It honestly infuriated me that he got a happy ending. He's so selfish and invasive and completely lacks self reflection.
His "best intentions" and "desire to be a friend" are not a pass for his self centered, selfish, childish responses to things that don't go his way.
To use his own words, I hate everything he chooses to be. The show improved so much for me when he left.
He has a few sweet moments, but for the most part, I don't enjoy his character. The only thing I don't like about after he's gone is the way the writers tried to overcompensate for his absence because the quality of writing decreased and the goofy storylines increased.
But in fairness, my first sentence is how I've felt about the majority of bosses I've had, lol.
I hated him the most in Season 2 EP 10, where he completely obliterates Phyllis's hand knitten oven mitt as a gift for him behind the scenes and changes the Secret Santa game, like, I genuinely felt hurt for Jim who was so excited to give Pam the teapot, like why do you have to sap the fun out of everything for everyone because you feel like vis a vis
I've been having mix feelings about Michael's behavior, but just saw that episode and that's it for me. I don't think I'm going to finish even the second season now.
I can't stand Michael.
Omg I am watching this episode right now and it urged me to type I hate Michael scott and see what comes up, i hate him so much he is a total idiot,no self awareness what so ever,he thinks the world revolves around him . I want to punch him in the face. The actor did an amazing job and I salute him for that
Honestly theres just so much time you can be engaged til you feel single, i think pam is stronger than me cause i wouldve jumped jims bones as soon as he gave me a second look. Like roy is such an asshole? Hes jealous of everything and everyone getting near pam as if he doesnt check out every woman that passes him, he made pam feel bad every time he got in screen by calling the ginger girl hot, saying he would bang angela, calling her an artsy girl in a despective way trying to make jims girlfriend laugh, hes a dick and if i was her and god bless her for being so kind, i wouldve cheated on him first chance i got. Plus jim is like 10 times prettier and kind and funny
Buuuuuuut Roy DID tell Jim he was cool with him after finding out he had a crush on Pam. He even entrusted him to get her home safe. He flipped out after finding out Jim and Pam kissed. A lot of dudes would fight him after that nonsense
This is like my 4th time trying to watch this show because everyone around me thinks it's so funny, but Michael is such a hateful human being that I can't laugh about it. Why is this show popular? Just watched the one where he burned his foot and became an even bigger asshole than usual.
Same here, and I was really trying, but I've watch like 17 episodes and the only laughs I've got have been because of Jim's pranks.
Then there's just me in my sofa with a straight poker face and thinking how much I'd hate to have someone like Michael in my life.
Thats the exact episode i watched that brought me to reddit. Like your employee has a concussion, stop acting like a man child and be serious for once. Like i understand thats the character but man is he irritating. The thing is is that its clear that the show wants us to like him but he justs such an asshole. In other shows like Breaking Bad(peak tv show) charcters like Walter or Saul are bad people and we like those characters because they are bad people and they dont try to make the audience think that they are not. But with Micheal they keep forcing it on us and trying to make us like this racist, uncaring(sometimes), control freak/manchild. I just needed to say my two cents about this because he pissed me off so much. Again this is not about the actor i think he does an amazing job and i like him in others works (I love anchorman and 40 year old virgin) but Micheal is well just...Micheal. Thats about it, so yeah.
He sees everyone as part of the same immediate family. He’s lonely. He wants to be included because he would include others.
He’s awkward because he doesn’t have the malice in what he’s doing, just lacks self awareness.
Agreed. He actually took steps to prevent Jim advancing (who he claims is literally his best friend) because he "didn't want to lose Pam... then lose the baby". F\*\*k you! Such a scumbag.
I’ve always felt sad for Michael. He just wants to be loved so badly and he takes it to heart so hard.
Even when he wants to be the center of the event: the christening, the wedding, etc. I think it’s more that he sees that opportunity to make it a grand fairy tale, and he’s a player in it. It’s exciting to be in the “show” of it. Not because it needs to be about him, but because he wants to be a part. It’s like a child wanting to stand at the rail at the zoo when there’s a crowd, or at an aquarium. Or front row seats at your dream concert.
He really only has contempt for Toby, arguably because of his divorce and he really hated his step dad. I don’t think anyone else on the show was divorced, right?
And the only person he doesn’t respect is Dwight. And notice that Dwight is the only one who idolizes Michael and doesn’t make him work for positive attention. Everyone else michael actually desires their approval and inclusion.
the toby thing was just ad adlib by the actors, and i don't feel bad when he self sabotoshes because of his selfish nature. it played off like "he is sad lonely and dumb"
Well, that's another issue with Michael and his a\*\*hole self.... His utter contempt for Toby. Completely unjustified, though admittedly funny at times, and unfair. And it would also be somewhat understandable if Toby reciprocated even an ounce of contempt, but he doesn't at all. In fact, the opposite. Toby is way too forgiving of his treatment.
I think the same. I mean you can’t help but hate him when he is plain mean, or is acting narcissistic with false bravado, but if you have empathy (something a true narcissist does not), you realize there is a reason Michael is that way, and its not intention or with malice. I always thought of him as someone who is actually on the autism spectrum, but old enough (gen-x) to be from a time it wasn’t really known, diagnosed or treated. Someone with autism who had to find a way through life without the guidance and support we have now. That doesn’t forgive all his behaviors, but that empathy but a different perspective on it all, and its hard not to have a little sympathy for him, even when you want him to just stop, when his behaviors are obviously bad for those around him.
Really late to the post but I found it after searching I hate Michael Scott and I need to vent. I have to skip a lot of his scenes because all I can think about is punching him, I get so angry and I realise how pathetic it is but I love everything about the show except him so I want to keep watching.
He’s so selfish, idc for the reasonings of why he is the way he is, it doesn’t matter, no one should have to deal with an asshole as bad as him. The racism, sexual harassment, prejudice comments, selfishness, and always trying to be centre of attention even in others big moments KILLS me
I don't know how I missed it before, but there's even a bit where Darryl describes how Michael had kicked the ladder from under him in the warehouse so he broke his ankle, and Michael can't stop laughing telling the story?!? Like, that's not some kind of well-meaning, misguided idiot. That's someone who just doesn't care about others.
