WhileCommunitywas generally incredibly well-structured, two of the sitcom’s most dramatic character exits seemingly came out of nowhere.Communitywas a hit sitcom that ran from 2009 until 2015, airing 110 episodes across its six seasons.The upcomingCommunitymovieis set to bring the show’s ensemble cast back together for one final adventure, although this is proving pretty difficult thanks to scheduling conflicts. In the years since it first debuted, many ofCommunity’s cast membershave gone on to star in major movies and TV shows. However, this wasn’t always a good thing for the series itself
Early on,Communityfocused on a study group with seven core members; Jeff, Britta, Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and Pierce. These seven characters were the show’s leads until season 4’s ending, whenChevy Chase’s Pierce leftCommunity, and early season 5, when Donald Glover’s Troy left the show. Jim Rash’s Dean Pelton and Ken Jeong’s Ben Chang rounded outCommunity’s main cast, but the study group’s members were the show’s central focus in every episode. This is why it was striking and unexpected when Pierce graduated from Greendale Community College in season, only to die off-screen unceremoniously in season 5.
Pierce & Troy’s Character Exits Felt So Random In Community
Chevy Chase and Donald Glover’s Characters Deserved Better Send-Offs
Troy’sCommunityexit was almost as random and unexpected as Pierce’s sudden death, although Troy at least received a farewell episode in season 5, episode 5, “Geothermal Escapism.” While this episode itself was well-regarded, both character exits felt forced and abrupt.Communitycould undoubtedly be surreal at times, but the real-life details of the exits also likely contributed to their strange, discordant nature. AlthoughDonald Glover leftCommunityon good terms, unlike Chase, both actors departed the project around the same time and this undoubtedly gave season 5 an uncanny tone.
The transition could have been more successful if the characters who replaced Troy and Pierce, like Paget Brewster’s Frankie, had been introduced earlier.
Since its inception,Communityconsistently relied on its ensemble cast to moor the show’s stories. Viewers inevitably had favorite characters and characters they couldn’t stand, but there was no getting around the fact that the show as a whole relied on their shared chemistry.Communitywithout Troy or Pierce would be as jarring and strange asFriendswithout Monica orNew Girlwithout Schmidt, and this is the reason that the exits felt so jarring. The transition could have been more successful if the characters who replaced Troy and Pierce, like Paget Brewster’s Frankie, had been introduced earlier.
Why Chevy Chase & Donald Glover Left Community
Chevy Chase Left The Show Acrimoniously; Donald Glover Left To Pursue Other Projects
Whileboth major actors leftCommunitywithin a year of each other, the circumstances surrounding Glover’s and Chase’s exits could not have been more different.Chevy Chase leftCommunityafter an incident while filming season 4, episode 6, “Advanced Documentary Filmmaking,”in which he used a racial slur on-set. Chase’s acrimonious relationship withCommunity’s original creator Dan Harmon was also rumored to be a contributing factor to Harmon’s earlier dismissal, although Harmon’s own erratic onset behavior was the primary factor behind this choice. Harmon was fired after completing season 4 but rehired for seasons 5 and 6.
In contrast, Glover cited personal issues as the reason for Troy’s early exit. Many viewers assumed that the star’s burgeoning music career as Childish Gambino was a factor, but Glover never confirmed this speculation. In the years that followed,Glover went on to write and star in the acclaimed seriesAtlantaas well as starring in 2019’s live-action remake ofThe Lion King.However, these projects did not stop Glover from appearing in a 2020 Zoom reunion. Chase was not present for this table read, a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen wherein the cast performed season 5, episode 4, “Cooperative Polygraphy” for aYouTubevideo.
Which Main Community Characters Are Returning For The Upcoming Movie
Community’s Original Main Cast Will All Be Reunited In The Movie
Despite leaving the series early,Donald Glover will reprise the role of Troy Barnes in the upcomingCommunitymovie. Jeff’s actor Joel McHale will also appear in the movie, and the star toldGQhis schedule was to blame for the movie’s delays in June 2024. Most ofCommunity’s main cast membersare set to return for the movie, including Gillian Jacobs’ Britta, Danny Audi’s Abed, Alison Brie’s Annie, Yvette Nicole Brown’s Shirley, Jim Rash’s Dean, and Ken Jeong’s Chang. While Chase is not among the reunited cast, it is unlikely that the actor would have appeared in the movie.
Even within the wacky world ofCommunity, it is hard to see how the series could reverse Pierce’s death and bring back Chase’s character.
Discounting the circumstances of Chase’s exit,his character was killed off in early season 5.Almost two seasons of the series took place after his in-universe death, and numerous episodes touched on the study group’s reactions to the event. Even within the wacky world ofCommunity, it is hard to see how the series could reverse this event and bring back Chase’s character. As such, it is no surprise that he will not appear in theCommunitymovie, unlike Glover’s Troy.
