Although the 21st century has seenthe emergence of many iconic sitcoms, few shows have earned as passionate of a following asCommunity. While a college-set comedy series about a group of unlikely friends didn’t necessarily seem like an original premise,Communityoften pushed the boundaries of the medium with its clever pop culture references, running gags, and subversive story structure. While the genius of the show’s writing is largely responsible for the series’ success,Communitywould be nothing without its ensemble; unfortunately, the series took a serious dip in quality when some of its longest-running cast members decided to depart the show to work on other projects. While removing a critical member of an ensemble could be an award moment for any show,CommunitygaveDonald Gloverthe perfect sendoff with the episode “Geothermal Escapism.”
A suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eccentric staff and student body.
Troy Barnes Was the Heart of ‘Community'
Communityfollowsa group of unlikely friendswho form a study group together for their Spanish class at Greendale Community College, an eccentric secondary school that gathers many odd professors and has a very strange student body. Disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), the social activist Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), the idiosyncratic film buff Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), the youthful overachiever Annie Edison (Alison Brie), the single mother Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), the obnoxious millionaire Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase), and the former high school football star Troy Barnes (Glover) discover that it is in their best interest to work together so that they can pass the class. While each member of the ensemble was critical to the show’s success,Glover became a breakout starwithinCommunity’ss first few seasons.
Unlike the other characters,Troy is completely unselfish and sincere,often seeing the best in others when they fail to see it in themselves. While characters like Britta and Jeff approach Greendale’s odd traditions with a healthy amount of skepticism, Troy is enthusiastic about trying out new things. It was a terrific showcase for Glover as a comedic performer; while he had written on30 Rockand delivered some impressive stand-up work,Communitygave him the chance to play a recurring character over an extended period. Troy begins to mature over thecourse of theCommunity’s best episodes, as he and Abed form a tight friendship as they create various games together. Troy grows from being dismissed as a “jock” to being the leader that is capable of uniting his friends together.
Unfortunately,Communitydid not give Troy room to grow in subsequent seasons, as the series experienceda significant dip in quality in its fourth seasonwhen showrunnerDan Harmonbriefly exited the series. The episodes grew less reliant on strong character arcs and more dependent on gimmicks; Troy was hurt by this most of all, as he began to become a caricature of the “jock” stereotype that he was intended to subvert. Additionally, a romantic storyline that was developed between Troy and Britta felt out-of-character for them both, closer to a halfhearted attempt to add narrative tension to a series that simply didn’t need it.
“Geothermal Escapism” Gave Troy a Graceful Exit on ‘Community’
Given that Glover’s comedy and music career had taken off amid his appearances on the show, it was not surprising that he decided to leaveCommunityto work on other projects. It wasn’t the first time thatCommunitylost a cast member, asChase had left the showat the end of its fourth season in the wake of reports of his unacceptable behavior on set. While Pierce’s removal from the story felt like an awkward way of explaining Chase’s absence,Troy was given a proper send-off that completed his character arcin the episode “Geothermal Escapism.” It was a moving tribute to Glover’s work on the series that allowed him to end his run on a high note.
In “Geothermal Escapism,” Troy prepares to leave Greendale on a year-long sailing adventure after learning that Pierce had sent him directions to find the reward from his will. Although his friends are happy to see him taking off on a new adventure, Abed struggles to let go of his friend. As a last tribute to Troy, Abed organizes a campus-wide game of “The Floor Is Lava,” which turns from a fun pastime into an intense competition reminiscent oftheMad Maxfranchise.The episode highlights the importance of Abed and Troy’s friendship; the game is revealed to be a last-minute effort on Abed’s part to convince Troy to stay.
Communityhas many heartwarming moments, but seeing Abed and Troy finally agree to go their separate ways is one of its most tear-inducing moments. Troy’s realization that he is better suited to move beyond Greendale in order to unlock his full potential felt like a not-so-subtle metaphor for Glover’s capacity on the show. While it’s certainlyone of the more emotional episodes,“Geothermal Escapism” is also a great showcase for Glover’s talents with physical comedy. Despite the goofiness of the premise, Troy and the other students of Greendale take the “The Floor Is Lava” game very seriously, and their intensity only makes it funnier.
‘Community’ Struggled Without Donald Glover
LeavingCommunityended up being a good choice for Glover, as he would go on to find immense success creating and starring inthe acclaimed FX seriesAtlanta. Unfortunately,Communitytook a downward spiral after Glover’s exit, becoming a shadow of itself without the former cast intact. After Brown left the show during its sixth season,Communitylimped towards an underwhelming finale as plans for future installments evaporated.
Although he left the show before it experienced a dip in quality,Glover is expected to return for the upcomingCommunityspin-off movie that has been teased. While details about the project are scarce,filming is set to begin soonwith a late 2024 or 2025 release date in mind. Given the ambiguous nature of Troy’s last appearance, it will certainly be interesting to see where Glover decides to take the character next.
Communityis streaming on Netflix.
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