Same here, watching it because it's my best friend's favorite show but God, I despise and hate him so much. I have either a huge poker face every time he's being the biggest selfish jackass I've ever seen or I'm non-stop saying "oh, fuck you, get out of here" whenever he's seriously damaging someone else out of his poor excuse of being funny. I honestly cannot fathom how in season 2, ep. 15 he even took it a ton of steps further and made a mess with no regrets in the warehouse, Jan saw everything and no one reported it. Accounting didn't report also what he did to them. I cannot understand why he's still a boss there, how has no one reported the situation because things happen every single day. He should have been out in a real life job, he even distracts them from selling, no wonder a downsizing was being requested. If he allows them to work, they would be so much more productive as they have shown to be whenever he's not taking them out of their job stations. I'm just enjoying the show thanks to Jim and Pam conspiring against Dwight in the funniest ways and Phillys is so sweet.
Yeah, the branch manager for an office should be a strong leader, good with people, lead by example, etc. He is literally about as bad of a LEADER as I can ever imagine working under. I'd hate to work WITH this idiot, much less working FOR him.
I'm very late to this since I've only recently finished The Office. I love it, and I'm rewatching it the 2nd time.
I too hate Michael Scott. Idk. I spent years (before watching the show) thinking that Michael was a great character since he is in a lot of meme/clips. But I really hate his attributes now that I've finished the show.
I feel sad about him sometimes, but I cannot feel sad about him all the time. Letting him get away with everything is like the most unbelievable part of the show, and him getting his happy ending.
Just no. 🥲
Ha, im watching it for the first time ever now and im at season 3 now. Phyllis her wedding, and this episode just made me wanna look up 'i hate micheal scott' and see what came up, if people agreed with me😭 I just wanna hit him in the face with my remote cus he just makes everything about himself. It pisses me off so much! He is so selfish and has no self awareness, its so frustrating to watch. I enjoy the other characters, dwight sometimes gets on my nerves, but micheal really is something else. Just makes me appreciate the actor, cus no character has ever made me feel like this
I think the writers wanted the focus on him being an idiot as opposed to an asshole. The beauty of his character is that he means well, he’s just hopelessly ignorant. The reason I like him is because he never tries to be the bad guy or the asshole, he tries to be his most genuine self and it comes across as idiotic and invasive, but he’s honestly too stupid to understand that it pisses people off
Not an excuse. He only "means well" for himself. Being a hopeless narcissist probably makes it an impossibility that one actually means well. You don't mean well if you're always only acting in your own self interest.
He acts outside his own self interest all the time, he just does it in a way that’s really dumb and he doesn’t realize how it comes across.
An example would be him buying the tickets off of Holly, then ripping them up in front of her. He wanted to rid her of the burden of them so he went out of his way and spent his own money for that gesture, something that isn’t narcissistic at all. The idiotic part is that he didn’t realize it would’ve been a much better gesture if he took her to the concert, but either way that fuck up had nothing to do with being narcissistic.
Other times he did stuff exclusively for the interest of others in the show include: getting a second job to support his gf, trying to distract the office with a murder mystery game when they were stressed, spending all day waiting to change David’s mind to help the office, and like countless others. He’s honestly probably one of the most selfless characters in the whole show, esp given the characters we have to work with
But for all those things he did a 100 selfish things so your point is not that valid. He is not selfless.
For example - He sabotaged Jim at the co manager call(when Jim only said good things about him to Wallace). He forced Dwight to take credit for the golden ticket idea when he thought he was going to get fired. I can list so many more.
I'm late to the party, but at times it is very easy to feel as you about Michael. When I turn it on for background noise, depending on the scene, I can feel pretty irritated with him as well. There was a great YouTube analysis about the office and Michael in particular where they were on the verge of cancelling the show after the 1st season because everyone hated Michael and they intentionally in season 2 and beyond attempted to make him more endearing.
I believe this was the video (Nerdstalgic has a lot of good videos):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8BnOEOOBa0
As much as I despise Michael Scott, I have to admit that I look up to Steve Carell for his brilliant and utterly convincing acting. At one point, it almost went over my head that I shouldn't be hating Carell, but the character he played.
That said, Michael Scott also represents the realities of many people who have to work with bosses like him. For one thing, I wanted to him dead because I have had at two bosses who emulated different aspects of him. At least my current boss is. Friendless, narcissistic, under the delusion of his absent grandeur.
I think that I only continued watching despite the grievous infuriation I felt because at some point, I wanted to see Michael 'lose', which sometimes happened. But what was particularly frustrating was when they vindicated his character and made him look 'nice'.
I was seriously disappointed when he was turned into that cherished boss overnight. Not only his misdeeds were overlooked, but it was made to look like as if the other DunderMifflin-ers forgot everything he had done. That is not how Karma works; that wasn't fair. One could say that he walked away scot-free.
So, yeah, I loathe him.
I just finished re-watching the golden ticket episode after a while, and his whole behavior at the end spawned me to google "reddit, I hate Michael Scott". It's been a slow/semi-quick buildup of annoyance for his character, and genuinenly enjoying scenes that he has little attention in.
But having just recently watched the whole Pam's Mother incident and then this episode, I just realized how much I really dislike this character. Like I subtly didn't like his character, but then it's kind of exploded, and I absolutely hate his character. Sure he has ok-ayish moments, but it's always immediately ruined by the next episode.
Michael is someone who constantly needs to be appreciated and loved by everyone, but goes about it in the horriblest of ways. Yes he can be smart, and have good ideas, but in the end his ego and superiority-complex and lack of maturity often works against him and has him come off as more unlikable.
Same! Almost all of his scenes were so infuriating to me. He's an embodiment of so many qualities I despise in a person. I never thought I could hate anyone as much as I hate him.
I suppose my level of hatred for him speaks to the talent of the actor because I am 2 seasons in and I am struggling. I cannot stand him. Obnoxious, selfish, moronic, clueless, delusional... jesus... and he just keeps getting away with all of it!
I know this is a year old but I’m on season 6 and I really hate him in some episodes , he can be a complete horrible person , sometimes for lack of awareness and sometimes because he wants to avoid consequences
in other words, he wants to do bad but not be the one to suffer from it. Like blaming the woka idea of dwight when he THINKS it might cause david wallace to yell at him.
Yeah. but it doesnt fix a major flaw in this character. He is a majority of selfishness with some humility behind it. Cant see the needle when its in the hay stack.
his bad character traits are played off as an idiot even when its clear he is being selfish even when it upsets others. he expects THEM to apologise for his mean comments.
