The Office’s Oscar Nunez has revealed he was sold on the show after reading B.J. Novak's “Diversity Day” script. The Office ran for nine seasons on NBC, and after a rocky season 1 that only had six episodes and earned mediocre ratings, the show has gone on to become one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. The show has found a new life in recent years thanks to its time on Netflix, even becoming the most streamed show of 2020 with over 57 billion minutes of viewing. The Office’s success can be attributed to its ability to tackle relatable and sometimes difficult situations, as well as fleshing out a diverse and varied group of characters, which includes Nunez’s Oscar Martinez.
Oscar Martinez was an accountant at Dunder Mifflin Scranton and is perhaps one of the more underrated characters in the series. Oscar goes from a serious employee to an openly gay, subtly sarcastic accountant, who also develops an ever-evolving rivalry/friendship with Angela (Angela Kay). Much like other Office cast members, Nunez has joined the media rounds promoting The Office’s return to NBC, as the series is now a part of the Peacock streaming service, much to the dismay of some fans. Nunez recently shared which boss he thinks Martinez liked the most, but the actor has now shared that despite the show’s difficult season 1, he realized how great The Office could be after reading the script for season 1’s “Diversity Day” episode.
In episode 2 of season 1, which is titled “Diversity Day,” Mr. Brown (Larry Wilmore) arrives to lead the office in a seminar on racial diversity, and Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is unaware that Brown’s arrival is due to employees complaining about his imitation of the controversial Chris Rock routine. In a recent interview with Collider, promoting The Office’s move to Peacock, Nunez was asked when he knew the show was great and when he knew that the show was a hit? Much like most audience members, Nunez cited the second season as when he realized it was a success, but he pointed back to the much talked about “Diversity Day” episode when highlighting when he knew the show was great.
Maybe the middle of the second season, but I knew it was a great show when B.J. Novak wrote Diversity Day for our second episode. I thought, “Oh, this is really good. We could really have a good show.” That’s when I knew it was good.
“Diversity Day” is an interesting option because it has become one of the episodes of The Office that has not aged well. Wilmore, who plays Mr. Brown in the episode, even said it could never be produced today. That’s perhaps due to the episode’s focus on Michael’s inappropriate antics, but like most, if not all the episodes, it does make Michael the butt of the jokes. The episode also cleverly highlights how the point of Mr. Brown’s seminar is mainly so the higher-ups won’t get in trouble for Michael’s constant foolish and insensitive behavior. So the overall purpose of the episode is strong and still meaningful today, and it’s understandable why it stuck out to Nunez.
The episode earned critical acclaim at the time as well, which was highlighted by Novak’s SAG nomination for script writer. “Diversity Day” remains an interesting topic of conversation, but it certainly highlights what Ricky Gervais said the show was about: difference, race, sex, and things people fear to even discuss. Those themes are, of course, all wrapped up in wild antics and humorous moments, and it’s why fans continue to watch The Office today. So one can see why “Diversity Day” was the episode that convinced Nunez of The Office’s potential to be great.
Source: Collider