Over nine seasons, The Office explored a number of plot lines that delved into the ordinary lives of Dunder Mifflin employees. Viewers were given the fly-on-the-wall experience as the show was set in the style of a mockumentary, watching on as characters formed friendships, relationships and made their way through their nine-to-five. As the script was focused around a working office, characters came and went like they would do in a real office environment. With some only staying for a short period, some subplots didn’t run for more than a few episodes.
Keeping a core group of main characters on the show allowed space for long-running plot lines. Creators made way for the most intriguing points of The Office to continue through the seasons. Not only did they keep viewers hooked, but it also meant that characters were given depth, so fans would understand more about their lives (although Creed was the exception to the rule.)
10. Dwight’s Beet Farm Grew in Importance Over Time
Dwight was undeniably a weird character, but his eccentricities made him hilarious. Whether it was his experitse in martial arts, or writing up a ridiculous healthcare plan, Dwight could be relied upon to get viewers laughing. Something that ran through nearly the whole series was Dwight’s beet farm. He spoke about it on a few occasions, but viewers first see it when Pam and Jim visit to stay at the bed and breakfast located on the farm.
Their strange experience was in line with the bizarre traditions that Dwight followed and often spoke about. The beet farm went on to make a few other appearances throughout the show, including when Andy held a garden party and Dwight and Angela got married there. The uniqueness of the place makes it stand out from other shows and is tightly linked to Dwight’s overall story.
9. Jan’s Rise and Fall Was Something to Behold
Jan began on the show in a high position at Dunder Mifflin. As Vice President of North East Sales, she took her job seriously and was good at it. She was a great contrast to Michael, balancing out his absurdity. Things slowly began to change once she struck up a romantic relationship with him, even though it only started out as hooking up.
Jan went on to lose her job, spend money she didn’t have and becoming extremely controlling towards Michael. Having gone through divorce and losing her way in life, it appeared that everything had got on top of her, sending her into a spiral. Once, being a headstrong, capable employee at Dunder Mifflin had slipped away to leave someone who was almost unrecognizable to fans.
8. Michael’s Search For Love Finally Paid Off
Michael could be the most annoying person to work with, and the Dunder Mifflin boss made plenty of mistakes throughout his time on The Office. However, while his search for love could sometimes bring out the worst in him, it also revealed how desperately he wanted to find the right person to be with. On a deeper level, Michael was eager to feel connections with people around him, even on a platonic level.
His romantic relationships never worked out until he met Holly. Before then, he dated women that weren’t right for him and didn’t focus on what made him happy. Getting together with Jan was one of the worst decisions he made, as the pair were stuck in something very toxic. Viewers could see what Michael needed, and his search for love became a big part of the overarching narrative.
7. Dwight and Angela’s Relationship Had Ups and Downs
Dwight and Angela are two employees that were very different to their co-workers at Dunder Mifflin. Angela rarely cracked a smile and had no interest in making the working environment fun, while Dwight followed a bizarre lifestyle that no one really understood. Nevertheless, the two couldn’t stay away from each other.
On paper, the pair didn’t seem suited, but they were perfect for one another. The only thing that was never right was their timing and stubbornness. In the process of sleeping with each other, they hurt others’ feelings. For some time, it was difficult to know if they would ever end up together, but audiences were hooked on what would happen with them throughout.
6. Andy’s Need for Acceptance Made Him do Surprising Things
Andy was similar to Michael because he had a relentless need to be liked. Colleagues found him to be irritating at times, but it was usually due to Andy attempting to be the “cool” guy in the room. It later became evident that Andy’s father was the reason for the way he acted. Walter never gave Andy the support he craved, leaving Andy to feel like he wasn’t good enough.
Andy’s search for acceptance also came with his application to a televised talent show, which he didn’t succeed on. As commendable as it was for him to follow his dream, it was clear that his audition on the show was also in the hope that he would find fame and popularity. As funny as Andy was, he proved to be a complex and sad character, but by the end of the series, Andy realized what he had in life.
5. Darryl’s Impressive Career
In the early stages of The Office, Darryl was much more in the background. Working in the warehouse, he didn’t enjoy his job very much and didn’t have a big storyline. Eventually, when the company merged with Sabre, he was given his own office upstairs, and Darryl’s business abilities came to light.
Jim asked Darryl to join him at his new company, Athlead, making his way up the ladder, becoming Vice President of Athlete Relations. Darryl’s character arc was subtle, but an enthralling one to follow as he became more prominent in the show. He was a level-headed character that didn’t get wrapped up in the ridiculousness of Michael’s antics and deserved to do well in his career.
4. Ryan and Kelly Aren’t Good for Each Other
Arguably, one of the (if not the) worst relationships on The Office was between Kelly and Ryan. From the moment they hooked up, they were on different pages. Kelly clearly wanted to move the relationship along very quickly, yet Ryan had no commitment to Kelly whatsoever.
Their relationship carried on with Ryan stringing Kelly along and Kelly making up lies, like being pregnant, to ensure he would stay with her. In the final episode, Kelly was dating someone else, but she ended up (literally) running off with Ryan. No matter what happened, their toxicity always brought them back together. Although standing as one of the worst relationships, they were very funny together and intriguing to watch.
3. Creed’s Mysterious Life Was Never Truly Answered
Creed was an original character on the show, but nobody ever really knew his full story. Even though his lines were minimal, everything he said was fantastically funny. Considering he didn’t have a lot of dialogue, he is still acknowledged as one of the most memorable characters.
Creed would sometimes drop in worrying comments or demonstrate bizarre behavior, like admitting to keeping mung beans in his drawer because “they’re highly nutritious” albeit “smell like death.” The enigma surrounding his life carried on through the whole series, getting arrested by the last episode.
2. Dwight and Jim’s Friendship Became the Most Heartwarming
A lot of relationships developed over the course of nine seasons, but some of the most compelling were friendships. Dwight and Jim started on the series by sitting across a desk from one another. Jim wound down the clock on his working days by pranking Dwight, who didn’t take too kindly to the joking around.
However, various moments along the way proved that they had a lot of respect for each other. Jim tried to help Dwight when he was facing heartbreak, and Jim became Dwight’s best man. The writing and acting allowed audiences to see beyond the rivalry and appreciate the loyalty and love that was found between both characters.
1. Jim and Pam’s Relationship Was the Show’s Heart
Jim and Pam’s relationship was an important segment of The Office from the very first episode. As the two sat just meters away from each other, viewers watched the undeniable connection they had but couldn’t act on. As a mockumentary, their friendship was very naturalistic, encouraging fans to believe what they were watching.
Their love story stands as one of the best sitcom relationships of all time.
As fans know, Pam and Jim finally found their way to each other. They went on to get married and have children, but they also came up against issues along the way. It wasn’t a completely smooth sailing relationship, but the love was always there. Jim and Pam weren’t just a great relationship for The Office, but their love story stands as one of the best sitcom relationships of all time.
