, with each new story, bit of trivia and guest appearance, the love for the show, from its fans and creators, grew.

I didn't get any autographs or a picture with any of the panelists, but I did get my own piece of "Community" to cherish, an Arizona Matchbook Company matchbook that was created for the "Competitive Ecology" episode. I'm a fan of production design, all the work it takes to create the pieces big and small necessary to the worlds my favorite shows and movies exist within, so this was the perfect souvenir.

During his talk, Dan Harmon asked fans to keep holding conventions and promised he'd keep showing up. When the show ends (which could be as soon as this spring), it's good to know the spirit of "Community" will live on. You can read more about the event in this article from The Occidental Weekly.

For more information on CommuiCon, including a link to a video of "Dan Harmon and a Microphone," click here.

More of my pictures from Saturday are below:

'I Hated Sam & Diane'

During last year's PaleyFest panel for "New Girl," the panelists were asked about Jess and Nick's developing relationship. The moderator asked the audience if they'd like to see the two coupled up and the theater erupted in cheers and applause.

I didn't join in the applause. In fact, I think I was the only person in the room whose response to the question was an emphatic "No!" On Tuesday's episode, Nick kissed Jess. The moment had been building over the last few episodes so I knew it was coming. When it happened, though, I cringed a bit.

As I wrote nearly two years ago when Leslie and Ben finally kissed on "Parks & Recreation," I'm generally not a fan of the will-they-or-won't-they storyline. I find it forced and predictable—a woman and man spend any amount of time together so, of course, there has to be this huge build up of feelings.

I choose to believe not. Maybe it's my naïveté, but I don't think that every female/male relationship rides on a current of sexual tension just waiting to swell up and overtake everybody. I think friendships can develop into romantic relationships or stay as friendships, but believe, no matter how common television and movies try to tell us it is, that friends don't continually spiral toward and away from each other, not completely understanding the true depths of their feelings and driving everyone around them absolutely insane.

Despite my problems with this plotline, other fans seem to eat this stuff up, as evidenced both by the number of shows that follow this path (EW.com did a gallery of favorite will-they-or-won't-they couples here) and the super-swoony comments that followed Tuesday's "New Girl." I'd prefer more shows to explore the idea of women and men being friends, mentors/protégés or colleagues, such as has happened on "30 Rock" with Liz and Jack, "Parks & Recreation" with Leslie and Ron, and "The Mindy Project" with Mindy and Danny (please, please, please leave them as friends), but know I'll probably have to suffer through more friends dealing with unexpressed romantic tension on television and in movies.

Blerg.