The pilot forThe Officealmost kicked off with a company awards show instead of theshot-for-shot British-styleOfficepilot— not the British remake, not a bleak introduction to Michael Scott’s world, but a party. That version never aired, and it’s probably for the best.
Series creator Greg Daniels’ initial plan for the premiere was later retooled, andwhat aired became a smart reworking of Ricky Gervais’ original. It wasn’t perfect, but it set the tone for something that would eventually change network comedy forever. If we had started with the Dundies,The Officemight have ended after six episodes, never becoming the cultural landmark it is now.
Greg Daniels Pitched An Original Script For The American Office’s Pilot
The Office’s Pilot Ended Up Being A Remake Of The British Show Instead
According toThe Hollywood Reporter,Greg Daniels originally pitchedThe Officewith a completely new concept centered around a company awards show. However, he changed course before production began. “I said I’m going to do a little Americanization of the British pilot,” Daniels explained, citing concerns that NBC might meddle too much with a fully original script.
The irony is that, in trying to avoid executive interference, Daniels produced a pilot so close to the UK original that it initially underwhelmed American audiences. Still, it preserved the dry, awkward, and unflinching tone that Daniels knew he couldn’t fake with network-style tweaks.The gamble bought the creative team six more episodes. That was all they needed.
That decision gaveThe Officeits slow-burn appeal, letting it evolve naturally instead of contorting to fit a punchier pilot formula.
Daniels was playing the long game by establishing tone first, then character later. That decision gaveThe Officeits slow-burn appeal, letting it evolve naturally instead of contorting to fit a punchier pilot formula. Today, it’s easy to forget how bold that restraint really was.
The Office’s Company Awards Show Would Be Revisited In Season 2 As “The Dundies”
The Original Pilot Idea Became A Beloved Episode Later
Even after changing the pilot, Daniels didn’t ditch the awards idea; he merely delayed it. In the season 2 premiere, the scrapped pilot concept became “The Dundies,” one ofThe Office’s funniest episodes. By then, the writers had developed a deeper understanding of their characters and, more importantly, how tochange Michael Scottfor the better.
As such, Daniels used “The Dundies” as part of a calculated pivot:
“So I said [to NBC], “I think I know how to change Michael Scott,” and I made a list of maybe eight things that I would do to change Michael in the minds of the audience, and each one of them became the ending of an episode. For instance, in ‘The Dundies’ I was proving the point that the staff can complain about him, but when someone outside the staff picks on him, they defend him.”
It marked a tonal shift that softened Michael, transforming him from cringe-inducing tyrant to a lovable, delusional uncle. The episode hit hard because by then, we knew who Michael was and why he needed a win. And it worked. The show found its voice by leaning into discomfort, then slowly dialing up the humanity. “The Dundies” accelerated that evolution.
“The Dundies” Would Not Have Worked As The Office’s First Episode
Viewers Didn’t Know Michael Yet, So They Couldn’t Root For Him
Had NBC aired “The Dundies” first, the show would’ve likely been misread as a cheap, sentimental workplace comedy. There would have been no context for Michael’s desperation, no contrast for his pathos. Daniels admitted the challenge early on: “Michael Scott was pretty heavily criticized by the show. He was not a good person in the first season.”
Michael Scott’s evolution across the first few episodes goes as follows:
Gervais-style tyrant
Cold open, near-carbon UK remake
Cringe-heavy, socially reckless
Introduced tonal discomfort
Juvenile, competitive
Revealed his need for approval
Vulnerable, redeemable
Solidified him as a lovable underdog
We’ve seen Michael humiliate himself plenty by season 2, but more importantly,we’ve seen how that humiliation lands on others. Jim’s quiet devastation when he nearly walks out in “Hot Girl,” and Pam’s silent exhaustion during Michael’s role-play disaster in “Diversity Day,” both reflect a deeper emotional undercurrent.
Toby, Ryan, and Kelly were placed in “the annex” so their actors—all head writers—could skip background scenes and stay in the writers’ room.
The Officeneeded to earn its warmth. It needed six episodes of discomfort — of staplers in Jell-O and Michael’s disastrous “Diversity Day” — before it could ask us to empathize.
By pushing “The Dundies” to season 2, Daniels gaveThe Officesomething invaluable: emotional credibility. The audience had lived in the office long enough to care. The tears, the awkward laughs, the cheap trophies — they all meant something, and it was well-earned.