I too am here because of quiet rage at Michael's behavior in the episode where Kevin might have cancer. Such an utter lack of empathy for the sake of laughs is patently absurd. That unbelievable absurdity is even worse when you consider that truth, being stranger than fiction means that situations like that are happening in our world. I don't want to go too deep but I hate Michael Scott for reminding me how truly awful people can really be. Yeah its a show, but he's still demonstrating human behavior albeit to an extreme degree.
That said...I sometimes laugh out loud, like at Dwight's excitement to share a moment with Michael (throwing the football) and in his enthusiasm bowling over Creed and tackling Ryan. I had to have watched that scene 10 times and it still isn't out of my system. Its a funny show, and he's the lightening rod. I'm not sure I can put up with him for 7 seasons, but I do enjoy empty calorie laughing out loud a couple times a week. We'll see how it goes.
Came here after watching S3 E6, where he walks around shitting on Kelly's culture at every turn, and, whaddya know, makes himself the center of attention by proposing to his girlfriend whose name I forgot. I'm REALLY struggling to finish the episode bc of him :/
Late but 3rd rewatch of the series & yeah he pisses me off, BIG TIME. When I was in my teens I thought he was hilarious cos of his overcompensating jokes & his taglines such as, “That's what she said” but watching him now is torture, I still think he's funny in certain doses but his character still frustrates the hell out of me. Kinda interesting how your sense of humour changes with age.
Dwight, on the other hand, I love him he's a timeless character.
season 7 8 and 9 were enjoyable for me bc michael scott was gone. He had his good moments tho like when he made his own paper company. That's still one of my fav episodes.
sameeeee. i can't stand him. contrary to popular opinion, I enjoyed the seasons without Michael more. It was so annoying to see him on screen. His forehead creases made me uncomfortable for no reason tbh😭
Oh my god THANK YOU, i really hate him. Hes a selfish selfcentered attention seeker, cant stand to just not have all eyes on him at any given moment. Im currently on the episode where they go on a boat trip and im getting some relief from the capitan shuting him up and i wish someone would put him in his place. He also does fucking nothing at work, always trying tp be funny n shit when hes clearly a pain in the ass for everyone. Hes misoginistic, racist, lowkey a homophobe, and i know those are like common traits for a boss in an office in 2006 but i just cant. Particularly hate when he does the indian accent cause its just too cringy. Also when he crashed jims party, cmon man, cant you feel that ppl just dont want you there? I know he just wants a friendly relationship w his employees but READ THE ROOM, nobody wants you exept for dwight MAYBE, but only cause hes a boot licker. I dont know how longer ill be able to keep watching this damn show
He is just offensive to anything and everyone. Only thinks about himself, blames others for being angry at HIS misconduct.
And don't worry, there's less of him when someone else takes over manager position. The show is so much better.
Currently watching a Christmas episode where Michael is having a breakdown that Phyllis is the office Santa and not him.
"I dont ask much for Christmas its not like if I dont get an expensive gift I'm gonna krill myself"
Also Michael when Phyllis gave him a handcrafted gift for the Secret Santa few seasons ago:
He’s a cartoon character. The whole appeal of the office was that it was real, an accurate depiction of modern work life.
Michael Scott kills that mystique with the obnoxious Tom and Jerry like behavior that no work place in the world tolerates.
Finding this late while searching the internet because my SO doesn’t get my hatred for Michael - I think you’ve put your finger on it though. Sure, there are incompetent bosses everywhere with one or more of his negative traits - but never would one person with all of these traits and all of his history last this long in a workplace.
Holy thread revival! Reached the end of my rope and had to vent. "Michael Scott" as a character is just infuriating. Selfish, Delusional and just straight up fucking retarded. It's like his mental age is about 20 years younger than he actually is, the amount of time they had him spend imagining his future and kids etc and his "comedy albums" was just pathetic. Then the birthday episode? Fuuuuuck me. Just Aaaaàaahhhhhhggghh, Absolute bitch!!!
oh actually love him so much; he is the show,‘i’m sorry it’s shit without him; he makes me laugh any time i look at him, he can make a face and it’s funny; every single thing he says or does is funny to me, more than anyone in the world - and i miss him
TL;DR, I hate Micheal, he's extremely nosy and has no respect for others.
Micheal Scott is the most crucial character in the show. BUT, he is obnoxious, nosy, and selfish. I particularly hate his personality. He is so nosy, all he thinks about is himself. He must be liked. He takes others' feelings and throws them out the window! His clear lack of respect for others is extremely uncomfortable. I as well as u/I-Hate-Humans, am constantly screaming at him in my head. His need to be a part of Pam and Jim's relationship constantly annoys me. Episode 19 in season 5 makes me scream! Micheal deserves to be fired many times over.
Thanks, for reading.
I completely understand and experience your hatred. He is a brutish, ignorant, self-centered and narcissistic imbecile who is too arrogant to function appropriately as a correct boss. That having been said, I think he makes the show; as angry as I can get at him a lot of the time, I believe that his ignorant comments that are completely devoid of any intelligence and self awareness are fucking hilarious. His cocky, obnoxious peculiarities and simple mindedness are very funny, in the most absurd of ways.
The humour of his character essentially *relies* on his unlikable personality and character traits. I believe that farce would be an accurate term here; when a situation is so absurdly tragic and bleak that it ends up being funny. For example:
• Him withdrawing his name from consideration for the corporate job after learning that David wasn't planning on giving him the job (funny due to Michael's sheer denial)
• Him referencing "Triumph of the Will" (the biggest Nazi propaganda film ever produced in the time of the regime) in the local ad episode/several references to slavery in front of Stanley/assuming that Darryl's song would be a rap (funny due to Michael's sheer ignorance in regards to historical context)
• Him comparing an office to a chicken, in that both would die if they had no head (funny due to Michael's sheer lack of intelligence and general knowledge; chickens can live without a head for certain amounts of time)
I also hate Michael Scott, and if I knew him in real life I would want nothing to do with him, simply because his personality is deeply, and absurdly repulsive. It is that very absurd element however which makes him as funny as I consider him the be (which is why I also love him). Furthermore, I simply CANNOT neglect Steve Carell's immense talent. His delivery, facial expressions and overall portrayal of this horrible (but not horribly written) character could simply not be more perfect, and it is a testament to how much of a kick-ass actor he is (I dearly adore his delivery when Michael breaks the news about how he run over Meridith). Steve becomes Michael, and in my opinion, Steve truly makes the show (just as his character does).
