Was Cory failed by the writers?

Cory was frequently presented as an overly optimistic, one-dimensional character who focused on being "nice" (lol) and "relatable," which can occasionally lack the depth and complexity that viewers look for in main characters, especially when compared to the more quirky and dynamic supporting characters in the show. As a result, some people may find Cory "boring."

His interests were definitely the most evident in S1 (which is saying a lot), but kinda faded away somewhere between S2 and S3. While it is normal for shows with school-aged characters to have a lead that doesn't have too many defining characteristics that makes them unique so audience members can see themselves through that character, it doesn't always work for the best.

In fact, I wonder if writers realized this and it helped inspire some of 'Better Than The Average Cory,' since some of those faults were evidently brought to our attention. The focus is spent so much on how Cory learns to deal with growing up in the real world, it ends up ignoring the kind of person he might've wanted to be.

Because even though the path he set himself wasn't that clear, there's a reason we question him being a teacher in GMW.