10 TV Shows That Completely Wasted Great Characters

3. Community - Pierce Hawthorne

This one is sure to be controversial, primarily because criticizing anything by Dan Harmon still prompts awed horror from some corners of the internet despite four seasons (and counting) of Rick and Morty featuring less character development than most individual episodes of competitor Bojack Horseman. But luckily unlike the sci-fi comedy series, here we’re not singling out Harmon’s obvious self-insert for critique.

No, it’s the villainous baby boomer Pierce, a late career role for former Caddyshack star Chevy Chase, which Community managed to fumble. The character began as a tasteless but ultimately well-meaning relic, only for the actor’s clashes with the creator to result in Pierce becoming more cruel, racist, and irredeemable before being offed offscreen. Particularly on a show which often became preachy in its willingness to forgive the flaws on the intolerant Shirley and self-centred Jeff, the side-lining of Pierce reeks of wasted opportunity, with a potentially complex and funny character lost to behind-the-scenes in-fighting.