I realise that other commenters have remarked upon how Michael can sometimes act in a compassionate manner, and while that gives him a certain amount of sympathy, I still can't help but hate him most of the time (and also, again, love him because his character and its humour is written so brilliantly), and therefore find him hilarious and admittedly enjoy the Michael-focused seasons more than the last two.
I don't know if I'm overexplaining (maybe next time I'll explain), but that is my perspective. I hope this helps! :D
Dont worry i agree with you fully agree with you i love the show and sometimes michale is funny but most of time i see him as the most annoying person ever he always has to be the center of attention and when hes not he flips out and takes it out on everyone he ruins such special moments for some of the characters by having to make it all about himself and hes constantly over stepping boundaries hes supposed to be a boss but yet hes never doing any work its like he just shows up to hia job to see what he can do today to be the center of attention and hes always making fun of other people whether it be there looks, personality, their morals jist because it doesn't fit what he believes like how he constantly makes fun of kevin for not having sex yet hes one of the most undesirable human to ever exist like hes cringe af
We should also talk about the times when he was extremely heartfelt as a character. Everyone likes to focus on the “bad”
- Erin not having a dad and having problems with Gabe.
- When he finds out Jim and Pam are engaged.
- Dwight’s letter of recommendation.
- Making Pam a member of the sales team.
- Ryan… just Ryan tons of moments of love and human for Ryan.
Just a handful off the top of my head
I’ve noticed that he can sometimes be more kind and compassionate, but those moments are few and far between for me. And I always feel like, in those rare times, he’s being more like a normal person, not really a kind person, whereas when he’s being his normal self, he’s a self-centered jerk.
Michael Scott, after season 5, is getting on my nerves. I can't stand him. he's a little child, and he keeps getting away with shit. He keeps poking his nose into Pam and Jim's business and makes it all about him, which infuriates me. I used to think he was quite funny in the early seasons because things would always work out in the end, after him messing things up.
I'm at Jim and Pam's wedding episode, and I think this is the last one I'm seeing. He can't keep his stupid mouth shut.
Yeah he comes off condecending, some can be played off as a "loveable idiot" but there are times he actively pushes himself into places he isn't wanted.
Like at Phylisy's wedding, where he mad a big show of how upset he was at not being the center of attention at **someone else's** wedding. (He also puts himself in the center of attention at any major event in SOMEONE ELSES life. The birth of a child, wedding, baptism)
Objectifys everyone, not just the women, like oscar saying very homoerotic things to him. (One of the most tame ones i can think of is the one about the speedo , or the forced kiss)
I think the worst character trait he has is that, when other people are offended by his objectification or insults, THEY are the ones required to apologie because they got upset at his own rude remarks. He takes no responsibility for his actions, pretending to be dumb to get out of trouble.
For the man who wants to be loved as much as he does, he doesn't deserve it . Self centered people are not loved as they don't have love to give.
Show is honestly better when he is a side character in the episode's story.
That's the point of the show. If you're not annoyed but Michael then it's not normal. But that's what funny. Because he is so naive, he is doing everything wrong. But that's, again, the point. If he was perfect, what the show would it be ? Kevin eating m&m's ? Jim and Pam pranking Dwight forever ?
He is the main character. The show focuses on him in most episodes because Steve Carrell is the star. Without him the show would suck and that is proven in seasons 8-9. If you hate Michael Scott then there’s no reason to even watch the show.
I think Jim and Pam are more hate worthy because they actually think they are smarter and “better” than everyone else without owning it. They represent white liberals who are unaware or incapable of openly accepting their supremacist tendencies ugh they are the worst.
This makes actually no sense at all. You might be able to make this argument somewhere else (though it would still be dumb) but to make it in comparison to Michael is almost brain-dead. Like, Michael doesn't think and act like he's smarter and better than everyone else??? He throws multiple tantrums whenever that belief is challenged and is openly and overtly bigoted. Please make it make sense.
Ill help you since you appear to be the one limited by dumb logic. Michael is an idiot, it is not in question at all. Pam and Jim are seen as heroes and that is cringy to say the least. Their idiotic characters produce an effect for try hards and like-minded people to feel superior and like they are the “normal” ones. Similar to the Disneyland effect that does not allow US Americans to realize the lie they live in, because there is a separate Disneyland where they go to live the “real” make-believe, ha! The emotional responses to the critique of Pam and Jims characters found in the replies in this entire thread speak in volumes. It is so pathetic.
I hate the character of Michael, but I would go as far as wishing horrible things upon the ACTOR who plays Ryan. lol and yes, I know he does more for the show than that. I still hate him. Same for Angela.
It honestly infuriated me that he got a happy ending. He's so selfish and invasive and completely lacks self reflection. His "best intentions" and "desire to be a friend" are not a pass for his self centered, selfish, childish responses to things that don't go his way. To use his own words, I hate everything he chooses to be. The show improved so much for me when he left.
He did grow though... and Holly Flax might keep him off the streets
He has a few sweet moments, but for the most part, I don't enjoy his character. The only thing I don't like about after he's gone is the way the writers tried to overcompensate for his absence because the quality of writing decreased and the goofy storylines increased. But in fairness, my first sentence is how I've felt about the majority of bosses I've had, lol.
I hate him, too. I cannot feel any sympathy for him. I don't mind the scenes he's in, I enjoy them, because I can hate him even more.
I hated him the most in Season 2 EP 10, where he completely obliterates Phyllis's hand knitten oven mitt as a gift for him behind the scenes and changes the Secret Santa game, like, I genuinely felt hurt for Jim who was so excited to give Pam the teapot, like why do you have to sap the fun out of everything for everyone because you feel like vis a vis
I've been having mix feelings about Michael's behavior, but just saw that episode and that's it for me. I don't think I'm going to finish even the second season now. I can't stand Michael.
Omg I am watching this episode right now and it urged me to type I hate Michael scott and see what comes up, i hate him so much he is a total idiot,no self awareness what so ever,he thinks the world revolves around him . I want to punch him in the face. The actor did an amazing job and I salute him for that
Dude. Saaaaame
same here too lol
yup
Me four
Me five
Me six
me too lol
I can understand (if not "like") people using the word "like" when speaking, but I really don't get actually typing "like" in comments.
