Rash as Dean Pelton

Though Danny Strong is the current TV actor turned award-winning writer as “Jonathan from Buffy” gained an Emmy for his HBO Game Change script, it’s hard to ignore the even bigger success of Jim Rash (Community) gaining an Academy Award earlier this year. Known for the often-in-costume Dean Pelton on the NBC cult smash, Rash returns in the fourth season of the series premiering later this month in a tight spot: thrust out of Thursday night, it not only has to follow the panned-yet-somehow-renewed Whitney but also go forward without creator and showrunner Dan Harmon for the first time.

While the verdict is still out on the post-Harmon era, it seems that there will be at least one reason to celebrate as word has it Rash will be responsible for an upcoming installment.

Vulture reports that Jim Rash has been in the Community’s writer room to find a story that would then be completely in his hands as he would pen his own episode. The tale will allegedly revolve around an alumni weekend at Greendale and will air in 2013.

Rash teamed up with Nat Faxon (Ben & Kate) and director Alexander Payne to deliver a script for Best Picture nominatedThe Descendants starring George Clooney. The trio each ended up clutching a statue by Oscars’ end for winning Best Adapted Screenplay earlier this year, which seemed to be a bright spot in the long hiatus for Community fans when the show was shelved for a then-unknown amount of time until March.

With the awards glory, could Rash be holding an Emmy by next year as well?

Community‘s new season kicks off Friday October 19th at 8:30PM on NBC.