Paul Feig, who directed multiple episodes of The officeRecalls how Steve Carell saved the Michael Scott character with an acting choice in one scene. Served as an American remake of the British show of the same name by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, The office First aired on NBC in 2005, chronicles 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 Taylor Ferguson Dinner’s on me Podcast (via EW) Fig remembers this Michael was not originally working as a character, and The office Was suffering with ratings as a result. When Feig came aboard to show episodes in season 2, he says that Michael was still “So boring and so bad.“And yet The 40-year-old virginCarell became a fairly major star:
“So Steve is suddenly the huge star, and they have this huge star on the show that they thought wasn’t working and it wasn’t working in the ratings.”
The conflict with Michael in season 2 was resolved, however, while filming season 2, episode 2, “Office Olympics.” According to Fig, 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:
“There was the scene we were shooting when everybody was supposed to be working and they were screwing up doing this thing. And in order not to get in trouble with Michael, they were going to give him a gold medal. But we” shoot it and Steve Becomes emotional as the character, because he had this terrible day. And I’m like, ‘Oh, do it again.
“He has a humanity about him and everyone figures out, ‘No, he’s not an a**hole. He’s a misguided idiot who’s 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, with a more drab color palette and a kind of humor that doesn’t always translate to American audiences. With season 2, however, The office Hit his stride and found his own identityAnd it would eventually become one of the most popular and iconic sitcoms of all time.
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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. Although Michael was unbearable to his employees and to his own bosses, he also had very human moments Where audiences can see his hopes, dreams and fears. It was these moments that made him more than just an annoying boss. Carell took off the series in season 7, and The office Seasons 8 and 9 arguably suffered as a result.
Our take on Michael in the office
Season 1 Michael would not 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 the same human moments that Michael gets, not to the same degree, but that 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 Americans Office Is because Michael has qualities that make him worth rooting for several seasons.
The officeMichael’s 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 had some funny moments, it is obviously for the best that Michael became more human and more redeemable.
Source: Dinner’s on me (via EW)