One of the greatest and most creative comedy series to come around in history was NBC’s Community. Created by Dan Harmon, the show centered around a diverse study group at Greendale Community College. It featured some high-concept episodes and often tried unique things that others shows wouldn’t.
Community also boasted an incredible cast. Many of them have gone on to become huge stars like Donald Glover and Alison Brie. Looking at their careers outside of the show, these are their best projects based on IMDb ratings. For the purpose of this list, no short films, cameos, or TV roles with less than three appearances were considered.
Gillian Jacobs – Love (7.7)
In Community, Gillian Jacobs played Britta Perry. She began the series as a seemingly smart woman with very vocal ideas on politics and the ways of the world. Over the course of show, the character seemed to get progressively dumber but was still a source of comedy.
Jacobs has had a pretty active career since Community ended. The high point came when she nabbed a lead role on a Netflix romantic comedy series titled Love. There, she played Mickey Dobbs, a woman at the heart of the story. Love lased three seasons.
Ken Jeong – Bob’s Burgers (8.1)
If it seems like Ken Jeong is an actor you see everywhere, then you’re right. The comedian and real life doctor has tons of credits to his name. In Community, he played Ben Chang, the study group’s former teacher/classmate/security guard/dictator/villain/ally.
While there were so many options for Jeong’s career, including his own series Dr. Ken or his most famous film appearance in The Hangover, his highest-rated work is in voice acting. For a handful of episodes, Jeong has played Dr. Yap in the critically acclaimed Bob’s Burgers.
Chevy Chase – Chuck (8.2)
Chevy Chase famously had several behind-the-scenes issues with Dan Harmon and the rest of the cast. It led to his departure as lifelong student and rich heir Pierce Hawthorne earlier than most. He appeared in 85 episodes, which is the fewest of any original cast member.
You might have expected Saturday Night Live to be the entry for Chase here but it slightly was edged out by Chuck (8.2 to 8.1). Chase appeared in three episodes (barely making the cut for this list) near the end of the show’s stellar second season. He played wealthy villain Ted Roark.
Danny Pudi – Ducktales (8.2)
Like Jacobs and Jeong, Danny Pudi is one of five cast members to appear in 110 episodes. He portrayed Abed Nadir, the emotionally distant but still loveable film and television nerd. He went on to be one of the most popular and beloved characters on the show.
Also like Jeong, Pudi’s best work away from Community has come from voice acting. He has been one of the stars of the Ducktales reboot that began in 2017. Pudi voices Huey Duck, joining another phenomenal group of talented performers there.
Jim Rash – Harley Quinn (8.5)
Jim Rash still works alongside Danny Pudi as one of the voice actors on Ducktales. On Community, Rash stole scenes as Craig Pelton, the eccentric and easily persuaded dean, to the point where he eventually progressed to a main cast member after a few seasons.
The most notable thing Rash has done away from the series came as a writer. He won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for writing 2011’s The Descendants. In terms of acting, Rash lends his voice to DC Universe’s Harley Quinn as The Riddler and a handful of other characters.
Joel McHale – The X-Files (8.6)
To play the role of Jeff Winger, you needed a charismatic actor. Joel McHale is just that, always nailing the role of the smooth-talking former lawyer who was too cool for school. McHale was most famous for hosting The Soup and that was nearly his highest-rated work.
However, that honor goes to a recurring stint on The X-Files. He appeared as Tad O’Malley, a conspiracy theorist and television host. McHale showed up in four episodes, all coming during the show’s second run after its return in 2016.
Donald Glover – Atlanta (8.6)
Nobody has gone on to have a bigger career after Community than Donald Glover. And that was after he already had multiple awards for writing on 30 Rock. Glover played Troy Barnes on Community, a former high school football star who realized he was more comfortable as the nerdy best friend to Abed Nadir in college.
Since the show ended, Glover has exploded as rapper Childish Gambino. He’s also appeared in a Star Wars movie, the MCU, and The Lion King remake. Of course, the real highlight is Atlanta. Glover created the show, writes for it, stars as Earn Marks, and won several Emmys for his work in it.
Alison Brie – Bojack Horseman (8.7)
Like most of her castmates, Community was something of a breakout role for Alison Brie. She played the high-strung, hard-working Annie Edison. Brie was actually on one of the best comedies and one of the dramas (Mad Men) at the same time.
Brie has become one of Netflix’s go-to performers. She leads the award-winning GLOW and has written and starred in films like Horse Girl. For the show’s entire run, Brie voiced the character of writer Diane Ngyuen (and some other characters) on Netflix’s Bojack Horseman.
Yvette Nicole Brown – The New Edition Story (8.9)
A lot of fans may have felt like Yvette Nicole Brown was overlooked on Community. She was always a treat for a laugh as Shirley Bennett, the religious mother of two who was able to guilt her friends into things. However, she wasn’t always part of major storylines.
Along with Ken Jeong, she had a cameo in Avengers: Endgame (most cast members have appeared in MCU films directed by The Russo Brothers). That being said, her highest-rated project on IMDb came as another Shirley. She played Shirley Bivens on the mini-series The New Edition Story.
John Oliver – Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (8.9)
For most of its run, Community had nine core cast members. Actors like Paget Brewster, Keith David, and Jonathan Banks all joined the main cast for a season. Meanwhile, Luke Youngblood, Charley Koontz, and Richard Erdman were minor characters in many episodes.
In the end, John Oliver was chosen here as he was a key character for 18 episodes, which is more than Brewster and others at a similar level of importance. On Community, Oliver played Professor Ian Duncan. Away from the show, he’s the host and writer of the fantastic Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
