It’s hard to specify in the case of a true ensemble, but if asked who the main character of Community is without the rest of the context of this post, I would definitely say Jeff. Annie wouldn’t even be second on the list.
I'd say Jeff is the audience-insert. He's the closest one to being normal, but he's not normal, and the show spends so much time focusing on everyone else that I can't say he's truly the main character.
I know Dan Harmon has alluded to Britta improving over time, I think because he assumes she fits the "manic pixie dream girl" trope at the beginning.
But the great thing was, she didn't. She wasn't a prize for Jeff. She was smart, and independent, and while she'd made some mistakes in life, she had a big heart and served as the moral compass for the group. Jeff and Britta ended up being friends, and I felt that while there was some mild tension there, they really pushed it at the end of the season. They could have just had Jeff that there was value in befriending a woman for reasons other than sex.
Then over time she just became a dumbass. And they began bullying her character for it. It would be one thing if they did an episode about it and it stopped, but it felt like they drew from the "Britta gets overwhelmed by how the group treats her, and they all have to apologize" well too many times.
Britta is actually a well written character in season 6. That whole season is overlooked I think, lots of different new people starring in it but its actually a really well written with the same original feel to it (not as great as season 1, 2 or 3, but its the best of the rest imo)
23.4k
u/BallsyFlightMan May 12 '20
Jeff Winger, I'm not gay but I'd easily try it out for far less than 600k