The 28 Best Characters from 'Community,’ Ranked
By Bryce Phillips, Jake Graber-Lipperman, and Nathan Graber-Lipperman
The Unplugg’d Staff formed a study group to create this definitive list of the quirkiest, quippiest, and quackiest characters from Dan Harmon’s cult classic. Pop pop!
For a show that’s had its fair share of ups and downs, Community sure seems to be returning into the cultural zeitgeist with a fervor.
Back in September, the oddball comedy celebrated its tenth anniversary after premiering on NBC in 2009. The majority of the cast came back together at an event put on by Vulture to talk about what made the show, with two notable exceptions being Chevy Chase (who had a very public, drawn-out beef with showrunner Dan Harmon) and Donald Glover (who, presumably, was way too cool for Community at this point in time).
It was heart-warming seeing such a strong ensemble on the same stage for the first time in a long time, but things kind’ve died down again until it was announced that Netflix would be picking up the rights to make the show available for streaming. Alongside this news, Joel McHale and Ken Jeong also launched The Darkest Timeline, a podcast “about Community, Coronavirus and all things in between.”
And finally, the whole cast reconvened over Zoom to raise money for COVID relief through a table read of Season 5, Episode 4: “Cooperative Polygraphy”. This time around, they picked up a Mandalorian and a Gambino.
In all seriousness, though, the Community reunion on Episode 9 of TDT really warmed my heart. When you watch a television show, you often do start to connect with the characters so much to the point where you can’t imagine them being actors, other people pretending to be the people you adore. While these cast members are certainly different than the characters they portray, it was awesome seeing how well they still get along with each other to this day, with the study group truly amounting to one big, happy family.
Community will always mean a lot to me because it’s the first piece of pop culture I really fell in love with. I’ve probably watched every episode in the first season at least ten times. It’s been exciting watching people I know finally start to give it a chance, ultimately getting as obsessed with some of the wackiest, zaniest, and wittiest writing on television as I’ve been for ten years now. To match that thirst for all things Greendale, we compiled a list of our favorite Human Beings, ranked them among our staff, and averaged them out to create the definitive guide to determining Who’s The Boss — er, rather, The Best.
Here’s hoping that we haven’t seen the last of Dan Harmon’s rag-tag group of lovable misfits. #SixSeasonsAndAMovie, anyone?
Intro written by Nathan Graber-Lipperman
№28: Todd Jacobson
Bryce Phillips: Todd sucks. Why add him to a ranking of the top Community characters if he sucks so bad? Easy, because it would be downright disrespectful to put any other character in the Community Universe last on any ranking scale. Except maybe Cornelius Hawthorne, even with the swagged out ivory headpiece, that dude sucked.
Don’t worry, Todd would not take offense to me saying any of this. Hell, he’s probably too busy tending to his wife, two girls, and turtle that he won’t even read this.
№27: Officer Cackowski
Jake Graber-Lipperman: Cackowski serves as a grounding figure on Greendales campus, a cop-by-day who is surprised by all the bizarre stuff that goes down at the school where he serves as a security guard on the side. He mostly plays it straight, which can’t be said for most of Community’s characters.
Cackowski really gets to shine in the shootout with Garrity, Jeff, Annie, and the Dean in “Conspiracy Theory and Interior Design”, where he utters the iconic line: “Fact: in 100% of all fake gun shootings, the victim is always the one with the fake gun.” Cops have to have fun too, right? Hopefully his Copera will be on Broadway one day.
№26: Pavel Iwaszkiewicz
JGL: I’m as surprised as you are that Greendale has international students. Pavel hails from Poland and quickly falls into Abed’s film crew. He’s not in the show much, but he does help spread the word about Troy and Abed’s blanket fort and is always down for a good time.
Pavel seems like a pretty normal guy, which by Community standards doesn’t make you the most memorable character. However, if you’re ever looking for a night to stay in and chill with the broskis, then Pavel’s your man.
№25: Vaughn Miller
JGL: I thought there would be more Vaughn’s at college when I was but a naive middle-schooler watching Community. Alas, my school was a little too uptight to have hacky-sackers on the quad (we did get some slack-liners though, right on!). Who knew you could get a scholarship for hacky-sacking?
Vaughn means well, from his care-free attitude to his need to greet everyone in three different ways. He’s also a philandering romantic, often weaving his way through the relationships of the study group, stoking the ire of many of its members.