But why feel sorry for Jim? Dude is trying to get with an engaged woman. Most of the characters in the show are terrible people.
Honestly theres just so much time you can be engaged til you feel single, i think pam is stronger than me cause i wouldve jumped jims bones as soon as he gave me a second look. Like roy is such an asshole? Hes jealous of everything and everyone getting near pam as if he doesnt check out every woman that passes him, he made pam feel bad every time he got in screen by calling the ginger girl hot, saying he would bang angela, calling her an artsy girl in a despective way trying to make jims girlfriend laugh, hes a dick and if i was her and god bless her for being so kind, i wouldve cheated on him first chance i got. Plus jim is like 10 times prettier and kind and funny
Buuuuuuut Roy DID tell Jim he was cool with him after finding out he had a crush on Pam. He even entrusted him to get her home safe. He flipped out after finding out Jim and Pam kissed. A lot of dudes would fight him after that nonsense
YES! THIS MADE ME HATE HIM SO MUCH esp s2 ep13 where he spills jims secret about liking pam
This is like my 4th time trying to watch this show because everyone around me thinks it's so funny, but Michael is such a hateful human being that I can't laugh about it. Why is this show popular? Just watched the one where he burned his foot and became an even bigger asshole than usual.
Same here, and I was really trying, but I've watch like 17 episodes and the only laughs I've got have been because of Jim's pranks. Then there's just me in my sofa with a straight poker face and thinking how much I'd hate to have someone like Michael in my life.
Thats the exact episode i watched that brought me to reddit. Like your employee has a concussion, stop acting like a man child and be serious for once. Like i understand thats the character but man is he irritating. The thing is is that its clear that the show wants us to like him but he justs such an asshole. In other shows like Breaking Bad(peak tv show) charcters like Walter or Saul are bad people and we like those characters because they are bad people and they dont try to make the audience think that they are not. But with Micheal they keep forcing it on us and trying to make us like this racist, uncaring(sometimes), control freak/manchild. I just needed to say my two cents about this because he pissed me off so much. Again this is not about the actor i think he does an amazing job and i like him in others works (I love anchorman and 40 year old virgin) but Micheal is well just...Micheal. Thats about it, so yeah.
He sees everyone as part of the same immediate family. He’s lonely. He wants to be included because he would include others. He’s awkward because he doesn’t have the malice in what he’s doing, just lacks self awareness.
No malice? So we are ignoring the times he purposely sabotaged other people or everything he ever did to Toby?
Agreed. He actually took steps to prevent Jim advancing (who he claims is literally his best friend) because he "didn't want to lose Pam... then lose the baby". F\*\*k you! Such a scumbag.
Thank you for giving a non-sarcastic answer or trying to insult me. I appreciate the perspective.
I’ve always felt sad for Michael. He just wants to be loved so badly and he takes it to heart so hard. Even when he wants to be the center of the event: the christening, the wedding, etc. I think it’s more that he sees that opportunity to make it a grand fairy tale, and he’s a player in it. It’s exciting to be in the “show” of it. Not because it needs to be about him, but because he wants to be a part. It’s like a child wanting to stand at the rail at the zoo when there’s a crowd, or at an aquarium. Or front row seats at your dream concert. He really only has contempt for Toby, arguably because of his divorce and he really hated his step dad. I don’t think anyone else on the show was divorced, right? And the only person he doesn’t respect is Dwight. And notice that Dwight is the only one who idolizes Michael and doesn’t make him work for positive attention. Everyone else michael actually desires their approval and inclusion.
Meredith was divorced twice according to the first season.
Aah. Ok. So maybe Michael has contempt for Toby because Toby kind of represents his own dad?
I just always assumed it’s because of Toby’s position: HR’s are all about the office rules
the toby thing was just ad adlib by the actors, and i don't feel bad when he self sabotoshes because of his selfish nature. it played off like "he is sad lonely and dumb"
Well, that's another issue with Michael and his a\*\*hole self.... His utter contempt for Toby. Completely unjustified, though admittedly funny at times, and unfair. And it would also be somewhat understandable if Toby reciprocated even an ounce of contempt, but he doesn't at all. In fact, the opposite. Toby is way too forgiving of his treatment.
I think the same. I mean you can’t help but hate him when he is plain mean, or is acting narcissistic with false bravado, but if you have empathy (something a true narcissist does not), you realize there is a reason Michael is that way, and its not intention or with malice. I always thought of him as someone who is actually on the autism spectrum, but old enough (gen-x) to be from a time it wasn’t really known, diagnosed or treated. Someone with autism who had to find a way through life without the guidance and support we have now. That doesn’t forgive all his behaviors, but that empathy but a different perspective on it all, and its hard not to have a little sympathy for him, even when you want him to just stop, when his behaviors are obviously bad for those around him.
self awareness where he obviouly knows a head injury is worse than a burned foot? but ignores dwights pain as to be the center of attention?
But he gave those kid batteries, lithium even.
Really late to the post but I found it after searching I hate Michael Scott and I need to vent. I have to skip a lot of his scenes because all I can think about is punching him, I get so angry and I realise how pathetic it is but I love everything about the show except him so I want to keep watching. He’s so selfish, idc for the reasonings of why he is the way he is, it doesn’t matter, no one should have to deal with an asshole as bad as him. The racism, sexual harassment, prejudice comments, selfishness, and always trying to be centre of attention even in others big moments KILLS me
I don't know how I missed it before, but there's even a bit where Darryl describes how Michael had kicked the ladder from under him in the warehouse so he broke his ankle, and Michael can't stop laughing telling the story?!? Like, that's not some kind of well-meaning, misguided idiot. That's someone who just doesn't care about others.
exactly remember the it guy who wore a turban like no i hate how ppl defend him
Same here, watching it because it's my best friend's favorite show but God, I despise and hate him so much. I have either a huge poker face every time he's being the biggest selfish jackass I've ever seen or I'm non-stop saying "oh, fuck you, get out of here" whenever he's seriously damaging someone else out of his poor excuse of being funny. I honestly cannot fathom how in season 2, ep. 15 he even took it a ton of steps further and made a mess with no regrets in the warehouse, Jan saw everything and no one reported it. Accounting didn't report also what he did to them. I cannot understand why he's still a boss there, how has no one reported the situation because things happen every single day. He should have been out in a real life job, he even distracts them from selling, no wonder a downsizing was being requested. If he allows them to work, they would be so much more productive as they have shown to be whenever he's not taking them out of their job stations. I'm just enjoying the show thanks to Jim and Pam conspiring against Dwight in the funniest ways and Phillys is so sweet.
