OPINION: ‘The Office’ isn’t funny

NBC

Screenshot from the “Scott’s Tots” episode of “The Office.”

I used to like “The Office.” Emphasis on the used to.

I’ve heard people talk more and more about how the show “would never have survived in this day and age.” To the people saying that, you’re right — not because people are too sensitive, but because the jokes are just straight-up offensive.

“The Office” has a funny premise and great actors with phenomenal comedic timing. The show also has some great writers, specifically Mindy Kaling. What it doesn’t have, though, is quality comedy.

Let’s discuss Michael Scott. Michael, while beautifully portrayed by one of my favorite actors, Steve Carell, is not funny. He is unwilling to learn from how horrible he is to his employees.

It is not funny to watch him be blatantly racist in the “Diversity Day” episode. It is not funny to watch him sexually harass Pam. I personally believe the worst episode in all of television is the “Scott’s Tots” episode. It’s not at all funny to watch Michael promise kids college, only to then rip it away because he couldn’t afford to promise it in the first place.

Really, the show is just about how Toby was a coward and so horrible at his human resources job that the manager was able to be a complete asshole to everyone who worked there.

Michael tokenizes all of the minority characters. Stanley is the black man. Oscar is the gay man and the Hispanic man. Kelly is the woman of color. Everyone is characterized as their minority identity and used to show “diversity” without actually having any.

I’m not going to lie to you — I always loved the pranks that Jim would pull on Dwight. Dwight may be kind of an asshole and annoying, but that doesn’t mean he deserves constant torment that makes it impossible for him to do his job. Jim’s constant office abuse creates a horrible work environment that should have never been allowed.

When it was created, “The Office” reflected the droll aspects of modern life in an undeniably funny way. It does not do that anymore. We live in a more diverse world that doesn’t put up with offensive comments in the same way. “The Office” would not even survive a pilot today.