Way back in 2009 when NBC actually put some money into the show, Community had some of the best sets and shooting locations of any show on TV. In addition to the library and study room, the large cafeteria with lounge areas, classrooms, and all other manner of college-related rooms, the show often showed the cast outside, often in "The Quad". This gave the show an honest and realistic feel, as it projected the feeling that the cast was actually going to a real college. From the hippies playing hac-e-sac to protests and rallies, the Quad, and every other other outside shot really brought Greendale alive. After budget cuts the show lost much of its outside locations and the lack of sets really hindered the feel of the show. The longer the cast spent in the study room, walking the same two hallways, or using the cafeteria for everything else, the more the show looked like just a set. Taking them out of Greendale and into Troy, Abed, and Annie's apartment was an attempt to broaden the setting but even that eventually grew stale. While this gripe may not be fair, most sitcoms spend much of their time in the same location or house setting (think Cheers), the problem with Community is that the first season spoiled us so much that to take it away left a glaring void. In addition, so much of the college experience takes place in the quad or outside that to have to ignore it or find ways around it is depressing. It's not just the lack of the Quad that Community struggles with. Last year's episode featured Pierce's mansion with an embarrassingly cheap and bad set design. Many scenes, even this year, are obviously the study room with well-placed sheets hanging up. This lack of set budget might not be the most important problem, or it might not seem like a problem at all. But if Community finds itself in a sixth season finding away to bring Greendale back to the way it started, with the feel of a real college, is a key way to improve the show in what will probably be it's last.
