Sorry friends, but Michael Scott is definitely not returning to the small screen anytime soon. In a new profile of Steve Carellin Esquire, the actor explained why The Office is a show best left in the past, shutting down any rumors of a reboot.
"Because The Office is on Netflix and replaying, a lot more people have seen it recently," he told the magazine. "And I think because of that there's been a resurgence in interest in the show, and talk about bringing it back. But apart from the fact that I just don't think that's a good idea, it might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted 10 years ago. The climate's different.”
What climate is he talking about? Sure, Michael Scott is a horrible boss who is obliviously racist, sexist, homophobic, and generally problematic, but it’s a satire of horrible bosses everywhere. We're not that sensitive, right??? Well, that’s exactly the reason Carell thinks an Office reboot wouldn’t fly.
"I mean, the whole idea of that character, Michael Scott, so much of it was predicated on inappropriate behavior. I mean, he's certainly not a model boss. A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That's the point, you know?” he explained. “But I just don't know how that would fly now. There's a very high awareness of offensive things today—which is good, for sure. But at the same time, when you take a character like that too literally, it doesn't really work.”
Whether or not audiences would welcome the return of Scott and his paper company staff will forever be up to speculation, but regardless, sometimes it’s best to let a good thing end on a high note.
"I've never thought of it as a good idea," Carell toldTime earlier this month. "I think it existed in that time and with those people and it felt right. There was something so special about it, and I guess it's an odd way to put it, but I love it too much to ever want to do it again. It's too special to me in my heart in that period of time."
