The Office: Every Character, Ranked By Likability

NBC’s The Office is filled with iconic characters that kept growing in changing over nine series. The show lost some characters along the way but it also gained characters that fans gravitated to as well. But at its core, The Office’s main characters are Michael, Jim, Pam, Dwight, Angela, Creed, Phyllis, Stanley, Kevin, Meredith, Ryan, and Kelly. However, not every character’s storyline was memorable or even likable.

Thanks to forums like Reddit, let’s take a look at 11 main characters and ranking them by likability, according to fans. It should be noted that every main character isn’t listed, only the most likable.

10 Andy Bernard

Andy Bernard is the only person from Stamford who stuck around in Scranton. It appears he had a certain level of crazy to fit in perfectly with the Scranton gang.

Andy started out as a comical salesman who had a few anger issues but ultimately wanted to succeed personally and professionally. Truthfully, he would have been lower on this list if he never sailed away for three months and turned into a drastically different character. As funny as he was, he became bored, petty, and irritable. Fans missed the old Andy, not the new one who lost his mind at sea.

9 Phyllis Vance

Fans are torn on their love/hate relationship with Phyllis Vance. She’s one of the most timid women on the show who just wants to do well at her job in a happy atmosphere.

She was best friends with Stanely, gave Dwight the help he needed to get Angela, helped Erin in her search for her birth mother, and was even kind to Michael even though he insulted her more often than not. On the flip side, some fans found her cunning and selfish. But as a likable character, she ranked above Angela and Meredith.

8 Erin Hannon

Erin Hannon didn’t join The Office until season five but her character made an impact in the show. She was naive and confused but overall an adorable presence in the Scranton branch and in the series. She cared so deeply about those around her and was incredibly protective of Michael when he was the regional manager. Her relationship with Andy was a long storyline but ended up being a flop when Andy changed his tune. Nevertheless, Erin was a strong character who found herself by the final season. Fans couldn’t help themselves but root for her.

7 Darryl Philbin

Darryl started out as a background warehouse worker but slowly joined the core group of characters up in the office. Fans loved how cool, calm, and collected Darryl was. Andy may have called him out for never finishing things when he says he’s going to but he did have a great mind for marketing and delivery.

By the final season, we saw Darryl finally find his calling by getting a job at Jim’s company, Athlead. Fans loved that Darryl was finally chasing his dreams and expanding as a person. His demeanor and friendships in the office made him one of the most likable characters in the series.

6 Kevin Malone

It’s hard for fans not to root for Kevin Malone. At the beginning of the series, Kevin was shy and kept to himself but by the middle of the series, Kevin completely transformed. Instead of hiding in the background, Kevin was that naive accountant who just wanted to be apart of the joke. He tried to help Jim decide between Karen and Pam, he was a hit at Pam and Jim’s wedding, and he was annoyed that Angela cheated on Andy with Dwight. Kevin was wholesome and fun to watch. Whenever he was on screen fans knew something silly was bound to happen.

5 Pam Beesley

Pam is another character who showed amazing growth over nine seasons. In fact, she might have grown the most. After breaking up with Roy, she followed her heart and did what made her happy. She went to art school, she changed gears at work, she became more outspoken, and she finally allowed herself to give in to Jim. With that being said, some fans didn’t like the new and improved Pam. They liked it better when she was shy, softspoken, and said everything she needed to with a glance at the camera. But she’s still one of the most likable characters in the series with important storylines.

4 Jim Halpert

Jim is supposed to be one of the most likable characters in the series. He’s a hard worker, he’s attractive, he had a crush on a woman who didn’t know he existed – he was relatable. And unlike Michael, Dwight, and Kevin’s crazy antics, Jim was the guy who embarrassingly watched from the background while making that “Jim look”at the camera. However, Jim has had some pretty crumby moments. Season nine was not Jim’s best season and his treatment of Dwight and Michael wasn’t always nice, but fans were in his corner more often than not.

3 Dwight Schrute

If there was one word that described Dwight, it’s consistent. He’s been the same old Dwight since season one. The only difference is that he became more likable as time went on. He seemed to create a real friendship with Jim and grew as an employee in order to manage Dunder Mifflin Scranton the way it was supposed to be managed. And while Dwight shot a gun in the office, was in an affair with Angela, and tried to cross all of his employees once or twice, it was hard not to like him. Fans agree that Dwight is definitely a top-three candidate for the most liked character on The Office.

2 Creed

Creed is one of the most mysterious characters in the show. He never seems to make sense, doesn’t know what he’s doing at Dunder Mifflin, and appears to be involved with some shady stuff. And while Creed didn’t have many long-running storylines or love interests, his lines were always memorable. So much so that fans found him more likable than Jim, Pam, and Dwight!

1 Michael Scott

Who was the most likable character in the series? Well, Michael Scott, of course! After Michael left in the seventh season, the show fell apart. There were too many changes, uncertainties, and the show lost its spark. As outspoken and ignorant as Michael Scott was, fans loved him. He had such tender moments that made up for the fact that he could be so out of touch with the rest of the world.

Michael had some awful moments on the show but he was the heart of it all.

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Lynn Gibbs
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Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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