Mitchell Haaseth/NBCWe're not going to lie, we fully expected the new Community showrunners to appear onstage at Comic-Con to a less than warm reception from the crowd. Not that it's their fault Dan Harmon got booted, but TV fans can be quite passionate about their shows and can be known to lash out at the wrong people (*cough* reporters! *cough*).
But not only did the crowd in San Diego applaud new bosses Moses Port and David Guarascio when they took the stage with Joel McHale and the rest of the Community cast, the new regime gave us some reasons to be optimistic about next season.
Fans who fear change, especially with new people running the show, need not worry a bit. "A couple of months ago, we were a lot like you: just huge fans of the show who thought it was one of the most special things on television," Guarascio gushed. "Suddenly we're here, helping to keep it going. The only thing we care about is keeping it this weird, wonderful gem that it's always been. That's not going to change."
Port added: "It's also not us coming in and taking it on by ourselves. It's the best cast on television. What I mean to say is, we won't screw it up! We promise."
McHale then jumped in to thank Community's dedicated audience, calling them "the greatest fanbase that any television show has ever had in the history of television."
"So if we do get canceled after 13 episodes, I blame you," he joked.
Gillian Jacobs later echoed McHale's sentiment toward the fans, saying, "We may not win Emmys, or even get nominated for them, but we win every single online poll we are up for, and that is because of you guys." They certainly win enough of our polls here on E! Online! Pop! Pop!
Now that the mushy stuff is over, let's get on with some season four scoop, eh?
Britta and Troy: Are you a fan of this pairing? Then season four might just make all your dreams come true. "The sparks may turn into a little bit of a fire," Guarascio said coyly.
Jeff and the Dean: How do you all feel about this pairing? "[Season four] is, for a lot of the characters, their senior year," Guarascio said. "That gives us the opportunity to explore some relationships, one of which might be the Dean and Jeff."
Graduation Day? Maybe not. Harmon always said he'd like to graduate the gang in season four, but the new showrunners might change that. "There's a way to be true to the show where the series will keep going even if they're not all at school at the same time," Guarascio insists. "They've become this family that will still exist together without changing the dynamic of the show." Six seasons a movie, y'all!
Mr. Winger: Next season, prepare to meet Jeff's dad, a role that McHale hopes goes to a big name. He threw out the name Eddie Murphy, quipping, "Pluto Nash himself!"
Check out Community's season three gag reel below, and stick close by our Comic-Con page for more TV scoop!