Mindy Kaling Says The Office Couldn’t Be Made Today But The Internet Disagrees

The Office’s Mindy Kaling, who also wrote, directed, and starred, said that the show could not be made in the current climate, but some fans disagree.

The Office star Mindy Kaling says the popular workplace sitcom couldn’t be made today, but internet users are proving her wrong. Kaling started as part of the ensemble cast and writing team of the American reboot of The Office, a 2001 workplace sitcom created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The Office US, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, has since become a mainstay of the American television landscape and remains extremely popular despite its sometimes subversive humor.

Kaling’s heavy involvement in writing, directing, executive producing, and starring in episodes of The Office means that she is often still associated with the series today despite its conclusion in 2013. Recently, Kaling described The Office as “so inappropriate,” proposing that a reason for the series’ lasting popularity is that it feels “taboo.” She has also previously stated that The Office could not be made in modern times due to its problematic characters and offensive jokes. However, internet users disagree with Kaling, arguing that there are other, much more controversial series on the air and that The Office remains firmly part of the mainstream. See the rebuttals to Kaling’s comments below:

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Is Mindy Kaling Right? Could The Office Be Made Today?

Several arguing against Kaling’s point bring up the series It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, which follows a group of highly ignorant and terrible friends who also often toe the line of or outright exhibit racism, homophobia, sexism, and other universally frowned-upon behaviors. Others have mentioned raunchy animated series, including Family Guy and South Park, which have included many controversial jokes over the years and maintain high viewership numbers. All of the above examples are still on the air today, which seemingly proves Kaling’s claim that today’s viewers aren’t interested in ‘offensive’ humor false. Of course, the aforementioned series started decades ago, so Kaling’s point that a similar series would likely be canceled or would not be green-lit today still stands.

Even so, due to its framing, The Office never reached the level of satire that other controversial comedies do, even in its most shocking moments. Rather than being framed as a satirical series about bad people like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Office always allowed its viewers to engage with mildly controversial or cringe comedy while outright dismissing the notion that Michael (Steve Carell), Dwight (Rainn Wilson), or any of the ‘edgier’ characters could ever be taken seriously. While Michael is often seen as the protagonist of The Office, the reason the series is thriving and remains successful today is not the ignorant comments that Carell’s character makes but the reactions of the ensemble cast, which is made up of many characters like Jim (John Krasinski) who play the role of ‘straight man’ against the more offensive characters’ antics.

It’s unlikely that The Office would be considered overly offensive if it were made today because the ignorant or hateful characters like Michael and Angela (Angela Kinsey) are painted as pathetic and always made the butt of the joke, subject to a Greek chorus of eye-rolls from the more palatable and sympathetic ensemble cast. However, much of the sitcom’s success came down to the comedic timing and chemistry of its talent, which would be a difficult feat to recreate today. For those wanting to revisit the magic, The Office is streaming on Peacock. The streaming service also offers Superfan episodes with extra content, proving that the sitcom remains more relevant than ever.

More: The Office: The True Story Behind Evan Peters’ Cringe Cameo

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