Lasting 9 seasons, The Office is a workplace comedy in the style of a mockumentary. The local PBS station in Scranton, PA sent cameras to film the day-to-day activities of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch. This made many of the workers wonder why someone would want to tape employees of a boring paper supply company.
The first season didn’t resonate with viewers, but the show soon became one of NBC’s highest rated and most popular sitcom of all time. By the end of its run, The Office had garnered 42 Emmy nominations and 5 wins. Although Steve Carell never won an Emmy, he did eventually win a Golden Globe for his role as Michael Scott.
Regardless of quality, there are plenty of instances in The Office that make no sense. Most are plot holes, but some relate to character flaws or how the office functions versus the real world. The writers and producers have referenced details in between seasons, even using some information from the first season in the final season! But yes, they’ve missed a number of things that are important to fans.
This list also contains things people wanted to know more about, since it didn’t make sense to just mention certain plot points just once or twice in passing.
Here’s 18 Things That Make No Sense About The Office.
Brian and Alyssa - Season 9
In season 9 of The Office, you’re introduced to Brian, the boom-mic operator. In addition to being part of the documentary crew for 10 years (”Promos”), it’s mentioned that Pam and Jim have been friends with Brian and his wife Alyssa for 2-3 years. They’ve gone to dinner with them, and possibly visited them at their home, which explains why Pam knows where he lives in the “Promos” episode.
But prior to season 9, you never hear about Brian or Alyssa, at least during the time the two couples were apparently friends. Brian makes an appearance after he is fired for keeping Pam safe, but that’s it.
Two to three years is a good amount of time to become close - and the way Jim and Pam talk, they were - so it makes no sense we get brief snippets about them during a few episodes in season 9.
Jim Doesn’t Get In Trouble
Jim Halpert is the lovable and charming jokester of the office. In an later episode, Dwight states during a post-apocalyptic scenario, Jim will become a “warlord’s jester.” Jester was an apt description even before that phrase was mentioned. Most of Jim’s pranks are aimed at Dwight, who annoys Jim indirectly at every opportunity for most of the series.
For all of Jim’s jokes - some potentially harmful to Dwight - he never really got reprimanded.
One of the few times Jim’s antics came to light was during “Conflict Resolution”, when Dwight wanted Jim forcibly transferred. Even then, Jim didn’t get in trouble. Any normal corporation wouldn’t put up with how Jim acts toward Dwight. Any normal boss would have instituted corrective action - even termination.
The Pyramid
After the Saber printer company buys Dunder Mifflin, the CEO decides that the printer company should enter the tablet and small electronics market. To bolster their entry into this market, Saber plans to build stores similar to Apple stores. However, the main device Saber touts is the Pyramid, a triangular tablet that designers apparently had no clue how to make relevant.
Jim Halpert presents the Pyramid during the grand opening of the Saber store, and one of the primary focuses is that it’s good for watching “everything from Cars 2 to Chuck.” Because the screen is triangle, it’s obviously not conducive for watching widescreen or full screen entertainment.
Also, Jim mentions that WIFI will be added the following year - 2013 - even though by this time, tablets, readers, and other similar devices had WIFI built-in right from the box.
Danny Cordray Goes Missing
Danny Cordray (played by Timothy Olyphant) is a traveling salesman working for Osprey Paper who stole a big client from Dunder Mifflin (episode 5, “The Sting”). Cordray’s tactics scared Michael, Jim, and Dwight, so Michael recruited Cordray to be the traveling salesman for Scranton. He had previously “dated” Pam, apparently fading from Pam’s life despite Pam having a good time with him.
Cordray appeared in only two episodes, never to be seen again.
Did he stay with the Scranton office? We know he must have stayed with Dunder Mifflin since in episode 21, “Michael’s Last Dundies”, he received the “Hottest in the Office” award. He didn’t attend the ceremony, but what happened to him in between his appearances early in the season and after the final Dundies?
Yes, he was “traveling,” but even Todd Packer (another traveling salesman) made plenty of appearances.
Ryan Howard Is Rehired
Another employee who shouldn’t be working at Dunder Mifflin is Ryan Howard. Going from temporary paper salesman to a manager of multiple locations, Howard’s fall from grace involved him defrauding the company. After that, he eventually took a job in a bowling alley, where Michael Scott recruited him for his “dream team” at the Michael Scott Paper Company.
When Michael sold his company and returned as the branch manager, one of Scott’s demands was that Ryan come back with him. David Wallace, Michael’s boss, allows it, but does that make sense?
Second chances are great, but as a corporation, Dunder Mifflin shouldn’t have re-hired Ryan. No other corporation in its right mind would. At the very least, after Ryan started his job again, Dunder Mifflin should have fired him.
