VIDEO: First Trailer for Fifth Season of NBC's COMMUNITY

NBC has debuted the first trailer for the upcoming premiere of the fifth season of COMMUNITY - check out the Jeff Winger-centric teaser, premiering on EW, below!

COMMUNITY returns with an hour-long episode on Jan. 2 at 8 & 8:30 p.m. ET.

Heading into its fifth season, "Community" is a smart, exuberant comedy that is consistently ranked as one of the most inventive and original half-hours on television. This ensemble comedy centers around a tight-knit group of friends who all met at what is possibly the world's worst educational institution - Greendale Community College.

At the center of the group is Jeff Winger (Joel McHale, "The Soup"), a fast-talking lawyer who was caught with a phony college degree. Winger was dis-barred until he could earn a legitimate degree and chose Greendale, thinking he could breeze through the mediocre school without a hitch. He, however, soon found himself the reluctant leader of a disparate group of misfits, all stuck at Greendale for different reasons.

The study group includes Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), who dropped out of high school to "change the world" and soon found herself in her thirties with no marketable skills; Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), a religious housewife who landed at Greendale after a messy divorce and is now blossoming into a headstrong entrepreneur; Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), a socially awkward, but well-meaning, pop culture savant; Annie Edison (Alison Brie), a high-strung perfectionist; Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), a former High School Football star still trying to find his way; and, Ben Chang (Ken Jeong ), a former Spanish teacher who is either insane or an evil genius, or both.

At Greendale's helm is Dean Pelton (Jim Rash), an administrator whose ineptitude is matched only by his love of the school and his devotion to his students.

"Community" was created by Dan Harmon, who serves as executive producer. Russ Krasnoff ("The Soloist") also serves as executive producer, along with Gary Foster ("Sleepless in Seattle"), Chris McKenna ("The Mindy Project") and Patrick Kienlen. Tristram Shapeero ("Nurse Jackie") is executive producer/director.