Ray Liotta almost ed Goodfellas star Ray Liotta about ing the dwindling cast in a newly-created role, but the actor ultimately never appeared on the show.
Community debuted on NBC in 2009 to a solid critical buzz. Based on creator Dan Harmon's real-life experiences attending community college, the show quickly found its footing with savvy dialog, a talented ensemble cast, eccentric characters, and inventive storylines. Despite attracting an enthusiastic cult following during its first three seasons, though, Community never drew very high ratings, and it found itself on the bubble for renewal for several years. The studio dismissed Harmon as showrunner for season 4, but the resulting "gas leak year" of Community alienated many existing fans and failed to attract new ones. This led to NBC ordering a fifth season of Community with Dan Harmon back on the creative team.
Back in 2014, Harmon wanted Liotta to play the role of Buzz Hickey, Jeff Winger's new law faculty office mate. Harmon even cited Liotta as the inspiration for the character, an edgy ex-cop and Greendale's professor of criminology. Harmon has a well-known iration for Goodfellas, the classic 1990 Martin Scorcese mob epic that starred Ray Liotta, and episodes of both Community and Rick and Morty have referenced Goodfellas with loving homages over the years.
Why Jonathan Banks Was Cast As Buzz Hickey In Community
Ultimately, however, Jonathan Banks took the part of Buzz Hickey after Liotta ed on the offer. Banks was coming off a career-high in 2014 as underworld tough guy Mike Ehrmantraut on Breaking Bad, which had just finished its run, and he was an excellent fit for the veteran cop role Community had open. Even if some viewers couldn't help but see Breaking Bad's Mike when they looked at Banks, the association played into the Hickey character and helped add to his menace.
Banks went on to play Professor Buzz Hickey for eleven episodes in Community season 5. As Community searched for a new home ahead of a sixth season, Banks accepted an offer to reprise his standout character Mike Ehrmantraut on the Breaking Bad spin-off Community never explaining what happened to Buzz Hickey nor discussing him again in season 6. Many fans liked Jonathan Banks well enough as Buzz. Ray Liotta, however, could have brought another level of comedic intensity to Community's fifth season that may have helped prolong the show's lifespan.