It Lasted Nine Seasons
The Office shouldn’t have lasted 9 seasons. The premise of the show wasn’t built to go that long. The first season struggled with the humor and believable character interaction. It mimicked the British version too closely for some, even down to the dialog.
The second season took off for viewers and creators felt they had something, so characters were developed, relationships thrived, and story arcs appeared. However, since the show focused on those three things, some of the comedy that made the first few seasons great fell to the wayside.
There were still some amazing episodes, but there’s a reason the British version only lasted two series and a Christmas special: longevity for this type of sitcom isn’t ideal.
All Kinds Of Harassment
As a situational comedy taking place in an office, the showmimics the goings-on of the typical workplace that many fans and viewers have related to - especially when it comes to harassment of any kind. In the real world, if employees harassed others as much as the employees of the Scranton branch, they’d be written up, sent to harassment prevention classes, or fired.
Harassment starts in the pilot episode and is featured throughout all the seasons.
Michael Scott is a big instigator, but there’s one character who epitomizes everything you shouldn’t do:Todd Packer. Others in the office have harassed as well, so we can’t pin the infractions on just one person.
There’s also decent amounts of bullying and racial harassment, but it’s not as prevalent. Toby Flenderson, the branch’s HR person, stated once that “HR’s a joke. I can’t do anything about anything.”
Kevin Malone Is An Accountant
Kevin Malone is part of a 3-person accounting team at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch. But how has Kevin remained an accountant for so long?
Through most of the seasons, Kevin doesn’t perform many accounting duties.
As his supervisor, Angela essentially only gives him shredding tasks. There are instances where his incompetence with numbers shines through, making us wonder why he is an accountant.
Originally, Michael Scott hired him for the warehouse but “saw something in him.” In season 9, his shortcuts to keeping numbers catches up with him, and he’s finally fired for poor job performance. He fudged numbers and covered up mistakes to get home early: “A mistake plus keleven gets you home by seven,” Oscar tells us Kevin often said.
Oddly enough, a diploma hanging in his workspace states Kevin received his Associate Science Degree in Accounting from Penn Foster College.
The Dundie Awards
If there’s one event in The Office extremely important to Michael Scott it’s The Dundie Awards. He wants to make sure that no one hangs themselves “due to lack of recognition," so he hands out trophies in ridiculous categories meant for only one person. Like “Whitest Sneakers in the Office” for Pam and “The Busiest Beaver Award” to Phyllis.
Why did viewers only see two Dundie Awards ceremonies?
The episode “The Dundies” aired the 8th annual awards and in “Michael’s Last Dundies", it was the 14th annual awards. We know there were awards in between, since “Hottest in the Office” went to Ryan Howard until 2011. Michael considered them a “benefit” to working at Dunder Mifflin (”Job Fair”), but the network didn’t apparently feel that The Office fans deserved to see more then two.
Creed Bratton’s Mental Health
Creed Bratton is Dunder Mifflin’s resident wild card. Creed is most likely a sociopath, but it’s clear he’s a deviant and losing his mental faculties as the show progresses over the seasons. But no one in the office is concerned.
While you can attribute his memory loss to using substances in the 1960s, it’s not a total excuse. He forgets his officemates’ names, calling Angela “Andrea,” Meredith “Mary Beth,” Dwight “Cheroot,” and thinks Andy is actually Jim. Creed isn’t sure what his job title is, calling it “Quabbity Assuance.”
Most concerning - besides the fact he likes to steal things - is that near the end of the series, Creed faked his own end to avoid the police. But no one notices that - or any of his previous antics. However, he is ultimately arrested.
Actors Switched Out During The Series
There have been some strange actor changes that were never explained in The Office. Some were pretty significant. One of the minor switches occurred within the same episode, “Benihana”. As Andy is talking with the waitress, he manages to talk her and another one to come back to the Christmas party at the office. However, when they arrive, the main waitress was a totally different person with the same name while the background waitress didn’t change.
In season 2, we meet Pam’s mom when she comes in for a visit. But in a later season, when Michael starts dating Pam’s mom Helen, she is a completely different actress. Also, during the episode “Goodbye, Toby,” Andy introduces us to “Andrew and Ellen Bernard,” his parents. But his dad’s actual name is Walter, and in later episodes Andy’s parents were played by different actors.
Jim Halpert Becomes A Jerk
Jimess one of the most endearing characters in The Office. He had showed a tender side of himself on many occasions with Pam and his co-workers. Even with Dwight Schrute, his office arch-enemy, on occasion.
