Image : AP

It is important that you know that Steve Carell knows our political climate has changed since the days of Dunder Mifflin.




In an interview with Esquire published Thursday, the star of the recently released Beautiful Boy discussed his planned return to comedic roles, which yielded a meditation on The Office, where he starred as boss Michael Scott:

“Because The Office is on Netflix and replaying, a lot more people have seen it recently. 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.”


Carell continued:

“I mean, the whole idea of that character, Michael Scott, so much of it was predicated on inappropriate behavior…. A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That’s the point, you know? 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.”

In December, reports circulated that NBC was hoping to throw together a revival of The Office with “a mix of new and old cast members.” Then, nothing for a while.

Seems wise that in the age of reheated sitcoms someone is brave enough to raise the point that it’s not always s uch a good idea. Carell is no Kim Cattrall— my hero— but he certainly seems thoughtful and like he’s got more worthwhile shit to attend to.