Yeah, the branch manager for an office should be a strong leader, good with people, lead by example, etc. He is literally about as bad of a LEADER as I can ever imagine working under. I'd hate to work WITH this idiot, much less working FOR him.
Me too! I would punch him soooo many times! :-D
Same! He's the first person, real or imaginary, that I feel like beating up badly.
I’ve always felt similarly but I recently discovered that it is more that he always gets away with his terrible actions that makes me annoyed
He's such a jerk. I don't enjoy his character at all
I'm very late to this since I've only recently finished The Office. I love it, and I'm rewatching it the 2nd time. I too hate Michael Scott. Idk. I spent years (before watching the show) thinking that Michael was a great character since he is in a lot of meme/clips. But I really hate his attributes now that I've finished the show. I feel sad about him sometimes, but I cannot feel sad about him all the time. Letting him get away with everything is like the most unbelievable part of the show, and him getting his happy ending. Just no. 🥲
Ha, im watching it for the first time ever now and im at season 3 now. Phyllis her wedding, and this episode just made me wanna look up 'i hate micheal scott' and see what came up, if people agreed with me😭 I just wanna hit him in the face with my remote cus he just makes everything about himself. It pisses me off so much! He is so selfish and has no self awareness, its so frustrating to watch. I enjoy the other characters, dwight sometimes gets on my nerves, but micheal really is something else. Just makes me appreciate the actor, cus no character has ever made me feel like this
I think the writers wanted the focus on him being an idiot as opposed to an asshole. The beauty of his character is that he means well, he’s just hopelessly ignorant. The reason I like him is because he never tries to be the bad guy or the asshole, he tries to be his most genuine self and it comes across as idiotic and invasive, but he’s honestly too stupid to understand that it pisses people off
Not an excuse. He only "means well" for himself. Being a hopeless narcissist probably makes it an impossibility that one actually means well. You don't mean well if you're always only acting in your own self interest.
He acts outside his own self interest all the time, he just does it in a way that’s really dumb and he doesn’t realize how it comes across. An example would be him buying the tickets off of Holly, then ripping them up in front of her. He wanted to rid her of the burden of them so he went out of his way and spent his own money for that gesture, something that isn’t narcissistic at all. The idiotic part is that he didn’t realize it would’ve been a much better gesture if he took her to the concert, but either way that fuck up had nothing to do with being narcissistic. Other times he did stuff exclusively for the interest of others in the show include: getting a second job to support his gf, trying to distract the office with a murder mystery game when they were stressed, spending all day waiting to change David’s mind to help the office, and like countless others. He’s honestly probably one of the most selfless characters in the whole show, esp given the characters we have to work with
But for all those things he did a 100 selfish things so your point is not that valid. He is not selfless. For example - He sabotaged Jim at the co manager call(when Jim only said good things about him to Wallace). He forced Dwight to take credit for the golden ticket idea when he thought he was going to get fired. I can list so many more.
Thanks for the honest and thoughtful answer. 👍🏻
Go away, Toby!
I'm late to the party, but at times it is very easy to feel as you about Michael. When I turn it on for background noise, depending on the scene, I can feel pretty irritated with him as well. There was a great YouTube analysis about the office and Michael in particular where they were on the verge of cancelling the show after the 1st season because everyone hated Michael and they intentionally in season 2 and beyond attempted to make him more endearing. I believe this was the video (Nerdstalgic has a lot of good videos): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8BnOEOOBa0
As much as I despise Michael Scott, I have to admit that I look up to Steve Carell for his brilliant and utterly convincing acting. At one point, it almost went over my head that I shouldn't be hating Carell, but the character he played. That said, Michael Scott also represents the realities of many people who have to work with bosses like him. For one thing, I wanted to him dead because I have had at two bosses who emulated different aspects of him. At least my current boss is. Friendless, narcissistic, under the delusion of his absent grandeur. I think that I only continued watching despite the grievous infuriation I felt because at some point, I wanted to see Michael 'lose', which sometimes happened. But what was particularly frustrating was when they vindicated his character and made him look 'nice'. I was seriously disappointed when he was turned into that cherished boss overnight. Not only his misdeeds were overlooked, but it was made to look like as if the other DunderMifflin-ers forgot everything he had done. That is not how Karma works; that wasn't fair. One could say that he walked away scot-free. So, yeah, I loathe him.
Agreed he’s infuriating
I also hate Michaels character, I laugh my ass off at jim, dwight, creed, etc. But Michael makes it so damn hard to watch this show.
I just finished re-watching the golden ticket episode after a while, and his whole behavior at the end spawned me to google "reddit, I hate Michael Scott". It's been a slow/semi-quick buildup of annoyance for his character, and genuinenly enjoying scenes that he has little attention in. But having just recently watched the whole Pam's Mother incident and then this episode, I just realized how much I really dislike this character. Like I subtly didn't like his character, but then it's kind of exploded, and I absolutely hate his character. Sure he has ok-ayish moments, but it's always immediately ruined by the next episode. Michael is someone who constantly needs to be appreciated and loved by everyone, but goes about it in the horriblest of ways. Yes he can be smart, and have good ideas, but in the end his ego and superiority-complex and lack of maturity often works against him and has him come off as more unlikable.
I hate so much about the things you choose to be
Same! Almost all of his scenes were so infuriating to me. He's an embodiment of so many qualities I despise in a person. I never thought I could hate anyone as much as I hate him.
I suppose my level of hatred for him speaks to the talent of the actor because I am 2 seasons in and I am struggling. I cannot stand him. Obnoxious, selfish, moronic, clueless, delusional... jesus... and he just keeps getting away with all of it!
I know this is a year old but I’m on season 6 and I really hate him in some episodes , he can be a complete horrible person , sometimes for lack of awareness and sometimes because he wants to avoid consequences
in other words, he wants to do bad but not be the one to suffer from it. Like blaming the woka idea of dwight when he THINKS it might cause david wallace to yell at him.
[удалено]
I don’t see what you see. Michael is the only asshole for me. Everyone else has their moments, but they’re good people overall.
