The U.S. remake of The Office is one of the most beloved TV comedies of the 21st century, but it can be tough to get your friends to watch the show because its first season is by far its worst. In the show’s first year, Greg Daniels gave NBC audiences a more direct translation of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s British original, and it didn’t work particularly well.
From season 2 onward, Daniels and his writing staff worked hard to carve out their own niche and make their version of The Office truly their own. So, here are 10 ways that The Office changed for the better after season 1.
Making Michael Scott More Sympathetic
Right off the bat, the most significant change that The Office made for the better after season 1 was humanizing Michael Scott. In the first season, Michael was sort of a brazen jerk who alienated everyone around him, which isn’t sustainable for a series lead.
Episodes like season 2’s “Office Olympics” began to make Michael more likable and sympathetic. This eventually led to full-on lovable Michael in later-season installments like “Business School,” “Garage Sale,” and, of course, “Goodbye, Michael.”
Not Sticking So Close To The Original Series
The pilot episode of The Office was taken almost verbatim from the pilot episode of the original British series. Several characters and storylines featured in the first season were also adapted straight from episodes of the original show.
But what worked for Ricky Gervais as David Brent didn’t necessarily work for Steve Carell as Michael Scott. The Office began to improve when the writers let go of their predecessor and came up with new characters and storylines specifically for their American setting.
Limiting The Cringe
Both versions of The Office feature tons of cringe comedy, but it was much more prevalent in the British version than the American. In the British version, almost every single scene aims to make the audience cringe, and this was also true of the American remake’s first season.
But the U.S. version’s constant cringe didn’t work so well in those quantities. The later seasons limited the cringe to certain cringe-heavy episodes like “Dinner Party” and “Scott’s Tots,” as well as specific moments like Toby touching Pam’s leg in front of everybody.
Fleshing Out The Supporting Characters
In the first season of The Office, every storyline revolved around Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam, and Ryan. Characters like Stanley, Phyllis, Kevin, Meredith, Creed, Oscar, and Angela were essentially silent extras who filled out the background. As the series went on, they were all fleshed out into well-rounded supporting characters, each with a distinctive personality and a life outside the office.
This undeniably improved the show, presenting all-new opportunities for comedy. If the writers hadn’t given more life to these characters, fans wouldn’t have scenes like Kevin spilling his chili on the floor or Stanley’s “Did I stutter?” outburst.
Lightening Up The Tone
The first season of The Office carried over the dreary, muted palette from the British original, but it didn’t work nearly as well with an American sensibility as it did with a UK one. In subsequent seasons, the producers lightened up the tone. This included brighter lighting, but it also meant that the humor itself got a lot zanier.
This is when it became a great American sitcom; it put the show more in line with the rapid-fire comedic styling of Greg Daniels’ previous show, The Simpsons, arguably the pinnacle of American TV comedy.
Showing The Characters Outside The Office
The second season of The Office premiered with “The Dundies,” which gave viewers a glimpse at the Dunder Mifflin gang outside the workplace. This tradition continued until the end of the series, as more and more was revealed about the characters’ personal lives.
In “Take Your Daughter to Work Day,” the audience met the characters’ kids. In “Money,” Jim and Pam went to stay at Dwight’s bed and breakfast. The show wouldn’t be nearly as great if it kept itself confined to the office like it did in its first season.
Letting Steve Carell Make The Role Of Michael His Own
Both Ricky Gervais and Steve Carell are gifted comic actors, but they have very different sensibilities. Carell was the perfect choice to lead The Office, but not as an American version of David Brent.
Carell delivering Gervais dialogue and having a Gervais-ian persona just didn’t work in season 1. As the series went on, the writers of The Office allowed Carell to make the role of Michael Scott his own.
Expanding The Worldbuilding
Later seasons of The Office built up the world around Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch. The series introduced characters from the corporate office, like David Wallace, as well as local goings-on like Schrute Farms and the killings of the Scranton Strangler.
In season 1, the show’s world seemed small — especially when you rewatch it after watching the following seasons that expanded that world.
Adding Depth To The Characters
The Office’s first season is very funny, but the characters didn’t have a lot of depth yet. It was clear that Jim was in love with Pam, and that Roy was a terrible fiancé. Later in the series, we came to understand why Jim loved Pam, why she stuck with Roy against better judgment, and how she eventually came to respect herself more and leave him.
And those are just a couple of characters. The later seasons added depth and humanity to everyone in the office, from Dwight to Oscar to Angela.
Everyone Was 10% Nicer To Michael
After realizing that everyone in the office disliking Michael wouldn’t work in the long run if The Office was going to be on the air for 200 episodes, the show’s writing staff consciously changed Michael’s employees’ attitude toward him.
They decided that Michael’s co-workers would be 10% nicer to him. It was a subtle change that was barely noticeable, but led to some of the sweet moments that endeared viewers to Michael.