That’s why a certain small feature(s) of his chest becomes such a punchline for the group. You really feel for the guy when Vaughn has that sad realization that there are some worries. Given the type of guy Vaughn is, we fully expect him to turn that newfound angst into a band — which he does. His band Some Worries definitely captures that Greendale grunge scene, and “Britta is a B” is a Community classic.
Editor’s Note: Vaughn’s last name is Miller, but his first name is spelled differently from the superstar NFL player. This Vaughn did hit the biggest stage — network television — three years before Von got drafted, though, so I think that makes our guy the real MVP.
№24: The Greendale Human Being
BP: Look, I am at a loss with this one. What can be said about the iconic Greendale Human Being that hasn’t already been spoken? Created by Dean Pelton and Pierce Hawthorne, the Human Being was labeled as a “a non-denominational, ethnic-free representation of the Greendale student body” because the previous mascot, a grizzly bear, had become too politically incorrect.
Something about the uncomfortably tight bodysuit, the crudely drawn attempt at a face, and the inherent creepiness of the Human Being is so perfectly Greendale it hurts. Whether the GHB is cheering on the debate team, getting its Oktoberfest on, or celebrating the spirit of love as the “Cupid Being,” Greendale’s mascot is definitely… a mascot. The Dean and Pierce truly outdid themselves.
№23: Evil Abed
BP: He is Abed… but evil and with a goatee. Honestly, if we’re talking the darkest timeline, the one we’re currently in certainly feels suited for Evil Abed’s skillset.
Did someone say murder hornets? No? Sorry, must be hearing things.
№22: Vicki
BP: Nobody explains Vicki’s existence in Community better than herself. In “Competitive Wine Tasting,” Vicki states, “I always feel somehow ignored, almost invisible… like every time I go to say something, somebody just –” and then is promptly interrupted.
For a student so dedicated to the performance arts, Vicki remains relatively in the shadows throughout the series. Some highlight moments from her time at Greendale include being Pierce’s political punching bag, throwing a trash can, dancing at Pierce’s paintball saloon, and hosting her own one-woman show entitled “Veni! Vidi! Vicki!”
Editor’s Note: Also, even her listing on the cast doesn’t feature a last name. It’s just “Vicki,” like the show’s version of “Cher” or “Madonna.” Fitting!
№21: Fat Neil
BP: Real Neil with Pipes of Steel or, more comfortably to him, Duquesne is the reason for one of the most memorable Community episodes, “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.” The group dives headfirst into the world of D&D and Fantasy genre lore in an attempt to pull Neil from the depths of his depression. What ensues is peak Community.
As the series goes on, Neil sheds the “fat” moniker, murders a family of yams in the name of his love for Vicki, and grows a beard. In relation to secondary characters in Community, Neil definitely exists, guys.
№20: Vice-Dean Laybourne
BP: Had a tampered freon line not taken Robert Laybourne from us, I firmly believe he would be the world’s top vice-dean of a community college who also doubles as the head of an air-conditioning repair school.
Whether Laybourne was threatening the Dean with his nostril-to-rectum spanning power or making air-conditioning repair sound way more poetic than it is, John Goodman brought an aura to a role that could easily have been a forgettable part.
Editor’s Note: I also always thought it was hilarious that Dean Pelton had a weird inferiority and/or attraction complex with other deans portrayed in the show. See: Dean Spreck.
№19: Dean Spreck
JGL: I never met any of my Deans. I’m not even sure if it’s a real position or why in the movies they always seem to be running the school. If I had to imagine what a Dean looks like, I’d imagine they look like some sort of variation of Dean Pelton. Which is exactly what the show writers imagined when they drew up the Dean’s evil counterpart at big bad City College.
Community is a ridiculous show, and the concept of a university faculty member plotting to take down a rival school by posing as Pistol Patty’s Cowboy Creamery to promote a cash prize for a paintball game and then funding a mercenary squad of paintballers to go win said prize money so that school can’t receive the prize money… man, if this run-on sentence is any indication, Dean Spreck goes hard.
Editor’s Note: At the end of Season 3, we get a teaser montage featuring a shot of a disgruntled Chang spying on Dean Spreck from an air vent as the latter moves a toy tank onto a map of Greendale. Though the screenwriters never took this thread further, I remember being so incredibly excited the ensuing summer with anticipation of how that storyline would play out. Maybe we finally get to see it on the silver screen…?
№18: Annie’s Boobs
JGL: I didn’t really want this character. It’s an adorable monkey that Troy crudely named through a little freudian slip when the study group was high on their newfound Chicken Tendies racket (one of my favorite episodes of the show… I’m a sucker for the genre parodies).
