Faced with the arrival of the Goliath of TV comedies - The Big Bang Theory - in its time slot, Community is pulling out all the stops in its sophomore season. Betty White is appearing in the premiere; the gang is (somehow) traveling to outer space in an early episode; and now comes word that the Christmas episode will be produced… in stop-motion animation! “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do but, I never anticipated having the ability to do it,†series creator Dan Harmon said, echoing comments he made to Vulture in August. But “Jeff Gaspin at NBC woke up one morning and thought Community should do an animated episode. I was like, ‘Well, that’s weird, because that’s the kind of stuff I’m usually suggesting and guys like him veto.’†Our excitement level for this rivals the Greendale gang’s enthusiasm for Chicken Finger Day. [Ausiello Files/EW]