Is Michael the VILLAIN of the Office?

Michael's story is complex, human, and hilarious, but is he the villain of the Office?
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[@FREEDOM_OR_DEATH_]

If Michael Scott was my boss I would've quit. In the TV show he was funny, but in real life would be unbearable to work for. Was he villain if this was real life? Yes.

[@repent438]

You are the real villain, kind sir.

[@jordansweet8054]

Agreed. I had a boss at a factory who used to pull crap like this. He'd make crappy and stupid jokes than gaslight you about you making it up. He twice had people attack him because they were sick of his crap. That's what actually happens to that kind of boss.

[@brianmarkgriffin]

"Pretended to kill himself in front of a bunch of kids" I'm sorry, he did what?

[@laurawhite9822]

Deleted Halloween cold open. They make a haunted house in the warehouse for kids, and Michael takes it way TOO FAR.

[@Mulverine]

Look up the Koi Pond episodes’s original cold opening.

[@ian7064]

I've always felt like Michael being drawn to someone like Todd Packard and wanting to befriend him made sense. Packard is a complete a-hole and inappropriate to his coworkers but he also knows how to be the center of attention and has success with women. Perhaps Micheal believed that those qualities would rub off on him if he spent time with Packard

[@ronaldbanks-mw2ou]

Wedding: the fusing of two metals together with intense heat. LMAO. welding "erginomical ".

[@alicetheibault9440]

One of the points I feel is often overlooked is that Michael has zero misgivings about lying, including about fairly important things. For instance, in one of the early episodes with Holly, he makes up a story about how his friend died just so that she would feel sorry for him and give him attention. So I don't think we can take anything he says at face value. He's definitely the kind of person who would say he brought in half of the current clients (for instance) even if it wasn't true. Above and beyond that, though, I'm not sure Michael's loneliness really does make him more sympathetic. It's really not surprising he has few or no friends because in real life, someone who acted the way he does would alienate pretty much everyone. One of the things I like about the original British Office is that it points out that not every misfit is a lovable loser who's just misunderstood, and some people are social outcasts for a reason. The US Office tries to frame Michael as being unjustly maligned, but neglects to make his actual behavior better (in fact, if anything, he's actually worse than David because David doesn't get violent when things don't go his way).

[@henrypeters5291]

I actually think that reluctant villain is a fitting title but in an interesting way. I think that the overall job of the manager makes Michael the reluctant villain at least as the show presents it in the early seasons and that Michael struggles to fight against this role for most of the show. Part of his job, especially early on was to be the bad guy; he viewed it that way and he did his best to avoid it.

[@pendragon2012]

I don't think he's the villain. I think the villain is the corporation. Michael is kind of the fall guy for that corporation. He buys into the ridiculous idea that people in a workplace are actually family, not just coworkers. He absolutely is a jerk and a narcissist a lot of the time, lol. He continues to try and push himself on Jim, Pam, Ryan, Angela, Stanley, who are all uninterested. Then he treats the people who actually do view him the way he wants them to very badly--Dwight, Andy, Erin (at least at first), Phyllis, Meredith, Kevin etc. In the episode about The Deposition, Jan and Dunder Mifflin all turned on him. And only Toby was kind to him. But he wouldn't reach out to Toby. But villain? No.

[@mariogamefreak1]

I personally don’t think Dunder Mifflin ever treated Micheal wrong. If they did they could of fired him so many time but yet they let him keep his job. When the company goes out business and sold to Sabre he not the one to blame.

[@pendragon2012]

@@mariogamefreak1 True, but think about the fact that Jan reamed him out for having Movie Mondays but was ok with Stamford playing Call of Duty for hours each day (and then Dunder Mifflin was going to close his branch and fire him); that it was ok for Holly to date other coworkers but not him and then that they participated in Jan's railroading of him by outing his journal. In many ways they were very patient with him but there were also ways they definitely did him dirty. And I am by no means a Michael fan! 🙂

[@satekeeper]

He's not the fall guy for DM. Nobody in at DM Scranton ever blame him when corporate screws up or treats employees badly. And all it takes to be a villain is to be someone acting selfishly and hurting others deliberately, with disregard, or especially because you just don't care about them. Michael does all of this, often. Even his "we're family" stuff is 100% bullshit that means nothing other than him getting adulation. How many times could he have helped Dwight in his career, even when it would have been incredibly easy... but just doesn't? Or actively hurts him? Where was his "we're family" regard for Meredith when he posted naked picture of her for the purposes of humiliating her?

