5 reasons why you should be watching NBC's "Community"

There isn't much that NBC has done right lately. The network, which topped the Neilsen ratings in the 1990's with hits like "Seinfeld" and "Friends", is currently in fourth-place behind CBS, ABC and FOX. Their now infamous divorce with Conan O'Brien has left them with few members still on Team Peacock.

With a rare stroke of luck, they've managed to restore some of that old "Must See TV" mojo on Thursday nights with this year's addition of "Community".

Most people are probably familiar with its premise: Joel McHale plays a lawyer suspended from practice when his college degree is discovered to be invalid by the State Bar. Now at Greendale Community College, he and a few of his Spanish classmates form a study group to help each other get through the course.

Joel McHale (as Jeff Winger) is an obvious reason to watch, as fans of E!'s "The Soup" can surely attest. He effortlessly drifts between smarminess and self-deprecation, and really carries the show. But here are a few things that may not be apparent if you haven't watched an entire episode:

1. Movie spoofs
Many of the episodes, especially in the second half of the season, have followed plot-lines of contemporary classic films with a community college twist. Breakfast Club, Dark Knight, Goodfellas, An American Tail and Good Will Hunting have all been given the Greendale treatment this year.

2. The cast is on Twitter
While this won't appeal to everyone, it's a great way to follow the behind the scenes action. The actors post a lot pictures of them goofing off on the set, and insults for one another. See for yourself: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Gillian Jacobs

3. Abed and Troy
In TV's best interracial bromance since J.D. and Turk on "Scrubs", Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed (Danny Pudi) close out each episode with short comedic bits that are funnier than anything SNL has done in the past two years. They've imitated Bert and Ernie, made their own sci-fi flick, and in what became a top viewed video on YouTube... they created "La Bilbioteca", a beat-boxed rap using only elementary Spanish words. (See embedded video below.)

4. The producers
The people who put together "Community" are a collection of folks who helped create two comedic shows with major followings, "Arrested Development" (Joe and Anthony Russo) and the aforementioned "Scrubs" (Garrett Donovan, Neil Goldman). If you were a fan of either of those shows, there's a great chance that you'll probably enjoy "Community".

5. "El Tigre" (AKA Ken Jeong)
You may know him best as the crime lord locked in the trunk from "The Hangover", but Ken Jeong plays the group's unconventional Spanish instructor. Now you can enjoy his comedic stylings and masterful improvisations without having to see his junk.

Community ends its stellar first season on Thursday, May 20 on NBC.