NBC didn't change the show; it simply showed patience.

[Onkel Neal]

Wow, Network TV is showing some brains. Now, bring back Firefly!

But the renewal of "Community" and "Parks," two critically praised but low-rated programs, speaks a lot about how Comcast plans to revive NBC.

It apparently hopes to follow the model that lifted NBC to No. 1 during the 1980s and '90s, when the network valued quality above all else.

NBC put shows it believed in, like "Hill Street Blues," "Cheers" and "Seinfeld," on the air and waited for audiences to grow into them. After rocky starts, they all became hits.

"Community" was not an obvious choice for renewal. The show is averaging a mere 2.1 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen, and NBC has a slew of comedy pilots in production that could just as well have replaced the quirky show about community college students.

But new NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt recognized the intelligence of "Community" and may be envisioning an "Office"-like path for the show.

"Office" didn't become a hit until late in its third season, when viewers finally began to appreciate its uncomfortable humor. NBC didn't change the show; it simply showed patience.