The Office Character That Got Worse Every Season

"The Office" called NBC home from 2005 to 2013, and little did the folks behind it realize, they were working on what would become one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. For years after its conclusion, fans would go back and rewatch the series again and again — with some skipping this specific season when they do — for one reason or another. After all, from its sharp comedy to its odd dramatic beats, the series had a lot going for it. Of course, when discussing its strengths, one would be remiss not to take a look back at the incredibly stacked cast.

Led by Steve Carell's Michael Scott, the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company hosted numerous unforgettable characters portrayed by some of the best in the entertainment game. John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesley, Mindy Kaling as Kelly Kapoor, and others became highlights of the show throughout its nine seasons. Best of all, the show gave them room to evolve and incentivized viewers to stick around to see where they'd ultimately end up. Although, some characters failed to fully catch on or didn't reach a satisfying conclusion.

As it turns out, many "Office" fans are of the opinion that this one character got progressively worse as the show neared its end.

Though he can be a tad arrogant and has allowed his temper to get the best of him, Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) became a widely-appreciated regular on "The Office." For the most part, his flaws couldn't overshadow his genuine kindness toward his Dunder Mifflin co-workers, and fans found it easy to root for him. Then again, according to Reddit user u/shrike3000, he took on a more bitter, petty personality in Season 9 that rendered him an unentertaining shell of his former self. Many in the "Office" Reddit community agreed wholeheartedly, with a now-deleted Redditor even claiming that the conclusion of Andy's arc was easily Season 9's biggest misstep. 

Clearly, a good portion of the "Office" fandom isn't happy with Andy's character degradation in Season 9, and there are legitimate reasons for such complaints. While Ed Helms hasn't expressed any thoughts on how the personality of his small screen alter-ego shifted in the last season, he has touched on what Andy means to him more broadly. In an interview with Daily Actor back in 2011, Helms revealed, "Andy Bernard is, in a lot of ways, an opportunity for me to exercise some of my own demons of insecurity and social awkwardness." He adds that, like most of his characters, Andy isn't too dissimilar from who he is in real life.

Even though Andy Bernard didn't get the swan song "Office" fans hoped for, at least Ed Helms got a lot out of his time in the part.