First Image and Synopsis from COMMUNITY’s Animated Christmas Episode

I can tell you how Community is consistently the best show on television, or how it’s struggling for ratings and you need to watch it if you don’t already. But you’ve heard most of this, and if you watch this show in any regularity I can assure you that you will enjoy what we have for you.

Community’s December 9^th Christmas episode, for the unaware, is to be entirely stop motion animation, and if we’ve learned anything from watching season 2’s theme episodes it’s that we know they can pull this off masterfully. For an early peak of what is sure to be the best Christmas present anyone can get this year, hit the jump for the first image, the synopsis, and what Dan Harmon has to say about the episode.

Here’s the synopsis:

When Abed (Danny Pudi) wakes up in stop-motion animation, he takes it as a sign that he and the group must re-discover the meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, Jeff (Joel McHale) and Britta (Gillian Jacobs) become growingly concerned about Abed’s mental health and enlist the help of Professor Duncan (John Oliver). The group undergoes hypnosis to explore Abed’s winter wonderland and soon unravel the truth behind Abed’s madness.

On paper the idea of a Community animated special looked great, and here’s the proof that it will be great. The characters look hysterically incredible; see Annie’s lips and facial expression or Pierce as some type of woodland creature for reference, and the set is magical and looks no different than the best Christmas specials on TV.

“It’s going to be like a timeless Christmas classic in the stop-motion medium that used to give us so much happiness as children,” says executive producer and show creator Dan Harmon. “We’re doing stuff that you shouldn’t be allowed to do in an entire season.”

Harmon is right, as almost every episode this season has had something stand out in it, whether it’s a guest star or theme, or even last weeks tremendous “bottle episode.” Community is catering to people who love TV, and with roughly five million viewers an episode, there doesn’t seem to be too many of those people around. The good news is that a few weeks ago NBC ordered two more episodes for this season, and if any network will keep a low-rated critically acclaimed show on the air its NBC.

December 9^th. The Christmas episode airs December 9^th. That’s the 9^th of December. Tell your friends.