Neil is a student at Greendale Community College once known on campus by the nickname "Fat Neil". He was introduced as a sensitive introvert who felt scorned by the other students for his physical appearance. During this dark time in his life, he contemplated committing suicide, but an intervention of sorts by the study group helped pull him out of his depression. Since then, he has shed his hated nickname and developed a more outgoing personality. He has also started dating fellow Greendale student Vicki. He was first mentioned by name in the Season Two episode "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design", he is officially introduced onscreen later in the episode "Asian Population Studies". He is portrayed by actor Charley Koontz.
In the study group's second year at Greendale, Neil first appeared when he provided Britta tickets to an event. Britta pays him back by flashing him but she ends up disappointing when she discovers the tickets are for the mezzanine. Neil later becomes depressed when he gets saddled with the nickname "Fat Neil" on campus. Jeff noticed and decided to befriend him by feigning an interest in one of Neil's hobbies, Dungeons & Dragons. Neil was invited to play a game with Jeff and his study group who were also joined by Ben Chang. Pierce was not invited and barged into the middle of the game to join them as well. He took a valuable item from Neil's character, "The Sword of Dusquene", and used it against him. Pierce also revealed that Jeff was the one who came up with the "Fat Neil" nickname. With the help of Jeff and the Study group they get the sword back from Pierce and he regained his confidence. Not long afterwards, Neil flirted with Vicki in Anthropology classroom. At the end of the school year, Neil participated in the Western-themed paintball game. He was chased by Mike and his gang and saved by Annie. When Neil tried to shoot her, Annie eliminated him from the competition as well.
"The Psychology of Letting Go": Fat Neil is called on Professor Duncan to answer a question in Anthropology class, "What is Anthropology? Seriously does anyone know? Fat Neil." by calling him "Fat Neil" to which makes Neil go "Neil's fine" Duncan argues "not for an actuality standpoint it's not."
"Asian Population Studies": Neil gave Britta mezzanine tickets to an event after she flashed him.
"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons": The study group played a game of Dungeons & Dragons to cheer up a depressed Neil.
In the study groups third year at Greendale, Neil was shown working at the campus radio station as a DJ under the name "Real Neil with Pipes of Steel". He participated in the final battle between Abed's Fluffy Town and Troy's Blanketsburg. He is later shown working in the school administration office and assisted Troy and Abed in their investigation of who sabotaged the study group's biology yam project. He gave them information on who borrowed the Biology lab key, which ultimately leads them to naming a suspect for the crime, Todd. However, at the trial that was held in the Biology classroom, Jeff had a last-minute epiphany and realized Todd didn't commit the crime. After closely examining the other students' yams, he revealed that the yam belonging to Vicki was the only one that had not been sabotaged. Neil came clean and admitted he was the one who did it. He claims he did it for love as he wanted Vicki to pass so she could spend the summer with him instead of retaking Biology in summer school. He ended up losing his position at the administration office and was forced to retake Biology during the summer.
At the start of the 2012-2013 school year at Greendale, Neil enrolled in the popular "History of Ice Cream" class. Sporting a new look, a hipster pair of glasses, Neil informed the study group that the course was overbooked. Alongside other students who were unable to take the course, Neil participated in an event called "The Hunger Deans" to earn a seat in the history class. In one of the many different contests, he lost a king of the hill battle and a Pugil stick duel to Jeff. He also comes up short in a tango contest with his dance partner and girlfriend Vicki. Several months after the competition, Neil signed up for Physical Education Education class which is taught by Coach Jason Chapman. Alongside Troy and Shirley, he learned the ropes of being a gym teacher. Neil was later seen attending Jeff's graduation ceremony in the study room. He and Vicki were seated on the Bride's side along with Garrett, Magnitude, Leonard and Quendra.
Neil's activities in the 2014-15 school year are relatively unknown. He participated in the "minuses are made up" ruckus and pushed over a trash can.
He was still presenting the college radio show during the second spree of the Ass Crack Bandit. He gave updates on the bandit’s activities on the radio. When Pierce died, Neil announced his passing to Greendale and delivered a brief eulogy where he called him a friend of many at Greendale and “a hell of a D&D player.”
Neil has short hair. He does not appear with Vicki at all.
"Introduction to Teaching": Neil is the first person to start property destruction when Annie yells out that "minuses are made up".
"Basic Intergluteal Numismatics": Neil tells Garrett that there are free crackers in the cafeteria moments before the Ass Crack Bandit "cracks" Garrett. As the host of the college radio show, he gives updates on the bandit’s latest activities. He also announces Pierce’s death and gives a brief eulogy on the radio show.
"Geothermal Escapism": Neil is seen briefly in the cafeteria as everyone scrambles to get off the floor at the start of the hot lava game. He is a guard at "Shirley's Island".
"Analysis of Cork-Based Networking": Neil chastises Jeff, Chang, Shirley and Duncan for their "Bear Down for Mid-terms" dance theme given that the big news story of the day was that a bear mauled a bunch of people at a birthday party that morning.
Neil's activities in the 2014-15 school year are relatively unknown. Neil is the only person who shows up for the offensive comedic stylings of Gupta Gupti Gupta. As such, he is the subject of all of the comedian's jokes which centre around various races and how they can't be fat like Neil. He sends Abed a text that he respects the committee's position on Gupta Gupti Gupta but not the execution and says he's never speaking to them again. Neil has grown a beard.
The character of Fat Neil is named after former Community executive producer Neil Goldman.
Quotes
“Too soon for this! After this morning in Wisconsin? Bear breaks loose at a kid's birthday party, mauls a whole bunch of people? Why am I explaining this when this is obviously a ghoulish reference to it?”— Neil