Troy thinks it’s a really funny name. Twelve-year-old me probably did too. I’m amazed the monkey remained such an important character throughout the show, but hey, good for him.
Oh, and also, spoiler alert — he took the pen.
Editor’s Note: The actual name of Community’s furry star is Crystal the Monkey. She also appeared in The Hangover Part II alongside co-star…Ken Jeong, the actor who plays Chang.
№17: Professor Garrity
JGL: “Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design” is the pinnacle of Community episodes — a throwback 70’s conspiracy thriller backlit by an ever expanding blanket fort complete with independence parades and a Turkish district. At the forefront of the episode is the mystery: who is Professor Professorson?
Turns out he’s the drama teacher Sean Garrity, who turns in a performance so mesmerizing that I’ll never be able to think about prop gun safety the same. Every single phrase uttered out of Garrity’s mouth drips with intrigue, almost Ian McDiarmid-recounting-the-tale-of-Darth-Plagueis-the-Wise levels of malfeasance. This guy brings it.
№16: Rich Stephenson
JGL: For a movie buff, “Beginner Pottery” is one of the funniest in Community’s run. And at the center of the episode is Rich, the seemingly perfect, even hotter version of Jeff. Rich attends community college for fun on the side while daylighting as a world-class doctor. He draws the eyes of every girl on campus (including Jeff’s darling Annie) through tales of volunteering with dogs. He’s also wicked good at pottery and makes kick-ass kettlecorn.
This infuriates Jeff, who can’t understand how there isn’t anything wrong with Rich. How can anyone be that perfect? Without spoiling anything, that episode culminates in both a Ghost and Psycho callback that are two of my favorite scenes in the whole show (it helps when you have the ever-hilarious Tony Hale making a cameo as the pottery professor, too). In “Epidemiology,” Rich reappears with some of his classic narcissism in tow, believing he’s too special to fall victim to the zombie infection.
To answer Jeff’s question, no one can be that perfect…though Winger still finds himself looking for help from Dr. Rich at the end of “Asian Population Studies,” anyway.
№15: Garrett Lambert
JGL: “It’s still sunny!” Look, I don’t get Garrett’s deal. I don’t think anyone does. He mails it in as the eccentric weatherman for Troy and Abed in the Morning, somehow gets accidentally nominated for Class President, and deserves the title of Least Valuable Paintball Player Greendale has ever seen.
Yet Garrett works as the most believable of the ancillary students at the school. I assume most of us don’t know any Leonards or Star Burns or Magnitudes, but we definitely all know a Garrett.
Editor’s Note: Also, some weird, incredible Community trivia — Garrett’s middle name is “Xander.” Garrett Xander Lambert. A modern legend.
№14: Star-Burns
BP: Long before star-poser The Weeknd made the star-life mainstream, Alex “Star-Burns” Osbourne walked so The Weeknd could run. When firing on all cylinders, Star-Burns is an example of what made Community so endearing. Introduce a static character with one quality (Fat Neal, Todd, etc.) and over time, give the audience a reason to give a shit about them.
Whether he was trying to add a top hat or a reptile to his gimmick to be seen by those around him, who hasn’t had a Starburns moment of feeling overlooked or underappreciated by those around us? Like all great characters, Star-Burns was but a flawed man. In moments of weakness he would skeeve on Annie, make meth, or steal backpacks, but he would NEVER do anything truly horrid, like kill a yam.
Editor’s Note: His death also caused a riot and subsequent takeover by a ruthless dictator. Star-Burns is the kind of guy who goes down as a martyr in history books everywhere, even if he, ya know, faked his own demise.
№13: Magnitude
BP: Clocking in at Number 13 is Community’s one-man party machine, Magnitude. If viewers love anything, it is a good catchphrase. Chris Jericho & The Rock transcended into cultural relevance with their plethora of them. Coach Eric Taylor inspired rooms full of people by simply reminding everybody that “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.” Michael Scott blasted “That’s what she said,” into the cultural stratosphere. Amongst these giants with the gift of gab firmly stands Magnitude. No words a lowly writer like me could form in any order could ever give him justice, so I will just quote the artist:
“Pop! Pop!” — Magnitude
If that wasn’t enough to justify his position in these rankings, let it never be forgotten the sacrifice that Magnitude made during the Second Great Paintball War. Had he not literally laid on the grenade for Greendale, the school would not be in existence anymore. For his valor, all of us Human Beings owe him a debt of immeasurable gratitude.
