Paul Feig, who directed multiple episodes of The Office, recalls how Steve Carell saved the Michael Scott character with an acting choice in one scene. Serving as an American remake of the British show of the same name from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, The Office first aired on NBC in 2005, chronicling the daily lives of workers at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Carell’s Michael, a bumbling regional manager, was a core part of the show from the first episode, eventually departing in season 7.
During a recent appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s On Me podcast (via EW) Feig recalls that Michael wasn’t originally working as a character, and The Office was suffering with ratings as a result. When Feig came aboard to direct episodes in season 2, he says Michael was still “such a bore and so mean.” And, after The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Carell had become a fairly major star:
“So Steve was this huge star all of a sudden, and they had this huge star in the show that they thought wasn’t working and it wasn’t working in the ratings.”
The trouble with Michael in season 2 was solved, however, while filming season 2, episode 2, “Office Olympics.” According to Feig, Carell’s choice to shed a tear during the episode’s ending podium scene totally changed Michael as a character, making him someone audiences could care about. Read his comment below:
“It was the scene we were shooting when everybody was supposed to be working and they’re screwing off doing this thing. And in order to not get in trouble with Michael, they’re going to give him a gold medal. But we’re shooting it and Steve gets emotional. Steve as the character, ’cause he’s had this terrible day. And so he starts like kind of crying, like a tear goes down his eye and we’re like, ‘Oh my God.’ And I’m going like, ‘Oh, do that again. Do that again. This is a great. And I think that was this moment of like, that’s him.
“He’s got a humanity about him and everybody figured out, ‘No, he’s not an a**hole. He’s a misguided idiot who is an a**hole because he’s trying to be funny.’ Right. So you go like, ‘Okay, he means well.'”
What Carell’s Michael Choice Meant For The Office
Carell Helped Make The NBC Sitcom A Phenomenon
The difference between season 1 of The Office and season 2 is very noticeable. Season 1 is more of a copy of the British version of the show, featuring a more drab color palette and a brand of humor that didn’t always translate for American audiences. With season 2, however, The Office hit its stride and found its own identity, and it would eventually become one of the most popular and iconic sitcoms of all time.
The Office‘s cast was obviously a core reason for the show’s success, and Carell, in particular, was an anchor point for the entire series. Though Michael was unbearable to his employees and to his own bosses, he also had very human moments where audiences could see his hopes, dreams, and fears. It was these moments that made him more than just an annoying boss. Carell departed the series in season 7, and The Office seasons 8 and 9 arguably suffered as a result.
A reboot of The Office with a whole new cast and setting is currently in development. The reboot hails from American Office showrunner Greg Daniels and will follow the journalists at a failing Midwestern newspaper.
Our Take On Michael In The Office
Season 1 Michael Wouldn’t Have Worked Long-Term
Season 1 Michael is very similar to David Brent, Gervais’ character from the British version of The Office. Brent doesn’t really get these same human moments that Michael gets, not to the same degree, but this kind of humor tends to play better in the UK. Plus, the British version of the series only ran for two seasons, and part of the reason for the longevity of the American Office is because Michael has qualities that make him worth rooting for over multiple seasons.
The Office‘s Michael remains one of Carell’s most iconic characters, and the fact that it was Carell who unlocked the Dunder Mifflin manager’s full potential speaks to just how integral he was to the show’s success. While season 1 of The Office certainly has some funny moments, it was obviously for the best that Michael became more human and more redeemable.
