Who is Dan Harmon? The answer you get will depend upon whom you ask, though each of Harmon's acquaintances in the film lit up with eager anticipation to answer such a straightforward question.  John Oliver says that Dan is a "human hand grenade, with a propensity for pulling his own pin." Sarah Silverman says, "I"m his biggest fan, and I fired him." Harmon is best known for creating (and subsequently being fired from) NBC's Community, the little-sitcom-that-could. The show quickly developed a very devoted and abiding cult-like fan base, despite not performing well in the Nielsen ratings. It is the very same fan base that would save the show from cancellation not once, but twice in its lifetime. After clashing with the network and even some of the cast, Dan Harmon was fired from the show he created, which caused quite a stir in the media.

With Harmon out of work, and in talks to develop future programming for competing networks, his team decided to tour cross-country and perform his popular podcast live and unscripted for several lucky cities. This is where Harmontown picks up. The audience is just as confused and in-the-blind as Dan, as we watch him stumble through uncertainty. This fact alone makes the film a treat to watch––we've all been unsure of things at some point in our lives, and so there's empathy built in. Harmon takes us on his tour bus with him, and lets us participate in his life for a little while. At the same time, the film isn't just thrown together. In fact, at several points during the film Harmon alludes to his storytelling manifesto, Story Structure 101 which is a palatable adaptation of Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces–and is keen enough to project the "hero's journey" onto the Harmontown podcast tour (If you haven't read Story Structure 101, it is an invaluable tool for writers and story enthusiasts alike).

This film is undeniably a treat for existing Community fans as well as affectionately named "Harmenians," but it's much more than just that. It's an opportunity to be introduced to the life of someone sacrificing himself for the joy of his peers. Harmon is a fascinating, self-aware, individual, filled with so much love for his own species. This film will wrap you up in a bear hug and remind you of what's truly necessary to make it through a challenging time: togetherness and a sense of humor.