№12: Leonard Rodriguez
BP: Inside the pantheon of TV characters that I love way more than I should given their relatively-low importance to their respective shows sits Leonard. The “Shutup, Leonard!” bit has always been one of my favorites on the show, but Leonard Rodriguez is so much more than a simple running gag.
The leader of the local elderly gang, The Hipsters, is brash, quick-witted, and not afraid to let you know how he feels. I mean, this man skinny dips in the community pool, is nicknamed Bucket of Guts, is known to get banned from your local Denny’s, and he fought for his country (maybe Korea?) in the war.
If that is not enough for you to fall in love, let’s not forget that his affinity for reviewing frozen pizza and potato chips opened the lane for today’s influx of Youtube reviewers and reaction channels.
№11: Professor Bauer
BP: How many characters can beat the living shit out of Jeff Winger and drop bars hotter than any of DatPiff’s top mixtapes, all while fueling themselves with their own piss?
Clocking in at Number 11 is Professor June Bauer. The natural charisma of Betty White mixed with the meta nature of Community ensures that this character’s brief appearances pack a lasting punch in Community lore. Whether she is teaching community college students Anthropology or spoiling Inception for tribesmen, Professor Bauer is one of Greendale’s most entertaining professors.
Editor’s Note: I totally memorized the Anthropology Rap to study for an AP Bio test. I think I got a B on it. Mission accomplished.
№10: Professor Duncan
JGL: Similar to Donald Glover, John Oliver’s ascent to fame as perhaps the biggest voice of reason in our world causes a bit of a double-take when rewatching Community. Duncan is a sexist drunk, the kind of character that wouldn’t make it onto a light-hearted sitcom nowadays for his crass mannerisms and overall lack of cultural sensitivity training. He’s probably the last person you’d want as your shrink.
Professor Ian Duncan is no more than a hilarious side character and exactly who you’d imagine would be a teacher at a school like Greendale. Surprisingly though, he doesn’t receive lowest marks. Those would belong to Señor Chang, Duncan’s arch-nemesis. To all the students out there: skip lectures if your graded assignments consist entirely of making dioramas.
№9: Britta Perry
JGL: “Baggel.” Britta is the butt of most of the study group’s jokes, usually undeservedly so. Sure, she’s a self-proclaimed buzzkill, likely a Bernie Bro before it was annoying, and the answer to the question “Did you know I studied abroad?” But Britta is no B. She’s the cool mom to the study group, knows how to stand up for herself, and the slickest paintball player at Greendale.
Unfortunately though, Britta doesn’t quite strike the funny bone as much as her classmates. She does, however, mesh seamlessly into the show’s perfect group dynamic; Britta’s the millennial to Pierce’s Boomer, the Boomer to Annie/Abed/Troy’s Zoomer, and the atheist to Shirley’s believer/Jeff’s agnostic. Even if she can’t say “bagel,” we still love us some Britta.
Editor’s Note:
№8: Annie Edison
JGL: Annie was me in high school, minus the adderall-fueled nervous breakdown. Just want to make that part very clear. I was a very Jewish overachiever involved in way too many things and would definitely be the only member of my Spanish class to throw an extra credit culturally-insensitive Día de los Muertos party.
Annie never really fits in at Greendale; she takes everything way too seriously for a student at a school most people don’t consider to be a real school. Likewise, Annie is the moral antithesis to Jeff Winger, someone who cares so deeply about everything and everyone that she can’t help but drag others along the moral high-road to achieve their dreams.
This makes it especially fun when she breaks character, from her star turn in the latter paintball episodes as a modern Clint Eastwood to her budding friendship with Troy and Abed. If Annie can let loose every once in a while, so can all of us.
№7: Jeff Winger
JGL: I watched the After the Final Rose Tiger King special hosted by Joel McHale, and man was it awkward. I hate to say it, but Joel McHale is cringe-worthy with jokes not even worthy of being dad jokes. He seems disinterested and very aware that he’s past his prime.
That’s basically Jeff Winger. The center of the Community universe is a cringy narcissist, too prideful to feel like he belongs at an institution as terrible as Greendale but still there for the ride. Maybe that’s what makes him a perfect conduit for the audience of this wacky show. Through his eyes, all the beloved misfits circling around Jeff seem like even more insane weirdos (especially the Dean).