[@pendragon2012]

@@satekeeper I agree. That was my original comment--the people who would have gladly accepted him as family (Meredith, Dwight, Andy, Erin, Kevin, Phyllis) he treats like crap while trying desperately for the approval of Jim, Pam, Ryan, Stanley, Oscar and Angela.

[@satekeeper]

@@pendragon2012 ah I gotcha, sorry misread that. In the course of the entire show, the writers try to redeem him in this way of course. He eventually gives Dwight a warm recommendation. He is truly kind to Erin. He tries to protect Dwight from termination in the CPR thing. In his own way, he was even trying to help Stanley. But it feels a little forced and too-little-too-late to me.

[@TheAndando]

Why is nobody talking about Michael having a HISTRIONIC PERSONALITY DISORDER. I Mean he is got all the characteristics

[@Leonardo_No_Cardio]

Take a chill pill

[@adscomics]

I would like to add that an antagonist and a villain are not necessarily the same thing. A villain is someone who typically is morally bad, but an antagonist is just a character or force that is meant to be against the main character. You can have a protagonist be a villain, and an antagonist be a hero. Michael, since so much of the series involves him and his growth is arguably the *protagonist* of the series, but that alone doesn't mean he is or isn't a villain. I just wanted to bring that up. Haven't yet gotten thru the whole video yet.

[@Squidaniel]

Andy is the villain. Case closed 😂

[@armorykittington]

I feel like Michael is literally just the embodiment of a child seeking happiness, and always trying to make others happy, but never having a real goal or a mentor, and just flowing in the current of life, hazily knowing what he desires, but not having the courage/is comfortable. It's a modern day Hero's Journey. Instead of slaying the evil thing, in the books, he must learn to know himself, in The Office.

[@Fluffypro]

Thanks for the shout-out.

[@djskylerhall]

Same, it was nice to be the first one in the end of the vid :)

[@DeceasedFlesh]

I bet Michael would make a great VHS segment

[@Mulverine]

Lol

[@Leonardo_No_Cardio]

Michael is the Villain to his Hero and at the same time he is the Hero to his Villain. Like a reversed vasectomy. Snip snap snip snap! The whole symbolism is there !

[@alonsoarana5307]

Michael can say things that The Homelander would say

[@tqhxx]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@bobby_naur]

Coining the phrase "oaky afterbirth" is villain behavior.

[@satekeeper]

Technically, I think Toby actually outed Oscar. Michael used a slur but was obvious to Oscar's sexuality. He would have stayed that way if Toby had not told him.

[@DizzyMiggy]

Micheal Scott with the infinity gauntlet No one can stop him

[@Emblafant]

I think Michael is Autisitc. And since he was lonely as a kid he had a hard time learning what is acceptable and not since he had very few interactions with others. You can see that he has good intentions he just doesn’t know when he is doing something that is offensive, but you can see him learning right from wrong social behaviors through out the series. Learning social behaviors from tv and such is very normal for autistic people, I myself have learned most of mine that way. I think he’s just confused an misunderstood and didn’t have a good childhood where he could learn to adapt to society. His heart is good, he just messes up, A LOT.

[@frankbrodie5168]

Hmmm dunno. Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory is more classicly autistic than Michael Scott. Michael is actually more sociopathic than autistic. When he doesn't get his own way he stamps his feet like a child. His behaviour towards Toby is borderline psychopathic.

[@ShermanWilliamsVideo]

I haven't watched the video but I can tell you unencoviciably yes, yes he is. Why? Because I worked for a Micheal Scott in real life. He was the worst. 7 of our 5 employees quit one had a mental breakdown and I was on the verge of quitting when he was finally fired. Nobody deserves to work for a Micheal Scott in real life. I can't even watch the show without getting flashbacks.

[@pizzaface4213]

Stanley and Darrel would likely agree with you.

[@vincentgiordano7510]

Maybe Dwight wanted ti be the villan and wound up being a hero

[@Liam___ohara___]

If we’re calling villains in the series, I’d suggest that it’s the accountants…

[@sufcwill]

How so

[@markfigueroa1681]

He might be smarter than we all give him credit for and he's secretly a villain playing a good guy. He might be an energy vampire like Colin Robinson

[@24mmfilm40]

At this rate, we will have all seasons on KZbin

[@Maplecook]

Totally thought the thumbnail was a photo of Jamie Raskin.

