John Oliver Is Returning to 'Community'

It may seem like an eternity ago, but there was time when John Oliver was on Community. The comedian played Professor Ian Duncan, a buddy of Jeff Winger's who Jeff assumed would help him breeze through Greendale. Oliver appeared on Community on and off during the show's first two seasons, even playing a pivotal role in Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas.* While Oliver has been missing, showrunner Dan Harmon was fired, Chevy Chase walked out, Donald Glover kind of quit and Harmon was rehired.

As Harmon rebuilds Community going into the show's fifth season, he'll now have Oliver back at Greendale. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oliver will return for a multi-episode arch, appearing in at least six episodes. No word yet on what Professor Duncan will be up to in Season 5. Oliver returns to Community a much higher-profile talent thanks to his acclaimed summer gig as host of The Daily Show in Jon Stewart's absence.

*NBC released a series of figurines featuring the Community study group as their claymation forms from Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas. Somehow, Professor Duncan got a figurine yet there's no Abed figurine. How does that work, NBC?