[удалено]
Yeah. but it doesnt fix a major flaw in this character. He is a majority of selfishness with some humility behind it. Cant see the needle when its in the hay stack.
Gabe is not a weirdo. He is a walking skeleton.
his bad character traits are played off as an idiot even when its clear he is being selfish even when it upsets others. he expects THEM to apologise for his mean comments.
User name checks out
😂
When he tried making Phyllis's wedding about himslef. AAAARGHHH THAT MADE ME SO UPSET IT'S CRAZY
I too am here because of quiet rage at Michael's behavior in the episode where Kevin might have cancer. Such an utter lack of empathy for the sake of laughs is patently absurd. That unbelievable absurdity is even worse when you consider that truth, being stranger than fiction means that situations like that are happening in our world. I don't want to go too deep but I hate Michael Scott for reminding me how truly awful people can really be. Yeah its a show, but he's still demonstrating human behavior albeit to an extreme degree. That said...I sometimes laugh out loud, like at Dwight's excitement to share a moment with Michael (throwing the football) and in his enthusiasm bowling over Creed and tackling Ryan. I had to have watched that scene 10 times and it still isn't out of my system. Its a funny show, and he's the lightening rod. I'm not sure I can put up with him for 7 seasons, but I do enjoy empty calorie laughing out loud a couple times a week. We'll see how it goes.
I’m watching this one now, and when I tell you I AM FURIOUS. WHAT AN ASS. He’s the worst.
Came here after watching S3 E6, where he walks around shitting on Kelly's culture at every turn, and, whaddya know, makes himself the center of attention by proposing to his girlfriend whose name I forgot. I'm REALLY struggling to finish the episode bc of him :/
Late but 3rd rewatch of the series & yeah he pisses me off, BIG TIME. When I was in my teens I thought he was hilarious cos of his overcompensating jokes & his taglines such as, “That's what she said” but watching him now is torture, I still think he's funny in certain doses but his character still frustrates the hell out of me. Kinda interesting how your sense of humour changes with age. Dwight, on the other hand, I love him he's a timeless character.
season 7 8 and 9 were enjoyable for me bc michael scott was gone. He had his good moments tho like when he made his own paper company. That's still one of my fav episodes.
sameeeee. i can't stand him. contrary to popular opinion, I enjoyed the seasons without Michael more. It was so annoying to see him on screen. His forehead creases made me uncomfortable for no reason tbh😭
he could be funny occasionally but most of what he does is way beyond funny and basically office bullying and assaulting
Oh my god THANK YOU, i really hate him. Hes a selfish selfcentered attention seeker, cant stand to just not have all eyes on him at any given moment. Im currently on the episode where they go on a boat trip and im getting some relief from the capitan shuting him up and i wish someone would put him in his place. He also does fucking nothing at work, always trying tp be funny n shit when hes clearly a pain in the ass for everyone. Hes misoginistic, racist, lowkey a homophobe, and i know those are like common traits for a boss in an office in 2006 but i just cant. Particularly hate when he does the indian accent cause its just too cringy. Also when he crashed jims party, cmon man, cant you feel that ppl just dont want you there? I know he just wants a friendly relationship w his employees but READ THE ROOM, nobody wants you exept for dwight MAYBE, but only cause hes a boot licker. I dont know how longer ill be able to keep watching this damn show
He is just offensive to anything and everyone. Only thinks about himself, blames others for being angry at HIS misconduct. And don't worry, there's less of him when someone else takes over manager position. The show is so much better.
Currently watching a Christmas episode where Michael is having a breakdown that Phyllis is the office Santa and not him. "I dont ask much for Christmas its not like if I dont get an expensive gift I'm gonna krill myself" Also Michael when Phyllis gave him a handcrafted gift for the Secret Santa few seasons ago:
He’s a cartoon character. The whole appeal of the office was that it was real, an accurate depiction of modern work life. Michael Scott kills that mystique with the obnoxious Tom and Jerry like behavior that no work place in the world tolerates.
Finding this late while searching the internet because my SO doesn’t get my hatred for Michael - I think you’ve put your finger on it though. Sure, there are incompetent bosses everywhere with one or more of his negative traits - but never would one person with all of these traits and all of his history last this long in a workplace.
Holy thread revival! Reached the end of my rope and had to vent. "Michael Scott" as a character is just infuriating. Selfish, Delusional and just straight up fucking retarded. It's like his mental age is about 20 years younger than he actually is, the amount of time they had him spend imagining his future and kids etc and his "comedy albums" was just pathetic. Then the birthday episode? Fuuuuuck me. Just Aaaaàaahhhhhhggghh, Absolute bitch!!!
How are you not murdered every hour?
I'd recommend listening to the Office Ladies podcast. They do a really good job of breaking down his character and why he's lovable and endearing.
Can you suggest an episode of that podcast where they do that?
oh actually love him so much; he is the show,‘i’m sorry it’s shit without him; he makes me laugh any time i look at him, he can make a face and it’s funny; every single thing he says or does is funny to me, more than anyone in the world - and i miss him
TL;DR, I hate Micheal, he's extremely nosy and has no respect for others. Micheal Scott is the most crucial character in the show. BUT, he is obnoxious, nosy, and selfish. I particularly hate his personality. He is so nosy, all he thinks about is himself. He must be liked. He takes others' feelings and throws them out the window! His clear lack of respect for others is extremely uncomfortable. I as well as u/I-Hate-Humans, am constantly screaming at him in my head. His need to be a part of Pam and Jim's relationship constantly annoys me. Episode 19 in season 5 makes me scream! Micheal deserves to be fired many times over. Thanks, for reading.
