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Although The Office has been engrained into popular culture for quite some time now, it took until a quarantined 2020 to finally watch what is arguably one of the “greatest shows of all time.” (( TheWashingtonPost, washingtonpost.com, 2019 )) Yet, the biggest takeaway from binging nine seasons (( TheDailyFandom, thedailyfandom.org, 2020 )) was not the endless quotes or finally having context to Kevin Malone’s spilled chili meme — it was the refreshing and slightly surprising emotional representation of the world’s best boss, Michael Scott.
As a proud feminist, I never imagined identifying most with a fictional, straight, cisgender man. Michael Scott is inappropriate, over-the-top, and contagiously unproductive as a regional manager for the paper company Dunder Mifflin, Inc. But woefully, more than most other female characters in Hollywood — many whom I love (Jo March, anyone?) — Michael Scott is the epitome of deep thinking, intense feeling, and a chaotically good individual.
Yes, it is ridiculous to think that a man cannot have emotions or that a woman has to carry her heart on her sleeve. The idea, however, is simply that Michael Scott is on the extreme end of the emotional spectrum, and to see such vulnerability, passion, and range on screen provides a sense of solidarity and representation that has yet to fully unfold for this female viewer.
As you may know, representation starts with seeing our reflection in mainstream media, but it only truly succeeds when our stories, thoughts, and views of the world are streaming into our homes and hearts. The Office does that with Michael Scott for anyone and everyone who maybe loves a little too hard, feels a little too deeply, and wants to do everything imaginable except the tedious tasks at hand.
A Desire For Good, For Everyone
Michael Scott spends the majority of his time trying to create a family out of his coworkers (aside from Tobey Flenderson, of course), an idealism that often leaves him disappointed. Although the show itself is as successful as it is due to his stubborn and well-intentioned persistence and care, his character is always struggling to get the rest of the company to understand that what they do is not work — it’s a life-long friendship.
He is quirky and harbors a child-like defense mechanism, but Michael Scott wants to change the world, make an impact, and feel a part of something much bigger than the everyday nonsense of reality. He fails to keep himself and his dreams anywhere near the ground, but he doesn’t want to “fly” (( “You have no idea how high I can fly.” “New Boss,” The Office, 2009 )) without the love and help of those he cares about the most. Take his movie Threat Level Midnight for example, a very long-listed Oscar masterpiece. Every single one of his “coworkers” played a role throughout seven years because Michael Scott’s creativity and aspiration blossoms when in an accepting and kind environment, surrounded by a community.
It’s refreshing to see emboldened fervency play out with such a pure and creative agenda, ingredients that don’t commonly go together on a Hollywood-binary spectrum. Men tend to be given the urgency to act on hot emotions, and women want world peace. Michael Scott is allowed to put them both to good use.
Michael Scott: The Biggest Support, A Best Friend
Michael Scott may drop the ball a dozen or so times in a single episode when it comes to running the Scranton branch, but he will never let his friends down. He has a natural ability to understand people, a quality that made him the top salesman of his time. Although his social-awareness compass shares some “broken” qualities with that of Captain Jack Sparrow, (( TheDisneyWiki, disney.fandom.com, 2020 )) Michael Scott is incredibly intuitive with the emotional needs and desires of those around him. His genuine love and support for people are a far cry from manipulative talents — he simply leads with his immense heart. More often than not, these characteristics are wrongfully cast into the bucket of femininity, taken for granted. But when moments like these grace The Office, Michael Scott slips further and further into our hearts. A triumph for all those who go above and beyond without a second thought.
He also harnesses a skill in finding thoughtful and seemingly nonexistent connections in order to make beautiful and often lofty observations about society. The world’s best boss may seem silly and inept when measured by the unsigned reports on his desk or the disgruntled bosses over at corporate, but his intelligence is sharper than most when it comes to the poetic interpretation of even the simplest of concepts.
