Feig cites the difference between British humor and American humor in the characterization of Michael Scott. While the Brits "love tearing down a bore," Americans tend to want to sympathize with an unlikable lead character. If they don't like the character, "they'll tune it out. They just won't watch it."
Feig came on to direct episodes in season two, by which point Michael was still "such a bore and so mean." But also by this point, Carell had starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which made him a star.
"So Steve was this huge star all of a sudden, and they had this huge star in the show that they thought wasn't working and it wasn't working in the ratings," Feig said.
While filming the second season episode, "Office Olympics," Carell made an acting choice that changed the course of Michael Scott's development forever.
"It was the scene we were shooting when everybody was supposed to be working and they're screwing off doing this thing. And in order to not get in trouble with Michael, they're going to give him a gold medal," Feig explained.
"But we're shooting it and Steve gets emotional. Steve as the character, 'cause he's had this terrible day," Feig continued. "And so he starts like kind of crying, like a tear goes down his eye and we're like, 'Oh my God.' And I'm going like, 'Oh, do that again. Do that again. This is a great. And I think that was this moment of like, that's him."
by cmaia1503
3 Comments
And he saved the show by leaving it once it hit its peak.
Yep that’s one of the flaws of Curb
Larry is an asshole a lot and never learns from the situations he puts himself in
If you binge watch the series half way through you start disliking Larry not good for a sitcom
The contrast to the British Office doesn’t really track. David Brent was a cringey idiot, but also likable and well meaning, and viewers laughed at him but also sympathized. And it probably wouldn’t have worked otherwise. All Gervais’s series have heart.