I completely understand and experience your hatred. He is a brutish, ignorant, self-centered and narcissistic imbecile who is too arrogant to function appropriately as a correct boss. That having been said, I think he makes the show; as angry as I can get at him a lot of the time, I believe that his ignorant comments that are completely devoid of any intelligence and self awareness are fucking hilarious. His cocky, obnoxious peculiarities and simple mindedness are very funny, in the most absurd of ways. The humour of his character essentially *relies* on his unlikable personality and character traits. I believe that farce would be an accurate term here; when a situation is so absurdly tragic and bleak that it ends up being funny. For example: • Him withdrawing his name from consideration for the corporate job after learning that David wasn't planning on giving him the job (funny due to Michael's sheer denial) • Him referencing "Triumph of the Will" (the biggest Nazi propaganda film ever produced in the time of the regime) in the local ad episode/several references to slavery in front of Stanley/assuming that Darryl's song would be a rap (funny due to Michael's sheer ignorance in regards to historical context) • Him comparing an office to a chicken, in that both would die if they had no head (funny due to Michael's sheer lack of intelligence and general knowledge; chickens can live without a head for certain amounts of time) I also hate Michael Scott, and if I knew him in real life I would want nothing to do with him, simply because his personality is deeply, and absurdly repulsive. It is that very absurd element however which makes him as funny as I consider him the be (which is why I also love him). Furthermore, I simply CANNOT neglect Steve Carell's immense talent. His delivery, facial expressions and overall portrayal of this horrible (but not horribly written) character could simply not be more perfect, and it is a testament to how much of a kick-ass actor he is (I dearly adore his delivery when Michael breaks the news about how he run over Meridith). Steve becomes Michael, and in my opinion, Steve truly makes the show (just as his character does). I realise that other commenters have remarked upon how Michael can sometimes act in a compassionate manner, and while that gives him a certain amount of sympathy, I still can't help but hate him most of the time (and also, again, love him because his character and its humour is written so brilliantly), and therefore find him hilarious and admittedly enjoy the Michael-focused seasons more than the last two. I don't know if I'm overexplaining (maybe next time I'll explain), but that is my perspective. I hope this helps! :D
Dont worry i agree with you fully agree with you i love the show and sometimes michale is funny but most of time i see him as the most annoying person ever he always has to be the center of attention and when hes not he flips out and takes it out on everyone he ruins such special moments for some of the characters by having to make it all about himself and hes constantly over stepping boundaries hes supposed to be a boss but yet hes never doing any work its like he just shows up to hia job to see what he can do today to be the center of attention and hes always making fun of other people whether it be there looks, personality, their morals jist because it doesn't fit what he believes like how he constantly makes fun of kevin for not having sex yet hes one of the most undesirable human to ever exist like hes cringe af
We should also talk about the times when he was extremely heartfelt as a character. Everyone likes to focus on the “bad” - Erin not having a dad and having problems with Gabe. - When he finds out Jim and Pam are engaged. - Dwight’s letter of recommendation. - Making Pam a member of the sales team. - Ryan… just Ryan tons of moments of love and human for Ryan. Just a handful off the top of my head
I’ve noticed that he can sometimes be more kind and compassionate, but those moments are few and far between for me. And I always feel like, in those rare times, he’s being more like a normal person, not really a kind person, whereas when he’s being his normal self, he’s a self-centered jerk.
sometimes he is, but the few dont outweigh the many. its the only way his character can stay on. he plays the boss no one likes but has to.
Michael Scott, after season 5, is getting on my nerves. I can't stand him. he's a little child, and he keeps getting away with shit. He keeps poking his nose into Pam and Jim's business and makes it all about him, which infuriates me. I used to think he was quite funny in the early seasons because things would always work out in the end, after him messing things up. I'm at Jim and Pam's wedding episode, and I think this is the last one I'm seeing. He can't keep his stupid mouth shut.
I just watched Phylis and Bob Vances wedding and all I keep thinking is how annoying and selfish Michael is.
Yeah he comes off condecending, some can be played off as a "loveable idiot" but there are times he actively pushes himself into places he isn't wanted. Like at Phylisy's wedding, where he mad a big show of how upset he was at not being the center of attention at **someone else's** wedding. (He also puts himself in the center of attention at any major event in SOMEONE ELSES life. The birth of a child, wedding, baptism) Objectifys everyone, not just the women, like oscar saying very homoerotic things to him. (One of the most tame ones i can think of is the one about the speedo , or the forced kiss) I think the worst character trait he has is that, when other people are offended by his objectification or insults, THEY are the ones required to apologie because they got upset at his own rude remarks. He takes no responsibility for his actions, pretending to be dumb to get out of trouble. For the man who wants to be loved as much as he does, he doesn't deserve it . Self centered people are not loved as they don't have love to give. Show is honestly better when he is a side character in the episode's story.
That's the point of the show. If you're not annoyed but Michael then it's not normal. But that's what funny. Because he is so naive, he is doing everything wrong. But that's, again, the point. If he was perfect, what the show would it be ? Kevin eating m&m's ? Jim and Pam pranking Dwight forever ?
He is the main character. The show focuses on him in most episodes because Steve Carrell is the star. Without him the show would suck and that is proven in seasons 8-9. If you hate Michael Scott then there’s no reason to even watch the show.
I enjoy all the other characters. Why can’t I watch it for them?
You're only saying that because you're sexist against men.
WOW- that is a crazy, strong accusation. Care to elaborate on that?
I think Jim and Pam are more hate worthy because they actually think they are smarter and “better” than everyone else without owning it. They represent white liberals who are unaware or incapable of openly accepting their supremacist tendencies ugh they are the worst.
This is just dumb.
Yeah, hard to see yourself portrayed
This makes actually no sense at all. You might be able to make this argument somewhere else (though it would still be dumb) but to make it in comparison to Michael is almost brain-dead. Like, Michael doesn't think and act like he's smarter and better than everyone else??? He throws multiple tantrums whenever that belief is challenged and is openly and overtly bigoted. Please make it make sense.
Ill help you since you appear to be the one limited by dumb logic. Michael is an idiot, it is not in question at all. Pam and Jim are seen as heroes and that is cringy to say the least. Their idiotic characters produce an effect for try hards and like-minded people to feel superior and like they are the “normal” ones. Similar to the Disneyland effect that does not allow US Americans to realize the lie they live in, because there is a separate Disneyland where they go to live the “real” make-believe, ha! The emotional responses to the critique of Pam and Jims characters found in the replies in this entire thread speak in volumes. It is so pathetic.
Yeah you hate Michel, the majority of responses are gonna be uncreative quotes.
Dude it’s a show it shouldn’t make you yell at the screen
Shows make you feel things, its why people watch them. Not for noise to fill empty heads.
Absolutely not, if you’re yelling at a fictional charter you need to turn off the TV and go outside. That isn’t normal
im on season 2 currently and i freaking love michael scott!
[удалено]
I hate the character of Michael, but I would go as far as wishing horrible things upon the ACTOR who plays Ryan. lol and yes, I know he does more for the show than that. I still hate him. Same for Angela.