It's easy to forget sometimes that "Community" is a TV show as well as a thing people go insane over on Twitter.
The comedy's long-awaited return to NBC Thursday spawned no fewer than four worldwide Twitter trending topics. The topics? "InspectorSpacetime," "Troy and Abed," "Annie's Boobs" and "Jim Belushi."
Also read: How Jim Rash Went From 'Community' to an Oscar
Yes, the show worked in a reference to Jim Belushi, a frequent "Community" punching bag. The show has made the case in the past that a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship is "the Jim Belushi of sexual commitments. It barely means anything, and it grows on what’s there over time."
Demi Lovato's appearance on Fox's "American Idol" also spawned a worldwide trend, "Demi on Idol." "American Idol" was also a U.S. trend. But one of the highest-rated shows on TV couldn't match the four-pronged popularity of "Community."
Also trending worldwide was "Ashley Judd" — potentially a good sign for the actress' new ABC drama "Missing," which premiered Wednesday.
NBC pulled "Community" from its midseason schedule late last year amid low ratings. That ignited passionate calls for the show's return from its diehard fans — many of whom spoke out on Twitter. They got their wish Thursday, and responded with a passion completely unbefitting of, say, Jim Belushi.
Watch a clip of two of Troy and Abed, who together encompass one trending topic: