15 Black Characters Critics Loved but Audiences Call Thinly Written

Some characters arrive with strong performances in shows and films that critics celebrate, yet viewers still feel the writing leaves them without enough depth or momentum. It happens across genres and franchises, from fantasy epics to superhero sagas, often when a role supports a larger ensemble or a massive plot machine.

Below are characters who stood out in projects that drew plenty of critical attention, yet sparked ongoing audience conversations about slim backstories, vanishing agency, or limited time on screen. Each entry notes where the character appears and what viewers say was missing so you can see the patterns that come up again and again.

Finn

John Boyega plays Finn in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy, appearing in ‘The Force Awakens’, ‘The Last Jedi’, and ‘The Rise of Skywalker’. The character starts as stormtrooper FN 2187 who defects to the Resistance and becomes a frontline fighter, and the films positioned him as a key figure in the conflict with the First Order.

Viewers regularly point to a teased personal history and hinted Force sensitivity that receive little follow through, along with side missions that keep him away from the central arc. Many also note that a lightsaber featured in marketing does not lead to a sustained training path on screen, and that important feelings he tries to share remain unresolved in the trilogy.

Missandei

Nathalie Emmanuel portrays Missandei in ‘Game of Thrones’ as the trusted adviser and interpreter who accompanies Daenerys from Essos to Westeros. She appears across multiple seasons and is present during major diplomatic and military turns as the campaign advances.

Audience discussions often focus on how few scenes frame events from her perspective and how limited personal history is shown beyond her service role. Her death on the walls of Kings Landing is frequently cited as a turning point that fuels other characters while leaving her own arc with little space to grow.

Bonnie Bennett

Kat Graham plays Bonnie Bennett in ‘The Vampire Diaries’, serving as a powerful witch and steady member of the core group through the show’s long run. She anchors many supernatural turns, closes dangerous breaches, and helps reset the board after major threats.

Fans frequently describe long stretches where her magic exists to solve emergencies without giving equal time to her own goals or inner life. Relationship beats arrive and disappear as plots demand, and viewers often note that episodes rarely center on her choices rather than the crisis of the week.

Eve Moneypenny

Naomie Harris appears as Eve Moneypenny in ‘Skyfall’, ‘Spectre’, and ‘No Time to Die’, first introduced in the field before moving to a post at MI6. She operates close to M and provides key support during operations that frame the modern era of the franchise.

Audience feedback often highlights how the initial field agent setup narrows into office duties that limit action and personal stakes. Scenes rarely explore her life outside headquarters, and her expertise is usually present to advance missions rather than to build a full character journey.

Storm

Halle Berry and later Alexandra Shipp play Ororo Munroe also known as Storm in the ‘X Men’ films, where she is a central member of the team with command of the weather. She appears in multiple entries that track the school, the team roster, and global threats.

Viewers frequently point out that the films devote little time to her origins or leadership despite the character’s stature in the comics. Key relationships and responsibilities are sketched rather than explored, and much of her contribution comes through quick fights rather than storylines centered on her.

Valkyrie

Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie joins the franchise in ‘Thor Ragnarok’ and returns in ‘Avengers Endgame’ and ‘Thor Love and Thunder’. The character is a veteran of Asgard, later crowned as the leader of New Asgard, and appears in battles that shape the fate of the realm.

Audience conversations often note that scenes about loss, governance, and identity are brief compared with comic relief and team moments. Many point to responsibilities as ruler that play mostly off screen, leaving limited time for choices that define how she leads her people.

Nomi

Lashana Lynch plays Nomi in ‘No Time to Die’, an MI6 agent who holds a 00 designation while Bond is retired. She participates in operations across multiple locations and becomes part of the final push as the mission escalates.

Viewers often describe a fast introduction with minimal background or relationships beyond workplace banter. Her presence marks an important transition in the program yet the film offers few moments built solely around her objectives, and her role resolves quickly by the end.

Heimdall

Idris Elba’s Heimdall appears throughout the ‘Thor’ films and in ‘Avengers Infinity War’ as the all seeing guardian who controls the Bifrost. He aids evacuations, monitors threats, and delivers crucial help at key moments when realms are at risk.

Fans frequently note that most scenes handle exposition or brief combat while personal history and goals receive little attention. His death early in ‘Avengers Infinity War’ arrives with limited setup in that film, leaving audiences with only scattered glimpses of his life beyond his post.

Jannah

Naomi Ackie portrays Jannah in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ as a former First Order trooper who now leads a small resistance group. She meets the heroes on the ocean moon of Kef Bir and joins the final assault on the enemy fleet.

Audience reactions often point to a late arrival in the trilogy that leaves little space for her past or motivations. A suggested connection with Lando surfaces in dialogue without an on screen follow up, and many viewers describe a role that supports battles more than a personal arc.

Monica Rambeau

Teyonah Parris plays Monica Rambeau in ‘WandaVision’ and later in ‘The Marvels’, where she gains photon based abilities and works with SWORD and the Avengers sphere. She moves from a grounded mystery within a small town to a mission that reaches far beyond Earth.

Viewers often say that her new powers and their limits receive only brief explanation and that personal scenes arrive in quick bursts between plot turns. Her connections to family and work are present yet frequently serve as setup for the next action beat rather than sustained development.

Riri Williams

Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams debuts in ‘Black Panther Wakanda Forever’ as an MIT inventor whose project draws unwanted attention. She builds a prototype suit and becomes central to the conflict that drives the story to Wakanda and Talokan.

Audiences often describe an introduction that moves quickly from campus life to global stakes with little time for who she is outside the lab. Much of her engineering sits off screen and the film gestures toward future stories, leaving her early appearance lighter on character detail.

Ving Rhames plays Luther Stickell across most ‘Mission Impossible’ entries as the trusted IMF hacker and longtime ally of Ethan Hunt. He provides communications, decrypts critical data, and returns as a steady anchor as the team evolves over time.

Viewers frequently point out that the films reveal very little about his background or separate goals, and that he disappears for long stretches. His skills are essential to operations, yet episodes rarely center on his choices or challenges away from the terminal.

Nyota Uhura

Zoe Saldana portrays Nyota Uhura in the Kelvin timeline films ‘Star Trek’, ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’, and ‘Star Trek Beyond’. She serves as communications officer with advanced linguistic expertise and participates in missions across the quadrant.

Some viewers argue that relationship beats often define her scenes while few storylines rely solely on her training and interests. Across three films she contributes at key moments yet seldom receives plotlines that begin and end from her perspective.

James Rhodes

Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes also known as War Machine appears throughout the MCU and in the series ‘Secret Invasion’. As a decorated officer and armored Avenger he operates as a liaison between heroes and government while taking part in major battles.

Audience notes often mention that his personal life remains mostly off screen and that arcs outside injury recovery receive limited focus. Many of his moves support larger events and leaders, with few sequences that explore his decisions separate from the team.

T Dog

IronE Singleton plays T Dog in ‘The Walking Dead’ as a member of the original Atlanta survivors who travels with the group through early dangers. He participates in supply runs and defenses while the camp tries to find stable ground.

Viewers often describe minimal dialogue and scarce backstory before his exit, with little time devoted to his viewpoint in episodes. Comparisons within the ensemble highlight how other characters receive focused arcs while his contributions arrive mainly during group crises.

Share the characters you would add to this list in the comments so everyone can compare notes on roles that felt light on the page.