Community Season 4 Explores History With Malcolm McDowell

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I’m not sure it really sank in that Community would be getting a fourth season until the casting news started rolling in. Chances are, when Community hires an actor for a guest role, they’re going to be playing a teacher and so far that has been true for Season 4’s first castings. We first learned that British actor Matt Lucas would be playing an undecided teaching role, but – as exciting as it is to have Matt Lucas on the show – his casting was overshadowed by news of Malcolm McDowell playing the study groups new history professor. Aside from Michael Caine, McDowell is my favorite old British man to see. Putting him in Community is like a dream come true.

McDowell has been busy on TNT’s Franklin & Bash, in which he has a starring role, but that show airs during the summer, giving him plenty of time to pop in on Community. According to TVLine, he will be appearing in multiple episodes as Professor Cornwallis, who, as I mentioned, will be teaching history. Now, some might not think the class the study group picks has little significance, but if the show is carrying on down the road set before it by creator Dan Harmon, then history will play a big part in Season 4.

When Harmon was in charge, the study group’s main class served as the theme for the show’s first three seasons. Spanish 101 was about the group learning to communicate with each other; Anthropology 101 showed how they learned to live together; and Biology 101 was about how they grow as people together. Following that trend, History 101 would suggest the group will be sharing their pasts with each other, which fits with Jeff’s decision to contact his father. And with McDowell as the teacher, you can bet the class will be infected by his eccentricity. Throw in Lucas’ unknown role and I am thoroughly excited for the direction Community is headed.