Show-runner Dan Harmon was fired from Community at the end of the third season. It was rumored that Harmon was asked to leave in hopes that new creative blood could help Community find a stronger standing in the ratings. Harmon also has a pretty prickly reputation with television execs and stars alike, most notoriously with now-gone star Chevy Chase.

Well, what a difference a year makes. Season four of Community seemed pretty hit-or-miss, almost as if some shadow-dimension Community was aired. Everyone came and gave it their A-game, but the show felt a bit off. And when it did hit, the show’s signature weirdness (which I LOVE) was too much for passive viewers to grasp. Rating for season four pretty much stayed at the same level as season 3.

Now, it looks like Dan Harmon may return to the show he created. According to Entertainment Weekly, Harmon is in talks with Sony Television:

The mad-scientist showrunner is in negotiations with Sony TV to rejoin the community college-set NBC comedy, after being fired last May following a tumultuous tenure that included clashes with series star Chevy Chase (who exited six months later amidst controversy). While the just-concluded fourth season, which executive producers Moses Port and David Guarascio were brought in to run, wound up drawing similar ratings to season 3, there were certain grumbles from fans and critics that the off-beat cult series didn’t feel like it was operating at the same creative level.

If this pans out, Community will probably still limp along in the ratings, but at least it will feel like Community again! Harmon is responsible for some of the greatest off-kilter episodes ever (the pillow fort vs. blanket fort story arc is classic). Click here for the rest of EW’s story.