NBC head discusses "Office" finale, "Community" season five rumors and Donald Trump Robert Greenblatt reflected on the network's recent rise

NBC is now the top cable network in America with the 18-49 demographic, marking the "first time in nine years (since 2003) that NBC has been #1 at this point in the season." NBC head Robert Greenblatt addressed the year of huge growth for the previously sluggish network and shared insights today at the TCA executive session on the future of some of the network's most beloved shows, highlights below:

Greenblatt on human lightning rod Donald Trump and "The Apprentice":

Advertisement:

“We live in this country where you can say anything you want as long as you're not harming other people. He's got a political belief system. We talk to him all the time, but I really don't think that what he's doing in his personal life is going to corrupt what's happening on the show." Greenblatted added, however, that "if he becomes somehow hurtful and says or does things that cross a line, we would figure out what to do with that." Then he joked, "We talked him out of running for president, wasn’t that good enough?"

On Steve Carell appearing in "The Office" finale:

“We’re hopeful but I don’t think (Carell) will," said Greenblatt. “He [Carell] left in the way he wanted to leave, and he and Greg [Daniels] talked about it, and I don’t think he will. There’s maybe a little Hail Mary pass on a cameo, but I think the decision would be compromising his schedule.”

On NBC's beleaguered comedy "Community" and its 4th season, which has lost producer Dan Harmon, actor Chevy Chase, and writer Megan Ganz this year:

“I think you’ll see relatively the same show that you did before, maybe with a little bit more heart built into it. But we didn’t fundamentally change it."

Greenblatt also hinted at a possible 5th season. “We’re absolutely hopeful it will lead to a fifth season,” Greenblatt said. “I’d love nothing more than to see it continue.”