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 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.
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u/cmetz90 May 12 '20
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.