Steve Carell’s performance as the absurd yet lovable Michael Scott propelled him and The Office to stardom in 2005. The Office season 1, which was a trim six episodes, eventually turned into one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history. Though the show’s initial run emulated the dark, cynical humor of the British cult classic, it began to show more of Michael’s vulnerable side in the second season, creating an earnest product that worked better with American audiences.
However, Carell wasn’t always the first choice for the series’ head, very nearly losing out on the role to fellow television icon and Second City alum Bob Odenkirk. Though the actor is best known today for his role in Breaking Bad (and would’ve never been cast as Saul Goodman if he had played Michael), Odenkirk was once a top candidate for the Dunder Mifflin branch manager, which would’ve brought an exceptionally different vibe to the series.
Bob Odenkirk Would’ve Played Michael With “Earnest Seriousness”
Odenkirk’s Audition Was Too Realistic For The Office
In his audition tape for The Office, Odenkirk’s performance as Michael Scott is very David Brent-ish, exhibiting the same social inepтιтude as Ricky Gervais’ oblivious middle manager with a more Americanized, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan delivery. This style, while more realistic, clashed with showrunner Greg Daniels’ vision for the show, especially when you look at the wacky hijinks Michael and company get up to in the later seasons.
Bob Odenkirk has actually commented on losing the part of Michael Scott to Carell, blaming it on the “earnest seriousness” he brings to his roles. Fans of the series were able to get a better look at this seriousness in the season 9 episode “Moving On,” which sees Odenkirk cameo as a very Michael Scott-like real estate manager interviewing Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) for a job in Philadelphia. Though he’s crᴀss, goofy, and a lover of cringeworthy puns, Odenkirk’s performance is a lot more grounded, lacking the childlike vulnerability.
How A Darker Michael Scott Would’ve Changed The Office
We Would’ve Never Gotten The Goofiness Of Later Seasons
If Odenkirk had been cast as Michael Scott, it’s likely that the show wouldn’t have evolved into the quirky yet optimistic sitcom it became after its first season. Furthermore, the series could’ve been scrapped entirely, since NBC wanted to cancel The Office after its first season and only granted a follow-up after the success of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which starred Carell as yet another lovable dork.
Without Carell, the show might never have shifted towards the feel-good tone that appealed to so many audiences.
Though Odenkirk is a brilliant actor, his earnest, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan style of comedy would’ve likely kept the humor of The Office too close to its cynical British counterpart. Without Carell, the show might never have shifted towards the feel-good tone that appealed to so many audiences. Therefore, even though I wish I could visit an alternate universe where Odenkirk routinely sparred with Toby in HR, I’m glad that his career and Carell’s have gone the way they have.