Jeff does grow throughout the show, coming off his high horse and becoming a caring father figure towards his study group (and a creepy love interest). He’s also rarely the primary source of comedy or a relatable character, and boy can he bullshit his way through an inspirational speech. Jeff can’t take top billing among the study group for these reasons, but the show wouldn’t work without him, so he’s sliding by with a C+ on this list.
№6: Pierce Hawthorne
BP: Pierce is unique for at times being the worst human in the Community universe, but still being someone viewers can connect and identify with. Chevy Chase’s facial expressions and delivery made Pierce an instant hit with Community fans until his unceremonious exit from the show. One of comedy’s once-biggest forces playing a boorish, racially insensitive, silver-spooner trying to fit in with a generation of people he doesn’t understand, but desperately seeks the affirmation his father never gave him? Sign me up.
90% of the time, yes, he was a racist, stuck-up, try-hard who could railroad anything. But sprinkled throughout the show are moments where we see the human Pierce wants to be break through. Whether it was offering Troy a place to live, partnering with Shirley to help her achieve her sandwich shop dreams, trying to fill the fatherless hole in Jeff’s heart, or desperately attempting to reconnect with a kid from one of his numerous failed marriages, Harmon & company loved to remind viewers that no matter how horrible Pierce could seem on the surface, there was a genuine human hiding under the despicable exterior.
Pierce’s lack of social grace and ignorance sparked some of the show’s greatest bits & one-liners, while also allowing himself and the characters around him to grow through his appalling nature. Whether providing the audience with rapid-fire laughs, bequeathing those closest to him canisters of his sperm, or offering unsuspected sage advice to his study group members, Greendale’s only Level Six Laser Lotus was a constant high-point of the show.
№5: Shirley Bennett
JGL: If Britta is the cool mom of the study group, Shirley is the actual mother. Out of all the members of the study group, Shirley is the only one who has already made a family of her own. And she loves her two sons as much as she loves the Lord. The central role of family and Christ in her life makes her a bit of an outsider to the group, but this allows Shirley to teach the group as much as she learns from her new friends.
Upon arriving at Greendale, Shirley harbors deep-seated prejudices against other religions, in particular Abed’s practice of Islam. Likewise, she’s the perfect example of going to college to expose yourself to different types of people. The unexpected parallels between Shirley and Pierce in this way are illuminating — prejudice can arise from all types of backgrounds and beliefs. As Shirley learns to soften up her views towards others, she also teaches the study group about how love and hard work are needed to face the world outside school.
Shirley uses all of her free time to attend classes and the rest looking after her two growing boys. One of the most powerful moments of the show occurs when Shirley realizes her sons have donned Abed’s sister’s burka to allow her to play in the bounce house on Greendale Family Day. Despite some of her shortcomings, Shirley was able to raise two loving and caring kids who will help out anyone. Shirley is inspiring, hard-working, ambitious, and righteous, and definitely open to new experiences. For her endless optimism and incessant use of the phrase “That’s nice!”, we can all smile a bit more when Shirley is on screen.
Editor’s Note: A generation of kids will always remember Yvette Nicole-Brown as Helen from Drake & Josh. Nevertheless, they’re missing out if they never got to experience the wrath of Shirley Bennett when no one’s taking her pies out of the oven.
№4: Dean Pelton
BP: Coming in at number four in our rankings is everyone’s favorite sexually ambiguous, Dean with a Dalmatian fetish. In a universe where outlandish and offbeat are the accepted norm, Dean Craig Pelton is above and beyond the most colorful character to grace our screen throughout Community.
Everything from his fascination to using costumes to spruce up the delivery of news to his incessant puns contribute to a character that never gives the audience a dull moment. Jim Rash’s dedication to the absurd and his physical acting and timing make for one of the best series-wide performances from an acting standpoint.
The Dean is woefully inept at his job, but never gives up his pursuit of a better Greendale. He suffers from a level seven susceptibility to guerrilla marketing schemes and has an inferiority complex the size of Jeff’s ego. All faults aside, Dean Pelton is extraordinarily loyal to Greendale and the people he cares about. This makes him someone that anyone would be lucky to have in their corner (too bad Jeff doesn’t share my sentiment). He also gave us one of the best Community raps, while wearing a seemingly off-brand Payday costume.
№3: Ben Chang
One of the shining lights of Community is its ability to walk the line of absurd and endearing, overly-meta and relatable, comedic and thought-provoking. A great example of this is Señor Ben (Kevin) Chang. One moment, an overblown caricature of pure juvenile nature; the next a broken-down human looking for help that the audience can connect with. Chang’s tendency to change characters from season to season is often a main force in driving numerous plot points and character arcs.
