Review
The Office could have looked much different if one NBC sitcom hadn’t been canceled just a year earlier. One of the greatest comedy series of all time, The Office not only ported an acclaimed series from England to an American audience, but it surpassed the original in both critical and audience response, length, and influence. The series kicked off the mockumentary comedy boom, and several actors in the series went on to have huge careers, including John Krasinski, Ed Helms, Mindy Kaling, Ellie Kemper, and Zach Woods.
Of course, The Office would not be the show it is without Steve Carell as Michael Scott. Arguably one of the greatest TV characters ever, Carell’s Michael is a boorish, selfish, unprofessional, and often incompetent boss who has a sweeter, kinder, and even craftier side underneath the ridiculous bravado and sense of self he tries to project. The Office changed a lot after season 1, and it took some time for the series to find its footing. Without Carell’s confident comedic acting, however, it’s possible the show could have been canceled.
Come To Papa's Cancelation Opened Up Steve Carell's Schedule For The Office
Carell Agreed To Do Another Show Before The Office Team Could Cast Him
The showrunners already had Steve Carell in mind for the part of Michael Scott from the jump (via THR). Showrunner and creator Greg Daniels was given a copy of Bruce Almighty, in which Carell plays a hilariously possessed news anchor, and immediately thought, «Oh, this guy is fabulous«. However, while Daniels and his crew were hiring a casting director, Carell took another job on another NBC sitcom titled, Come to Papa. Come to Papa aired the summer before The Office was set to premiere and only lasted four episodes before it was canceled, allowing Carell to play Michael.
The Office US Would Not Have Been As Successful Without Steve Carell As Michael
Carell Made The American Office A Classic
This was one of those moments of chance that completely changes the trajectory of a TV show, because without Steve Carell as Michael Scott, The Office would not have been nearly the triumph it was with him. Carell was nominated for an Emmy in every season of The Office he appeared in, save for season 1. The same can be said for the SAGs and the Golden Globes, though he actually won a Golden Globe in 2006 for his season 2 performance. It’s a comedy performance matched by few others.
It’s in a league with Michael Richards in Seinfeld, Tina Fey in 30 Rock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Veep, and Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It’s a performance that changed what TV comedy acting could be. Nearly every expression, every groan, and every line from Michael is hilarious. Carell is Michael Scott, and he manages to make a pathetic and frustrating man, somehow charming and lovable, even while you’re cringing away from him. Think of your favorite episode of The Office. Chances are, Carell has the best moment in it.
The Other Option For Michael Scott Was Great, But Carell Was The Only Right Choice
Bob Odenkirk Had the Comedy Background To Play The Character Well
When it seemed like Steve Carell was not going to be able to do The Office, Daniels and his team seriously considered casting Bob Odenkirk in the role (via Esquire). As revealed in Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office, a book by Brian Baumgartner (who plays Kevin Malone) and Ben Silverman (an executive producer for The Office), the short list for Michael Scott came down to Carell and Odenkirk. Carell was the heavy favorite, with casting directors saying he had a «sweet and simple» portrayal of the character.
Bob Odenkirk played a variation of the Michael Scott character in The Office season 9, episode 16, «Moving On», as a manager interviewing Pam (Jenna Fischer).
Odenkirk would have been good in the role. Despite most people knowing him from the Breaking Bad universe, Odenkirk got his start with sketch comedy on SNL and Mr. Show with Bob and David. He could’ve pulled off an interesting version of the character, but he would not have been Carell’s Michael. The American Michael Scott had to be goofy and rude, but ultimately sweet. Odenkirk’s version may have been a little too smart and calculating, closer to Ricky Gervais’ performance. It all ended up working out, but what The Office could have been, if Come to Papa wasn’t canceled.
