Community Season 4: Thanksgiving is Celebrated with James Brolin as Jeff’s Dad

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It’s taken a couple of seasons of wondering and speculating, but we finally have a solid idea of who will be playing Jeff Winger’s father on the fourth season of Community. Ever since Season 2, fans have been gathering to discuss who would be best suited to play Jeff’s estranged father, with most grasping on to the idea of Bill Murray being the optimal choice thanks, in part, to creator Dan Harmon’s own hopeful wishes. But Harmon is out of the picture now and the new showrunners have their own ideas in mind and it might be Mr. Murray is harder to get a hold of. So whom did they get? It certainly wasn’t anyone I had on my shortlist.

According to TVLine, our guy to play William Winger is James Brolin, the father of acclaimed actor Josh Brolin. The story came into the public eye when Joel Mchale posted on Twitter a picture of him standing with Brolin on the set of Community. I can almost see the resemblance! That’s not a bad a pick. Brolin has some major acting chops he took home an Emmy for his role in Marcus Welby, M.D. in 1970. but I can’t help but lament the loss of Bill Murray. I’ve always thought getting him was a longshot, but it’s Bill Freaking Murray! The guy is a titan of comedy and would’ve fit in quite well in the bizarre world of Greendale.

Brolin will make his appearance on Community during the show’s Thanksgiving episode, a perfect time of the year to reunite a son with his deadbeat dad. I’m quite certain this will be Community‘s first Thanksgiving themed episode, unless I’ve just misread something and the episode is merely airing around Thanksgiving and not actually taking place during the holiday. Either way, it will be good to finally have Jeff meet his dad after so much speculation. Season 4 premieres in its new timeslot Friday, Oct. 19.