Today, December 29th, is Alison Brie’s 29th birthday! Alison Brie Central would love to wish Alison an amazing day today!

As 2011 draws to a close, THR’s chief television critic, Tim Goodman, weighs in on the best that the small screen had to offer this year. Among his picks are a few fan favorites (Boardwalk Empire, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and others that sadly won’t be returning in 2012 (Friday Night Lights, Men of a Certain Age).

7. Community (NBC)

There are a lot of funny series on this list that nobody’s really watching, so it’s probably unfair to single out Community for sympathy. But a little more largesse from NBC would be nice because creator Dan Harmon is proving that he and his writers are wildly creative to the point where normal ideas and boundaries seem to bore them.

HollywoodReporter.com

“Community” has been named Best Comedy Series of 2011 by IGN.com!

There were a lot of very strong comedies this year, but in the end, it was hard not to single out Community, which continues to take 22 minutes a week and use it in amazingly creative and surprising ways. Flashbacks to episodes that never existed, paintball used for both western and Star Wars parodies, alternate realities, Dungeons & Dragons, anime sequences, musical numbers, LeVar Burton… Community has it all! Refusing to stick to any set formula and filled with very odd and offbeat elements, it’s not surprising Community isn’t a mainstream hit. But a show this clever and funny is something special and we’re already bemoaning the hiatus NBC is about to give Community. Greendale, we can’t wait to see you again.

The Alison Brie Central photo gallery has been updated with 24 blu-ray (1080p) quality screen captures of Alison Brie from episode 2×06 of “Mad Men” titled “Maidenform”.

» Alison Brie Central > Series Television > Mad Men > Season Two > 2×06 – Maidenform

Its being reported by TV By The Numbers that “Community” is likely to be renewed for a fourth season by NBC!

I looked a little more closely at more recent results (since 10/31) in with an eye towards potentially adjusting predictions as we near the mid-season mark, and as NBC’s scripted shows slide towards the cancellation bear, most are sliding faster than Community!

On the ratings catastrophe that is NBC prime time, Community ratings since 10/31 have moved up to 90% of NBC’s scripted show average (in fact, plenty was the rest of NBC’s show ratings sliding backwards, but same result). So while the push to get enough episodes for syndication gives the show a tailwind for another season, now its recent relative ratings do as well.