OpEd: The Post Michael Scott Years were Better
I have a feeling a lot of people are going to say that with that exact face. But hear me out! Okay? Okay.
With my group of friends, Michael Scott is one of the most beloved characters in a TV show. I’ve been told over and over, “Rex, he’s what made ‘The Office’. Without him, the show is nothing and should have ended.”
But I don’t listen to that argument as I think the writers of the show were much better than that. Sure he was a key dynamic of the show, but he’s not what made the show. Hell, he’s not even the main character — Jim and Pam are. They’re the only ‘normal’ and most relatable people in The Office, therefore they are a conudit.
But I digress. Of course, there will be spoilers ahead. But then again the show ended in 2013 and if you haven’t watched in on Netflix, Comedy Central, Nick at Nite or one of the other MANY various outlets — it’s your own fault.
Michael Scott Made the Show Unbelievable
Unbelievable as in no f*cking way would this happen IRL. Sure, Michael was a great salesman, but he was a flat out terrible office manager. If anything, his management style is a cry that libertarianism works just fine and regulations/management isn’t needed. Obviously, a style like his wouldn’t work in real life nor would his office antics be tolerated.
There are so many times when Michael should have been fired, but I’ll save that for another blog post. Here’s one — Michael kissed Oscar in the conference room in front of everyone to prove that being gay is okay. Oscar, over and over, denied Michael’s requests and pursuits to kiss him — but Michael refused to listen. There’s PDA, sexual advancement, sexual harassment and a whole lot of paperwork for HR rep Toby to do. But maybe that was Michael’s main goal all along. It wasn’t during the age of the #MeToo movement, but there’s no way Mike wakes up with a job the following day. Hit the snooze on your George Forman, Michael!
Pam & Jim
The Pam and Jim relationship became more realistic in the final few years of the show’s running. They had disagreements about Jim’s new job in Philadelphia, and it was taking a clear strain on their relationship. One of the show’s stagehands (the boom mic guy) had a thing for Pam and that added some weird tension. Sure, I didn’t like to see it — but it was real. I could feel it and understand it. The dynamic of their relationship became so much more believable once Michael left.
During the Michael years, it was all bubbly and flirty. Like we all once used to be in high school when we were learning how to flirt and talk to people we found attractive.
Andy’s Manic Mood Swings Kick In
Ed Helms is a fantastic actor and I’m really glad Andy got more airtime when Michael left. During the Michael years, Andy seemed like an odd fit in the office. He was a character of uncertainty, from his marriage engagement with Angela, his own sexual orientation, his friendship* with Dwight, what he really wanted out of life in general — Andy was an explorer without a compass. Not to mention, he had an anger problem that he struggled with from time to time.
Having Andy run the office, for those first two years after Michael left, was a nice touch. He’s an unconfident leader.
