While Steve Carell’s Michael Scott was always the lead on The Office, the show could be seen as the story of any one of its primary characters. It could be the story of Jim leaving perpetual adolescence behind and embracing responsibility. It could be about Pam gaining the confidence to go after what she wants in life. It could be Dwight learning not to alienate everyone around him. But the show was decidedly not about tightly wound bro/milquetoast a cappella enthusiast Andy Bernard. After Carell’s departure, though, the powers-that-be decided to make Andy the boss, and the de facto center of the show. From a marketing standpoint, it made sense—fresh from The Hangover, Ed Helms was the show’s most bankable star. But as a story, it simply didn’t work. Andy vacillated between being overbearing and ineffectual, until he was finally written out for a stretch. His absence from the show didn’t change much. From the moment he moved to the boss’ desk, the character was a hole the rest of the ensemble spiraled around. The shame of it is putting Jim in the boss’ chair could have been a fantastic story arc; the goof-off who takes nothing seriously would have to manage the people who he’s always viewed as mere fodder for bemused glances at the camera.
