Megan Ganz is graduating Greendale.
The former Onion writer who spent the past three seasons as part of the staff on NBC's cult comedy Community announced Wednesday evening on Reddit that she is moving to a writing job at ABC's Emmy-winning comedy Modern Family.
Here's Megan Ganz's open letter on Reddit's Community forum :
"Does anyone know how long it takes papier mâché to dry?"
That was the first line I ever wrote for Community. I'd gotten other small jokes and similar word fragments into earlier episodes, but #208 was my first episode, and this was the first line, and I remember it went all the way from my writer's draft to set basically unchanged. Through rewrites I watched it bob along, past Harmon's mighty hammer, right on through to the table read and into the sides that were given to the actors on the first day of filming. It was like when you and your friends would race leaves down the river--if you grew up in Michigan and did that sort of thing.
We filmed the bottle episode in chronological order so this was the first line that we shot and I remember sitting at the monitors at 7am on the first day thinking, "If they call action and no one runs in here screaming 'stop the TV-equivalent of presses,' then I will have written a line that will appear on a television show. I'll be a television writer." And the director did call action--as they do--and so I was. Just like that.
For the last three years, the sum total of my contribution to this planet (in terms of effort, passion, and things I let myself go soft and pimply for) could be described as follows : Community. Recently, I was offered a job writing for Modern Family, and although it's unclear what will happen with Community for the fifth season (or the sixth season, or the movie), I've decided to take this new position. Tomorrow is my first day and I'm excited and scared to start this new... well, everything. I'm sure the coffee will probably be the same.
This isn't the end of me and Greendale. Community was my world for four seasons and my job for three, and has hold of my whole heart like a bad-news high school boyfriend. I'll never really get away. The chemistry is too perfect and the writing room couches aren't really that uncomfortable to sleep on and I just can't stop writing for Britta. Plus I still have to do my editing pass on the finale. I think I left a box in my office, too. Bobrow probably misses me. Better stop by on my way home.
I guess what I'm saying is, it took me a really long time to write this to you guys, and it's not even that good. Pretty sappy, no punchlines, kind of vague about my future with the show, too little excitement about the new gig, etc. Okay, so not my best work. Maybe I'll take it down and not say goodbye just yet. I just need a little more time.
About three hours longer than it took Duncan to think up this assignment.
Megan Ganz is credited on 4 excellent episodes :
- Episode 2.08 - Cooperative Calligraphy (aka the bottle episode).
- Episode 2.16 - Intermediate Documentary Filmmaking (aka the mockumentary parody).
- Episode 3.08 - Documentary Filmmaking : Redux (aka the Hearts of Darkness tribute).
- Episode 3.17 - Basic Lupine Urology (aka the Law & Order hommage).
We owe Megan Ganz great episodes. She's responsible for pulling off the Beetlejuice references (reminding writers in the s3 Halloween episode that Beetlejuice had been mentioned twice, the latter being in her 1st episode as a credited writer, and it'd be the perfect opportunity to bring it up again) :
She has also written the SEASON finale of the upcoming Senior Semes-- Year (4.13 - Advanced Introduction to Finality) and also the second episode of season 4 (Paranormal Parentage). That's what we know so far, perhaps there's more.
Having written two mockumentary episodes, something tells me she'll be just fine on Modern Family.
First day at the new job. Pretty sure I just killed it at lunch. Who do I ask for my raise?
— Megan Ganz (@meganganz) Janvier 3, 2013Source.
At first I was tempted to react like this and scream to the thunderous sky "Andy Bobrow, please stay, don't you all brilliant writers leave, there's a shot for a 5th season!", but then... I still am, actually, though I'm glad she's joining a good show that I watch (plus, she isn't joining Glee or TBBT). And you can't have more job security than on this ratings juggernaut (job security isn't Community's top quality).
What are your thoughts on this ?