To give you the bare bones, here is a rough outline of who Chang is throughout Community:
Fraudulently-licensed Spanish teacher
Disgraced former teacher/ aspiring music student
Divorcee
Homeless school ventilation inhabitant
Humble campus security guard
Ruthless dictator enforcing his will throughout campus through the employment of “The Changlourious Basterds,” a preteen military force the likes of which this world has never seen
Recovering Changesiac
Math Teacher
Member of the Save Greendale Committee
Community theatre star
Actor who achieves viral fame
All while being a severely mentally unstable, paintball-obsessive keytarist.
As much as you want to hit Chang in the mouth for every time he is an erratic, disruptive thorn in the study group’s side, there is a genuineness that shines when you see him asking Jeff to help him save his marriage or striving to be the best father he can be to his potentially out of wedlock baby with Shirley.
This spark of humanity, Chang’s desire to fit in and be someone that is part of a connected community of people is a large ethos that drives the show. Everyone’s favorite Spanish teaching, vent dwelling, keytar playing, teacher, student, warlord, Changnesiac is a reminder to the audience that people can Chang to become better versions of themselves
№2: Troy Barnes
JGL: From his realization that not everyone has two tenth birthdays to his cataconic obsession with LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow fame, Troy suffers from a serious case of arrested development.
Look, the self-obsessed ex-jock is a bit dumb. But throughout the show, Troy proves himself able to overcome his insecurities by embracing his inner nerd through his bromance with Abed, a cathartic arc cut short by Childish Gambino’s blossoming stardom.
In hindsight, the contrast between the child-like joy Glover brings to screen as Troy and his turn to high-art in recent years causes some cognitive dissonance. Yet this accomplishment makes the character all the more impressive.
Troy wears his emotions on his sleeve, anchors television’s greatest morning talk show, and offers some prolific bars foreshadowing his potential as a rapper. I’m partial to his Christmas rap about being Jehovah’s most secret witness, but I can also still recite ¿Donde está la Biblioteca? by heart. Troy the wonder boy forever lives on as one of my favorite sitcom characters.
№1: Abed Nadir
BP: Community, in of itself, is a show that functions best on structured ridiculousness & chaos. One episode a snappy sitcom, the next a Dungeons & Dragons inspired fantasy epic, then a Law & Order spoof spectacular, a paintball-filled spaghetti western, a stop-motion holiday special, etc., etc.. Its ability to maintain its integrity and story while taking immense risks is a testament to Harmon & the entire cast & crew responsible for the show. Right smack dab in the middle of Community’s genre-bending, hijinks-infested glory is Abed Nadir.
From the pilot on, it is hinted that Abed is functioning on the Autism spectrum, but no official diagnosis is ever given. His inability to “properly” read and understand social & emotional cues of the people around him and his tendency to connect to humanity through the knowledge garnered from his pop culture obsession is the epicenter for the show’s meta nature, but through thoughtful writing and an all-around masterful performance by Danny Pudi, he never becomes a schtick. Abed’s inability to connect or “read” those around him and his proclivity to use pop culture as a safety blanket for social acceptance is one of the most engaging aspects of the show.
Throughout the show’s tenure, Abed wears many hats. One episode he is a swashbuckling, Han Solo-type, toting paintball guns and wooing Annie. Next he is a megalomaniacal documentary filmmaker exploring the concept of Jesus & religion to almost headache inducing levels of “meta.” Then, he is sparking one of TV’s most unexpected crossovers with his Cougar Town Monologue in the emotionally taxing “My Dinner with Andre with Abed” portion of “Critical Film Studies.”
Regardless of the role he’s playing, Abed’s inseparable bond with Troy remains emotionally resonant for fans of the show. This dynamic offers Abed a genuine chance at character growth and is one of the strongest arcs on the show. As seasons wear on, Troy’s friendship grows from one based solely on nerdy tomfoolery to one of genuine connection and empathy for Abed.
Something you truly gain an appreciation for with every Community rewatch (because you will complete multiple) is just how masterclass Pudi’s representation of Abed is. Whether he is spiraling dangerously deep into the depths of Nicholas Cage’s filmography or attempting to cope with his best friend Troy’s departure by declaring a school-wide game of The Floor is Lava, Pudi leaves no detail up to chance. His facial expressions, body language, and timing are always razor sharp and shapes the genius that is Community’s shining light, Abed Nadir.
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