[@darjavelicko9377]

Great video! 👍 I always was conflicted about Michael. He never “felt” like a villain to me. However analysing his behaviour made me think that he is one. How about Dwight and Jim? Both of them display villainess behaviour (Jim bullying Dwight constantly, Dwight being Dwight), but neither of them emotionally feel like villains. At least not Jim. 🤔

[@joeywisedrums]

I love that in these videos you ride the line of logical conclusions about the episodes and pretentious rambling so well. Perfect balance

[@Leunamex2]

I disagree with you, feeling sorry for him don't make him the a good guy, really hate Michael I don't know why people like him, his little good actions were eclipsed by all the bad and stupid actions, the episode Stanley screams how he doesn't like or respect him was the best episode.

[@BrockyX1]

Literallyyy I feel insane seeing how much love Michael gets from the viewers it feels like I'm watching a different show from everyone else

[@settleforshadows8510]

All he wanted was a pepsi

[@satekeeper]

I don't think your reasoning quite follows. Apart from the cartoonish villain, a really well-formed villain in a story is someone who has basic motivations that are highly relatable. It is the actions they are willing to take to service those that make a person a villain or not. I wouldn't call Michael the villain of the Office, as the writers clearly intended for him to be a flawed, selfish man who is able to grow and redeem himself. You can do that with the magic and fiction of a writer's pen. But if there really were a person who was S1 Michael (or a highly realistic depiction of one), I also think he's 100% a villain and there's not the slightest chance of him ever being redeemed.

[@a1aesthetics]

Yes

[@kaboternaja4070]

What is the website that you buy office tshirts? Thanks

[@tooruoikawa8985]

Michael is Griffith from Berserk. That’s what I get from this. Thanks for clarifying for me lol

[@skiprockjr.6881]

The villain of The Office is, was, and always will be Stu, aka Robert California's wrestling partner. He's the Scranton Strangler. Also, Season 8 is better than Season 7.

[@vincentkass5102]

Congratulations......on becoming the antagonist .

[@alonsoarana5307]

Somehow more threatening than Ultron

[@edhu9]

Prison Mike is the real villain.

[@Silverlobo1992]

He is anti hero 😅

[@Catquick1957]

To all your dialog....That's what she said........

[@frankbrodie5168]

He (the character) is one of the nastiest pieces of work I've ever seen in a comedy show. Gervais' original Brent was a positve beacon of virtue compared to the character in the US version of The Office. I can watch the show because I know he's just a fictional character. In fact I binge the entire 9 seasons yearly. Despite the worst lead character in any show I've ever seen. Rather than because of him.

[@Another_User_Name_]

He looks like Jamie Raskin so he must be a villain.

[@Milosnot]

Yooo, i like this chanel

[@Pancake3225]

Ryan Howard is the villain of the office. The true cut your throat to get ahead type a guy.

[@ebooksguyguy7149]

Worst boss

[@carrolle3231]

He's not a villain he's just flawed like all of us. Great video

[@Cdr2002]

No, I am 😈

[@martinedwards7758]

Capitalism is not a villain. The right to win your work and property is the most basic human right.

[@yoakii7586]

👹

[@babbisp1]

Nts 1:33

[@babbisp1]

Note to self 7:38 9:11 15:33 16:45

[@szechuon6971]

You had me until you said capitalism was a villain, lol.

[@Mulverine]

Just commenting on what the show is commenting on…not my personal take. Edited: typo

[@MichaelScott69]

HOW DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU!

[@inphasefifa1171]

no.

[@cheerwhiner7829]

Sure, he’s the murderer of the story. He killed everyone. 🙄🙄🙄 Yeesh.

[@lynsy9]

Not all villains are homicidal. But Michael did break Daryl's leg and then laugh about it. That's pretty villainous.

[@cheerwhiner7829]

@@lynsy9 It all comes down to intent… when he hurt people, it was never his intention to do so.

[@lynsy9]

@@cheerwhiner7829 If he didn't intend on hurting him, he wouldn't have found it so funny. Even if it was a genuine accident, you're a huge asshole if you break someone's leg and then laugh like its the funniest thing that ever happened rather than apologize.

[@cheerwhiner7829]

@@lynsy9 There’s a difference between an @$$#*/€ and a villain… the response / feelings of everyone points to Michael being the former, not the latter.

[@knifekink]

fourth

[@PeverellTheThird]

Jim is.

[@parrin96]

Pam is the villain lol next!

[@jaealxndr]

rewatching is realizing how bad of ppl Pam and JIm are... not Mike