How Come Fans Never Got To See Michael Scott's Mom On The Office?

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) gives his everything to Dunder Mifflin, inspiring his coworkers to become their best selves throughout "The Office," albeit through unconventional methods. He desired respect and admiration, but at the end of the day, his driving force throughout seven seasons of the sitcom was to find love. 

Romance was in high supply at Dunder Mifflin, most notably with the relationship that blossomed between Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer). However, Michael could never seem to get it right for the longest time until he finally met his true soulmate, Holly (Amy Ryan). Before Holly, Michael ended up in some pretty bad relationships, and for any viewers confused as to why he would put himself in such situations, you have to look at his upbringing. 

We never really get a chance to meet Michael's other family members despite his constant pleads to start a family of his own. We hear about some of them through casual mentions, such as how his parents divorced, and he spent much of his childhood with his mother and step-father. Still, it's strange we never get the chance to meet his mother with how important she is to his character development. As it turns out, she does have a small cameo if you listen closely.

In Season 5, Michael and Holly break up after she's transferred to a different Dunder Mifflin location. However, as anyone who's seen "The Office" can attest, Michael's not the one to make a simple break-up easy. Once he returns to Scranton in "Customer Survey," he tells his coworkers he's engaged, but no one believes him. The employees encourage him to call his mother to tell her the "good news," which Michael does. Over the phone, you can faintly hear Michael's mother say, "No, you're not," after Michael says he's engaged. It's a funny bit because it shows this isn't the first time Michael pretended to be engaged, and the voice on the other side of the phone is none other than June Squibb. 

The actress was nominated for an Academy Award for her work in 2013's "Nebraska" and has made appearances in a cavalcade of TV series, including "Shameless," "Modern Family," and "Good Girls." No doubt a physical presence on "The Office" would've been a welcome treat for fans. Squibb certainly has plenty of experience in comedic roles, so she could absolutely hold her own with the rest of the cast. 

No one associated with "The Office" or Squibb herself has ever specified why Michael's mother never appears in person throughout the show. Perhaps like everyone else, she enjoys keeping her space from her son. But if a reunion for "The Office" ever happens, we'd love to see her show up in the flesh.