Steve Carell's performance in The Office is considered one of the greatest comedies of all time, but it wouldn't be as popular today without him.
The heart of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch was played by Carell, who was the deeply misguided albeit genuinely well-meaning boss Michael Scott. The American version of the show might not have made it past the first season if not for someone else.
In Welcome to Dunder Mifflin, an oral history of The Office, the cast, crew, and writers reflected on the series, its characters, and how it felt to say goodbye. Carell remembered bidding farewell to the World's Best Boss, shared why he loved the complex character, and looked back on his time as Michael Scott.
An early sense of greatness.
Rainn Wilson said that many people had doubts about The Office early on, but that Steve Carell knew the show was special.
Wilson said that after shooting the pilot, John, Steve, and I went out for a sandwich at a crappy sandwich shop down the road from the studio. "Steve was betting that these are the roles that will define us for the rest of our lives, and he was like, 'I think this thing could be really special and I'm betting that.' This is what we'll be known for, no matter what we do for the rest of our lives.
He was correct.
Finding depth in Michael Scott.
Carell was able to make a character like Michael Scott problematic and offensive because he had a deep understanding of Michael's intentions.
Carell and Baumgartner stressed that despite Michael's cringeworthy moments, he's always trying to be good, when talking about the show's most controversial episode, "Diversity Day."
It's why I bristle when people try to make Michael out to be a racist. He's a person with a good heart and a lack of information about the world around him. Carell said that Michael was as sleepy as you could be. Being ignorant and being tolerant are different things. It's possible that intolerance and ignorantness go hand in hand. I think he was a decent person. He didn't get it all the time.
Carell said yes when asked if he always looks for good in his characters.
I think you have to because otherwise you're just judging them. He explained that if you are doing that, you will play it differently. You don't want to editorialize about them.
He said that while Michael made mistakes, he loved people and wanted to make them happy.
Carell said that he didn't think Michael valued one type of person over another. I think he was a pure character. He's dumb in terms of political correctness and being appropriate in public. I don't think he had any hard feelings towards anyone.
Paul Drinkwater is a photographer for NBCU Photo Bank.
It's all about intention.
Greg Daniels, the showrunner, and Mike Schur, the writer, agreed with Carell's thoughts on Michael. The character's intentions were cited as one of his most redeeming qualities.
Daniels said it's always about intention. Michael can do the worst things in the world for comedy if he has a purity of intention. He didn't do it in order to be cruel or to be a jerk, as an audience, you sense. He has poor social skills and is trying.
The idea of shading and nuancing the boss was new. It was revolutionary when Ricky and Stephen did it. Schur thinks the American version did better. We have to invest the time in getting into the psychology of Michael Scott. I remember Greg telling the writers that they could either do what they did last time and get canceled or they could change it and run for 10 years.
The oral history notes that certain episodes, such as Season 2's "Take Your Daughter to Work Day", which shows Michael reminiscing on a sad moment in his childhood, give viewers insightful glimpse into his psychology and hint at the ways his upbringing shaped the adult we meet in the pilot.
"I think Michael is a decent dude with a lot of heart, but he was so hungry for acceptance that he didn't want to be seen," Carell said. I don't think he had the strongest templates in the world, but I think he learned and evolved and became a better person along the way. He became more aware of his surroundings once he was able to step outside of himself and his eccentricities.
It was time to say goodbye to Michael Scott.
Carell was invested in Michael's character growth throughout the series and wanted the character to have a noticeable, noticeable arcs.
Carell said that Michael Scott wants to be loved.
From the start of Season 1 to the end of Season 7, Michael has evolved as a person, a boss, and a friend. The character development clicked when he found Holly.
I think Michael was just a bit too focused on himself and his eccentricities, and once he was able to step outside of himself, he became more aware. "He could see a little bit more about the world around him."
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Carell talked to Daniels about how he wanted Michael's story to end.
He and Holly would be together, that's the idea I pitched. We had talked about that before. On his last day, I thought there should be a party, but Michael should trick people into thinking he was leaving the next day, and then leave before the party. Carell thought that would be the most elegant representation of his growth as a human being. Michael is celebrated throughout the series. That's all he wants. He wants to be the center of attention and he wants to be patted on the back. He wants people to think he's funny and charming. He was able to say goodbye to each character in a very personal way, that to me felt like it would connect.
Carell said that he felt that Michael's storyline should have ended when he left the show, but he said goodbye to his colleagues and ruined the show.
He said it was emotional torture. Say goodbye for a week. You wave and you're out. It was fraught with emotion and joy and sadness. It was beautiful because it allowed me to have a finality with everyone.
Some fans of the show would have liked it if Carell had never left and the show could have gone on for a long time.
She said that Steve Carell told a group of people at the wrap party to be happy.
