The Peacock streaming service has made it certain thatThe Officeremains one of the mostbeloved sitcomsof all time.Fans continue to rewatchthe show every single year. When they do that, they find new andinteresting nuggets hiding in the backgroundof everyone’s favorite episodes. While this has given people new reasons to love the series, it has also opened up something of a Pandora’s Box.
Despite the fact that the show hadnine seasonsto wrap up every single storyline that they set up across the near decade they were on NBC, there are several questions that are still hanging. Some of these just have to do with the mockumentary format that the show frequently references. Others have to do with aspects of the show that are introduced but then seemingly ignored. Finally, there are the fan theories that have a lot of evidence behind them. Here are ten unanswered question fromThe Officethat need to be answered.
10How Did the Documentary Begin?
Most mockumentary shows likeParks and Recreationdon’t actually reference the fact that they are being filmed documentary style.The Officefrequently references the cameras and even shows the premiere of it. The one thing it never shows is how the documentary actually began. Did Michael set the entire thing up? Did Dunder Mifflin?
The creators have stated that the documentary wanted to cover office life after one of the Dunder Mifflin employees took his own life. This dark explanation fits with the history of the show, but it is never confirmed within the show that this is how the documentary began. It seems a little too dark for such a lighthearted comedy series.
Related:The Office: Is Jim Really the Villain?
9When Was Pam Talking to Brian?
It is revealed in the later seasons that there were relationships built outside what we see on screen. Most notably, Pam and Jim are revealed to be close friends with Brian, the guy who operates the boom mic. There are a few episodes scattered throughout the series where Pam and Jim seem to be making eye contact, or directly talking to a specific person off-screen. In the episode where Pam figures out that Dwight and Angela are dating, she seems to be gossiping about this with one of the workers on the documentary. Was this Brian all along?
Not to mention all the times that Jim does his side eye to the camera. Is he really doing that look for his buddy Brian?
8Who Is the Scranton Strangler?
The biggest mystery hanging over the Office that fans of the show like to discuss concerns the identity of the notorious Scranton Strangler. While someone did go to prison for the crimes, the show casts doubt on whether this was really the culprit. Most Office fans seem to fall into two camps. There are those that believe that the Strangler was actually Toby or Creed. The evidence for both lines up fairly well. Toby, for instance, is constantly being tormented by Michael, is caused distress when Pam and Jim get together, and seems incredibly guilty when presented with a Church. Considering the fact that the first mention of him comes when Pam and Jim have a baby, where Toby is notably absent, many fans consider this to be the final straw.
Creed, on the other hand, is about as shady as shady gets. He references several crimes such as identity theft, insurance fraud, and possible violence that would be in line with the kind of activities the Strangler is known for. He’s also very good at framing other people for his crimes. Chances are this will remain the greatest Office debate with no real answer…
7What Happened to Danny Cordray?
The Officefeatured a ton of great guest stars over the years. One of the most notable stars was television’s favorite cowboy, Timothy Olyphant fromJustified, Deadwood, Fargo, The Book of Boba FettandThe Mandalorian.He appeared on a few episodes of the Office as the incredibly handsome salesman, Danny Cordray. As a traveling salesman, his absence from the office makes sense. Still, Todd Packer was seen several times even after Michael left. So why did we never even hear from Cordray again? Did he continue to work for Dunder Mifflin throughout the final seasons? Did he quit to run his bar, “Public School” all the time?
Then there’s the most important question, did he wear a cowboy hat on his time off?
6What Happened with Oscar and Matt?
Oscar Martinez is one of the characters who had most of his story go on offscreen. We know that he had a long term relationship with a man named Gil who we only saw a few times in the series. The two had a devastating breakup that it took Oscar a while to fully recover from. He finally did get back out there when a man named Matt began working in the warehouse. The two shared a few flirtatious scenes in several episodes that made it seem like Oscar and Matt might end up together. Despite this, Oscar never mentions Matt again. Chances are that he stayed on long enough to win the lottery with the rest of the warehouse workers. Oscar should’ve stuck with him.
The same could be asked about Isabel, Pam’s best friend who Dwight had a fleeting romance with at the wedding. The two met again during “Happy Hour” and seemed to start a relationship. This was the same episode that Matt and Oscar seemed to get together. It was strange that one episode featured two relationships that were never heard from again.
5What’s Up with Mose?
There is one question that fans of the show and characters within the show seem afraid to ask. What’s the deal with Dwight’s cousin Mose? We know that he lives with Dwight, he had a very strange upbringing, and that he is Dwight’s best friend. He is a mysterious figure throughout the show that seems to never leave Schrute farms. We never quite figure out what the deal is with Mose or why he never leaves home.
Perhaps this is one question we don’t want an answer to…
4What Happened to Scott’s Tots?
The hardest episode ofThe Officeto watch is without a doubt “Scott’s Tots”. In this episode we discover that Michael Scott promised that he would pay for the college educations of an entire class of students. He had to admit to the entire class that not only did he lie when he was a younger salesman, but he actually had less money than when he made the promise. The class is understandably furious with Michael, as well as the teachers. He does make a promise to pay for the books of one student, but even this seems difficult for someone with the kind of debt Michael has.
So what happened to those students? Did they end up going to college? Did Michael pay for those books? Did he ever admit to Holly about the worst thing he had ever done? Seeing as how this is by far the least popular episode of the show, it’s not surprising that it is never mentioned again. Most fans wouldn’t be upset if the episode was cut out of the series entirely.
3Did Michael Get Hair Plugs?
The Michael Scott of season 1 is very different from the Michael Scott of the rest of the series. He is ever so slightly less insensitive and has a completely different look. In season one, Michael is a shabby dresser and is noticeably losing his hair. When we see him in season two, he wears nice suits and has a hairline most News Anchors would be jealous of. No one on the show mentions this, so were we simply not suppossed to notice?
It would make sense that the incredibly vain Michael would get hair plugs now that he is going to be on camera during his work hours. Frankly, it’s surprising that he didn’t get more work done than that. With his spending habits, it’s strange that he didn’t at least try a little botox…
2Which Parts Were Done Just for the Documentary?
For the original version ofThe Office,creator Ricky Gervais has confirmed that most of the sillier aspects of the series came about specifically because the characters knew they were being filmed. He’s said that David Brent was likely a pretty ordinary boss but tried to become famous by acting out on camera. So how much of the silliness ofThe Officewas just for the camera’s benefit?
There are several moments in the series where Michael breaks through his clownish persona and proves that he’s more intelligent than people think. Once he leaves Scranton, he actually becomes the Director of Paper Distribution in the Department of Natural Resources in Colorado. Could Michael actually be a normal guy who faked being an idiot on camera because he thought it was hilarious?
Related:The Office: Michael Scott Recalls His Childhood Tea Party in Unearthed Deleted Scene
1Did Angela and Roy Have An Affair?
One of the most popular fan theories from eagle-eyed fans is that Roy and Angela had a secret affair in seasons two and three. There are a few episodes where both acknowledge that they have a mutual attraction. When they play “who would you do”, Roy admits that Angela is the person in the office that he would sleep with. Then, in season three, when Pam confesses to Roy about her kiss with Jim, Roy seems oddly defensive. There are also several moments where Angela shows that she thinks that Roy is strong and handsome. Something Kevin laughs at her for admitting. Angela is also well known for juggling men as she does so throughout the series. It wouldn’t be strange at all for the two to have had an affair without anyone knowing.
It would also add a whole new creepy layer to how flustered she got when Dwight was able to take Roy down. Angela has had multiple men duel over her, so it makes sense that this would be attractive to her.