“It is a message. It is an inspiration. It is a source of beauty . . . and without paper, it could not have happened.” (( “Business School,” The Office, 2007 ))
Michael Scott
Michael Scott: A Fragile Heart, A Deep Soul
Beneath the surface of his ebullient, eccentric acts and insanely poor attempts at being “politically correct,” Michael Scott brews with overwhelming existential crises and passionate sentiment. In this particular clip, he is stricken with grief over the death of his former boss, Ed Truck. But it’s not the horrific nature of the man’s passing that bothers Michael Scott — it’s the fact that he died alone with no one to care about his absence.
Throughout the episode, the usually goofy guy has no idea how to handle the “epiphany” that he, too, will have the same fate as his hero. The bird’s funeral brings to life the sensitive and sophisticated internal layers that are always churning within Michael Scott, and honestly, what indirectly fuels his everyday actions. This is a beautiful character development because the “ridiculous” and “overly emotional” protagonist is also a deep thinker, a fragile soul, and someone who tries to bring cheer to everyone even when there is little to share.
The bird’s funeral serves as a stand-in for a rather personal connection and a raw example of the infuriatingly missing layers of female characters. Michael Scott is funny yet kind, charming but sensitive, soulful yet smart. There are oceans beyond what meets the eye, and his character’s ability to capture all of this is a rare sight — so much so that I cling to the idea that we are not alone. And hopefully not for much longer.
No One Wants To Be The Only One
One of the most remembered cold opens of The Office is when Michael Scott runs into his original UK counterpart, David Brent, in the elevator at Dunder Mifflin, Inc. This is an imperative scene because it’s a humorous-yet-powerful example of what happens when “two like minds,” well, bump into each other in an elevator.
Michael Scott is an outlier through and through, but his personality is extremely heightened when he is the only person in the room imprisoned for kidnapping the president’s son. (( Well, to be fair, it was actually “Prison Mike.” “The Convict,” The Office, 2006 )) One-of-a-kind people thrive on being their own unique self, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t feel more at peace with someone just as “crazy” as they are. Everyone needs to feel less alone in the world, and that’s exactly what happens when two people fall into perfect sync.
Unfortunately, there are women in the world who do not share Michael Scott’s enthusiasm for celebrating and empowering others like himself. This very reality continues to plague the feminist movement, where self-confident women are cast aside by others who are still trying to accept who they are. Media continues to pit women against women, and until society starts to shift, strong and distinctive females may find solace in Michael Scott.
Some people couldn’t be more different from each other even if they tried, but that doesn’t mean someone’s in the wrong. Every single person has something to offer, to learn, to grow, and to share with one another. The world would be a little less fun if everyone was a Stanley Hudson — and a whole lot crazier if there was nothing but Creed Bratton.
With Great Love Comes Great Loss
Michael Scott bought himself the iconic “World’s Best Boss” coffee mug, but his charisma, passion, vision for the world, and often-times-intrusive love for people proved him right. When he left for the life he always wanted in Colorado, a gaping hole remained. He was the source of staggering turmoil and shenanigans, but he was the heart and soul of that office. Michael Scott is The Office.
Steve Carell knew exactly how he wanted to say goodbye to the widely beloved character and that was to demonstrate his true growth. (( ShowbizCheatSheet, cheatsheet.com, 2020 )) This is illustrated when Michael Scott secretly leaves before the Party Planning Committee’s biggest celebration of him. Instead, he shines a light on each and every relationship he has with a personal and selfless touch — he doesn’t need to prove that everyone loves him. He simply wants to revel in (even for a moment) the family he fostered for seven years amidst conference room meetings, impressions, and just being his larger-than-life self.
He made mistakes, big ones even. But at the end of the day, people remember him for how he made them feel, for how much he loved them. He is the world’s best boss because his personality didn’t strip him of his professional accomplishments. He’s an icon, a role model — especially when you take a step back and look at the grander emotional connection. So, yes, Michael Scott is a man, and I am a woman — but he and I are the same. You and I are the same. He is a representation of every person who has ever felt like “too much” because he is too much, far too much, and so much more.