Ryan Was The Office’s Best Villain (And It Ruined Him)

Ryan Howard was the best villain The Office ever had, but the show threw him away and turned him into a caricature just as he was getting good. The former temp quickly became a major antagonist for Jim Halpert, as he used his position as a corporate leader to undermine him at any cost. Furthermore, he served as an excellent foil for Michael Scott, though this arc could’ve been expanded on even further. Ultimately, Ryan’s reign was short-lived, and it was a shame that he only lasted a season as the show’s main villain.

Played by writer B.J. Novak, Ryan was a core member of the office from the very beginning, serving as a temp at Dunder Mufflin in season 1. However, it wasn’t until the finale of season 3 that he took on a villainous role, as he was promoted to Vice President of North Eastern Sales, the position formerly held by Jan Levinson. Ryan took a particular dislike for Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), after he went behind Ryan’s back to pitch an idea to David Wallace. By the end of season 4, Ryan had quickly fallen from grace as it was revealed he was committing fraud and misleading the shareholders, leading to his swift termination. Following this, Ryan became a caricature of himself, including phases as a slacker and a stereotypical hipster.

The transformation from temp to VP saw Ryan become an arrogant, obnoxious bad guy, but the series’ choice to have him regress into a stereotypical side character was a mistake. Ryan worked best as a villain, and the stakes felt higher than ever, particularly when he threatened Jim’s future. He simply wasn’t as compelling post-season 4 as the character regressed into a petty bore, who was more interested in scamming or childishly putting down the other members of the office, as opposed to being a serious threat as he was before. Essentially, Ryan was no longer taken seriously by anyone after season 4.

Yet, when he was at his most villainous, Ryan was a great character. It made sense that he’d be bitter and entitled given the treatment he’d endured at the hands of Michael and Dwight, being called the “fire guy” or just “the temp” for the first three seasons. As such, it was somewhat satisfying to see him rise up so quickly and become Michael’s boss. This change in power dynamics really helped season 4 feel fresh and made it stand out from other seasons.

However, had Ryan remained VP of North Eastern Sales for at least another season, his time as the show’s villain would’ve been far more impactful. Season 4, Episode 15, “Night Out” showed how much Ryan had changed since his days as the quiet pessimistic temp in the office, as he was now into heavy drugs and partying in New York City. Had Ryan been given the opportunity to continue down this dark path, his relationship with The Office‘s Michael Scott could’ve become an even bigger part of the show, and he could’ve created some difficult story arcs for the world’s best boss, as he did with Jim.

Ryan Howard became a completely different character every few seasons of The Office. He started off as a temp and reached his most dastardly and compelling form in season 4, before transforming into a comedic caricature in season 5 and beyond. Though the character was still undeniably funny, there was potential for even more confrontation with Michael Scott, had he remained as his boss after season 4.

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