10 Most Questionable Storylines in The Office

The Office was undoubtedly the biggest sitcom in the world at one point. Even today, a decade after the premiere of its series finale, The Office remains a colossal achievement in comedy, but some of its plotlines were not as well-loved as others. Jim and Pam’s romance, Michael’s cringe-but-earnest character and Dwight’s character arc were some of the highlights of The Office. Still, many other stories juxtaposed these — like Andy’s arc and Kelly and Ryan’s twisted dynamics.

Whether they aged poorly or pulled the show down, these stories remain controversial. Some of them should not have been in the show at all, while others added an edge to The Office that wasn’t necessarily bad but unusual. They certainly raised eyebrows.

Cathy’s Attempts To Seduce Jim Were Inappropriate

Jim and Pam’s relationship was the best part of The Office, which was why fans hated that a character like Cathy tried to torpedo this romance. Cathy came to Dunder Mifflin as Pam’s replacement when she got pregnant, but she turned out to be more of an obstacle to the office administrator than Pam could’ve thought. Cathy was insistent on the fact that Jim and Pam had an unhappy marriage, turning the normal struggles of new parents into something sinister.

However, the story goes too far when Cathy tries to seduce Jim by entering his room. Jim remained very faithful to the love of his life and wife, but Cathy’s attempts were in bad taste.

Andy’s Character Arc Went From Bad to Worse

Andy was not very likable when he entered the show as an employee of Dunder Mifflin’s Stamford branch. He tried too hard to assimilate with the Scranton branch, and his attempts were more arrogant and irritating than endearing. However, he slowly became much more likable when his softer, more vulnerable side came to the fore, especially with Erin. Fans like Ed Helms and didn’t mind much when he finally became the Regional Manager of the Scranton branch after Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott departed.

However, the upward tick in Andy’s arc was negated yet again when he abandoned his post and Erin to go sailing on a boat. When he returned, he was his old self with anger issues, but somehow even worse this time round. Just because Ed Helms had obligations with The Hangover didn’t mean that his character had to be wrecked.

Jan’s Treatment of Michael Was Awful

Michael Scott was unlucky in love, as was evident by his first romance with Jan Levinson. Tragically, their relationship was entertaining to watch but quite torturous for Michael. Michael was embarrassing, but Jan treated him like a pariah most of the time. She hated being associated with him but still did so in secret. Michael humiliated Jan, too, by blasting pictures of their Jamaica trip to the entire branch.

However, when Jan lost her job, she moved in with Michael and became a total liability for him. Michael had to work a second, secret job to keep up with Jan’s entrepreneurship ventures and expenses, while she insulted him relentlessly. Season 4’s “Dinner Party” episode depicted just how much Jan got away with, including cheating on Michael.

Kelly and Ryan’s Entire Relationship Was a Red Flag

Funny on the surface, Kelly and Ryan’s relationship was one of the darkest The Office storylines. They noticed each other in Season 2, after which they went on their first date right before Valentine’s Day, which meant different things to the two characters. Kelly got overly attached to Ryan, who was only interested in a fling. However, the two couldn’t stay away from each other, culminating in a toxic relationship where they couldn’t be together or be apart.

Ryan treated Kelly badly but ran back to her every time she got over him. Kelly pretended to be pregnant to keep Ryan in her life. Both of them were extremely manipulative and twisted, and they belonged together in that sense. Fans were still shocked when they abandoned a baby and their significant others to run away together in the series finale.

Michael’s Enmity With Toby Went Too Far

Toby was the undoubted punching bag of The Office, and Michael was his worst offender. Michael had an irrational hatred for the HR rep, even though all Toby really did was try to follow HR policy. He held Michael back from his wildest impulses, which bothered Michael. Toby was the enemy of fun, according to the Scranton Branch Manager.

Michael went out of his way to humiliate Toby, which could cross the line. He tried to get him framed with a salad for possessing narcotics, threw a party when he resigned from the company, threw his lunch off the table, and gifted him a rock with profanity as a goodbye gift. Even in Threat Level Midnight, Toby was the aim of Michael’s wrath, getting his head blown up several times. Michael’s shenanigans with Toby were actually highly unprofessional, and he shouldn’t have gotten away with them.

Ryan Returning After Committing Fraud Made No Sense

Initially a quiet temp in the background, Ryan quickly became a main character when he proved to be smarter and more gifted than the rest of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch. He rose through the ranks and became Vice President of Dunder Mifflin as a whole, but he got ahead of himself. He committed fraud in Manhattan, which led to extended jail time for the temp-turned-VP.

In a controversial turn of events, Michael rehired Ryan as a temp when he got out of jail in Season 5. A deleted scene shows David Wallace cussing Ryan out in front of Michael when this happens, which makes total sense. Michael rehiring the man who defrauded the company on a large scale didn’t make any sense, but somehow, that was exactly what happened.

Meredith Sleeping With Reps for Discounts Went Against Dunder Mifflin Policy

Meredith was a tricky character — her drunk antics were entertaining but also could also be alarming. When the employees of The Office got a seminar on business and ethics, Meredith revealed that she had been sleeping with the Hammermill executive for six years so that she could get discounts on supplies and Outback Steakhouse coupons.

Meredith had a casual attitude about the affair even though engaging in such behavior could have cost her her position at Dunder Mifflin. Her coworkers, as well as viewers of the show, were equally baffled by her indifference to the situation. The higher-ups seemed to give her a pat on the back for the profits she brought the company, and Meredith continued the affair despite being told not to.

Everything About Todd Packer Was Questionable

There was no worse character than Todd Packer on The Office, which was tough because the show was full of unlikable and politically incorrect characters. He regularly made jokes about the LGBTQ+ community, harassed women employees, and played mean pranks on people. Vulgarity was Packer’s go-to tone, and Michael was his victim. He left feces on his office carpet, slept with the twins that they took home, and left him at a bar to get beat up for his sins.

The employees tried hard to get rid of him, but Packer had a bad habit of coming back. In the last season, he fed the office cupcakes laced with numerous drugs as payback for getting him fired, which just about summed up his character. A character like Packer would never be accepted today.

Brian the Boom Guy and Pam Should’ve Never Happened

Similar to Cathy and Jim, Pam also had a moment of near infidelity with Brian the Boom Guy in The Office. As she struggled with Jim going to Philadelphia for Athlead, Brian stepped in as a shoulder to cry on for Pam. In the ensuing episodes, he comforted her in several ways, even stepping in to defend her against an attack by a warehouse worker who vandalized Pam’s mural. This got Brian fired.

The inclusion of Brian in the very last season of The Office seemed unnecessary and a cheap tactic to add some drama to Jim and Pam’s stable marriage. He quickly became one of the most hated characters on the show for this reason.

Nellie Taking Andy’s Job Was Farfetched

Even if Andy became a detested character on the show, fans did not appreciate how Nellie took over the manager role when he was not in the office. It made no sense that Robert California just gave her the job because she sat on Andy’s desk, who had driven to Florida to win Erin back. Nellie somehow managed to bribe every employee in the Scranton branch, including Dwight, into accepting her as manager.

Jim Halpert was the only one who showed any sensibility at all by not taking up her offers. This plotline was just unrealistic and totally impossible, which was why fans found it grating.