Through most of the series, he’s thoughtful, funny, and compassionate, rarely putting himself above others. That changes in season 9 when he begins thinking about his future at Dunder Mifflin. In college, he conceived of a sports marketing company that he never pursued. In season 9, Jim’s friend he formulated the plan with wants to get the company, Athlede, off the ground. And Jim wants in.
It goes against everything built up with Jim’s character, but he keeps the company secret from Pam and goes ahead and involves himself. Once he splits his time between Philadelphia and Scranton, he becomes a jerk toward Pam. For many episodes, their marriage is in peril.
Phyllis’s Mean Streak
There have been some immoral characters on The Office. There have also been some questionable or confusing behavior through the seasons. You might think Jim is being constantly mean to Dwight or everyone in the office is belligerent to Michael Scott, ut the meanest person in The Office is Phyllis.
Phyllis directly and indirectly insults people more than most. She copied Pam’s wedding plans to Roy, from the invitations to the bride’s dress. On several occasions, Phyllis has used the threat of her fiance and eventual husband, Bob Vance, to get what she wants.
She’s supposed to be the matronly and warm presence in the office, but she really brings an attitude that shows disdain for her coworkers. The only person to say anything is Angela; everyone else just accepts it.
Café Disco
When the Michael Scott Paper Company went looking for an office to work out of, they found one in a large closet downstairs from Dunder Mifflin. After Michael’s company was bought out by Dundler Mifflin, Michael still had the lease on the tiny office he used. He turned it into a respite for everyone and called it Cafe Disco.
Even though Phyllis got hurt dancing with Michael in it - she was the first and only one to show up - Cafe Disco was important. So where did it go? It was never mentioned again after the episode of the same name.
It stopped Jim and Pam from eloping, and brought out Angela’s party mode by making her tap her foot to the music. The camaraderie instilled in everyone when they entered Cafe Disco made it seem as if it should be used or mentioned again.
Michael Scott Absent From Panel
The series finale took place one year after the events in “A.A.R.M”. It was a reunion episode to let documentary viewers know what happened to everyone during that year. The main two focuses were Dwight and Angela’s wedding and a panel of the workers hosted by the public channel.
One notable person was absent from the panel: Michael Scott. Sure, Kelly and Ryan also weren’t there, but Scott was such a character for the documentary that it’s surprising he wasn’t present. It’s not known exactly what day the panel took place, but it is known Dwight and Angela’s wedding took place a few days later.
Holly’s parents were sick, and Michael joined her in Colorado so she could take care of them. But surely, Holly would’ve let Michael join the panel since he considered himself a father to all his “children.”
Did Anyone Go To Michael and Holly’s Wedding?
Michael is a big fan of love. No matter which employees find love with each other, Michael Scott has no problem supporting relationships in The Office. So, when Michael and Holly got married after Michael’s departure to Colorado, why did no one go to their wedding?
For Jim and Pam’s wedding, Michael shut down the office so everyone could go to Niagara Falls. Although he had ulterior motives, Michael made sure everyone attended Phyllis and Bob Vance’s wedding. And at the end of the series, Michael gladly attended Dwight and Angela’s wedding as a Jim Halpert “prank.”
But no one in the office went to Michael’s wedding. If it was a case of producers feeling it was too soon to have an episode after Steve Carell left the show, not one person in the office even mentioned taking time off to attend.
Michael Scott’s Older Brother
Both times Michael’s brother is mentioned, Michael speaks from a place of love, unlike when he mentions most of his other family members.
In the pilot episode, Michael and Jan discuss a fax Jan sent from corporate before she came to visit him. But Michael told Pam there’s a “special filing cabinet for things from corporate.” Then later says that joke was his brother’s.
In “Email Surveillance,” Michael says, “When people hear the term ‘big brother’ they immediately think it’s bad or scary. I don’t. I think, ‘Wow, I love my big brother.’” But we never hear about him or meet the brother. However, we know he hates his step-dad Jeff, and was estranged from his half-sister from 1995 to 2010.
Pam’s Volleyball Career
Pam Beesly/Halpert is great at many things. She’s an amazing illustrator and creative animator, and can manipulate the office as administrator. One sport she’s great at is volleyball, but according to the episode “Job Fair”, her skill level doesn’t really make sense.
In the episode “Company Picnic”, when the Scranton office plays the Corporate office, Pam tears up the opponents with her serves. It amazes everyone, even the camera crew, who must have asked her how she got so good.
Pam says, “Maybe I played a little in junior high. And in high school. Maybe a little in college. And went to volleyball camp most summers!” But in “Job Fair”, when cruising around her old high school, she enters the gym and says, “So many memories in this old gym: Pretending to have PMS so I didn’t have to play volleyball.” Which is it, Pam?
What things about The Officemake no sense to you? Let us know in the comments!
