If you ask any Community fan who their favorite character was, most would choose a member of the Greendale Seven. Some have even chosen Chang or Hickey. However, not a lot of people have chosen the Dean. But why is that? After much deliberation, it's possible the Dean isn't as popular as the others due to the fact he appears one-dimensional.
When he was just a side character, Craig provided the viewers with some much needed comic relief. His numerous costume changes and puns delighted the fans. However, when Rash was promoted to series regular, there wasn't much development. In fact, he was shown to regress in many ways...
He Became Flanderized
One of the first things about Craig that got worse as time went on was his character development. Fans will agree that the Dean is one of the funniest characters on the show. The issue is that some have suggested that he became flanderized in the last couple of seasons.
With Glover, Chase, and Brown exiting the show, Rash got more screentime. However, instead of developing his character, the writers continued to confine him to his eccentricities. Fans never learned much about his personal life, never saw any of his family, or what he did outside of Greendale. It was a shame really...
His Nepotism Towards The Study Group
When the fans first met the Dean, Craig's eccentricities weren't apparent much. He was presented as a stern and responsible adult, whose main concern was building the school's reputation. However, along the way, the Dean was shown to neglect his other students in favor of the study group.
the flashback that saw Craig hold off the fire alarm because he wanted to warn them? Or when he forced another student to go home because she was wearing the same outfit as Annie? This nepotism got worse as time went on.
His Harassment Of Jeff
Some fans have argued that the Dean's behavior towards Jeff got worse as time went on. It was no secret that Craig was attracted to Jeff, with the Dean often making comments about Jeff's good looks or appearance. However, as the seasons progressed, he was seen to take it a step too far.
On several occasions, Craig was seen to make lewd suggestions towards Jeff that often made the lawyer feel uncomfortable. He tried to sabotage Jeff's academic career to keep him at Greendale. Some have even said the Dean's behavior was sexual harassment since he always found ways to touch Jeff's abs or muscles.
His Invasiveness In His Students' Lives
Not only did the Dean cross a personal boundary with Jeff, but he also crossed a professional one with the students. At first, Craig did keep a respectable and professional distance from the group, only concerning himself with improving the school's reputation. However, he soon began to intrude on their personal lives.
Along with reading Jeff's emails, Craig intruded upon Abed and Troy's movie night, coming to their apartment. He also got offended when the study group didn't invite him to their Christmas shindig - even though they weren't friends.
His Vendetta Against Britta
Although it's one of the funniest gags in the show, the Dean's treatment of Britta was shown to get worse by the time season 6 rolled around. Initially, the two came to blows after she was involved in the cheating scandal. However, the Dean's hatred of Britta was seen to increase for no reason.
For instance, he mistreated and mocked Britta during "Documentary Filming: Redux." He also expressed a severe disappointment when he realized she was starring in the Christmas pageant. Considering everyone was meant to be welcome at Greendale, he didn't make Britta feel it.
He Became More Gullible
In the first two seasons, Craig was shown to have his wits about him. Whenever his students tried to pull the wool over his eyes, the Dean never fell for it. He always questioned it, even challenging Jeff and Britta when they broke the rules. However, as time went on, Craig was seen to become more gullible and naive.
For instance, it seemed far-fetched that he would fall for Chang's whole amnesia arc and forgive him for everything. It was also a little far-fetched that he would fall for the 'guerilla marketing.' Let's not forget his relationship with catfish Jeff.
His Corruption
back in season 1 when Craig was a fair and righteous Dean? One who followed the rulebook and showed no nepotism? Can anyone pinpoint the exact moment he started to become corrupt? The first time the viewers saw it was when he tried to pinpoint the Greendale riots on Chang.
His corruption was further seen in the season 5 premiere when he shredded the profile of a student who threatened to sue Greendale. Not to mention how he bribed Starburns to take the fall for the "Ass Crack Bandit" to prevent the school's reputation.
His Need For Approval
Over the six seasons, fans will agree that the Dean's self-esteem was shown to take a bit of a hit after season 4. While the first few years saw the Dean embrace his sexuality, Craig's confidence took a hit when he realized he was still being ostracized by his colleagues and students.
Fans first saw this when Hickey kicked him out of the staff room, and again when he was excluded from the Save Greendale Committee meetings. By the time Frankie arrived, he was desperately seeking her approval. Considering how confident he was, it was a shame that Craig regressed.
Poor Leadership Skills
Considering he was meant to be the most powerful member on campus, Craig proved that he was a better follower than a leader. While Craig did try his best to make the students happy, he did fail to step up when it mattered most. Instead of putting an end to the first paintball game, he exacerbated the situation by adding Chang to the mix.
When the study group caused a full-blown riot, he refused to expel them. Even in the last season, Craig was seen to rely too much on Frankie to get him out of trouble. Although he did his best for the students, he wasn't really qualified for the position.
He Became More Irresponsible
One of the ways the Dean became worse as time went on was his lack of maturity. As the seasons went on, the Dean was shown to grow more irresponsible and reckless. Not only did he mishandle the school's budget, but Craig also refused to be held able for his actions. Especially in seasons 5 and 6.
For instance, he bought a needless virtual reality set and refused to get a refund because he loved it. He also bought a pointless giant hand that wasn't really necessary. Not to mention how he always blew the budget on school dances. After all this time, one would have thought he had learned his lesson.