10 Characters From The Office Who Deserved Better Endings

The Office remains one of the best sitcoms on TV, but not everyone on the show got the ending that they deserved. When it comes to sitcoms, there are a few that stand out as being the best of the best, with fans returning to rewatch this light comedy shows on repeat. While Seinfeld and Friends hold the leading spots for these types of shows in the 1980s and 1990s, 2005 saw a brand-new sitcom earn a spot among these incredibly popular and enduring shows with The Office.

However, one aspect of a sitcom that is challenging to get right is the ending. After years watching characters being goofy and making choices that lead to wild and hilarious consequences, these shows need to neatly conclude their stories and give the characters a proper send-off. For the most part, The Office was able to create positive endings for the main cast, with Michael, Jim, Pam, and Dwight standing out as having some of the best and most rewarding endings to their story, but for many others, things were a lot less satisfying.

10. Pete Miller

The Unsung Hero Needed a Happier Ending

Pete may not be the most recognizable character from The Office, since he made his debut on the show in the final season, but he was an important part of the last season. Pete and Clark both appear in season 9, episode 1, “New Guys,” and for all intents and purposes, they appear to be replacements for Jim and Dwight in terms of their roles and dynamics inside the office. With Pete, this is best seen through his crush on the receptionist, Erin, who is currently dating someone else from the company, which mirrors Jim and Pam’s relationship at the start.

However, while Pete gets a lot of screen time throughout season 9, and his connection with Erin blossoms, he is almost completely absent from the finale. Pete can be seen in the background, and he is dating Erin when The Office ends, but for a character who had such a prominent story throughout the season to be relegated to the background in the end felt weird. Despite this, he probably had a happy ending, continuing to date Erin and work at Dunder Mifflin, but with no real acknowledgments in the finale, it felt like the show discarded the new guy to focus on the original cast.

9. Jan Levinson

A Complex Character Deserved Redemption

Jan wasn’t a great boss, and even when she entered into a romantic relationship with Michael, she turned out to be an even less great person, but her ending in the show was disappointing. With The Office being a comedy show first and foremost, some characters are purely there to be the butt of jokes, and often, this was Jan’s role. Early on, Michael continued to be inappropriate in his conversations with Jan, but when the pair got involved, something snapped for Jan. She went from an executive with her life in order, to something completely different.

She ends up being fired from Dunder Mifflin, hooking up with much younger men, and traveling the world. But then, in the final season, Jan is brought back to essentially retread the same old story. Jan gets a new job as an executive for another sales firm, and she then develops an infatuation with Clark, a new employee at Dunder Mifflin. Jan’s life appears to have spiraled, only to land right back where she began.

8. Deangelo Vickers

A Tragic Loss That Could’ve Been Avoided

At the end of season 7, The Office was trying to find a replacement for Michael Scott, due to Steve Carell’s career taking off. As a result, they brought another comedy giant in to begin the transition, but Will Ferrell’s time on The Office was incredibly short. Ferrell played Deangelo Vickers, who was set to take over the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. Over three episodes, he meets Michael, he meets the team, and he begins to take control of the branch

However, after an intense game of dunking basketball against Jim Halpert, the hoop collapses on him, and he is taken away to hospital. Later on, it is confirmed that Deangelo died from dunking, which indicates that the character was fatally injured. It’s bizarre, and kind of funny because of how absurd it is, but Deangelo deserved better.

7. David Wallace

A Corporate Ladder Climber Who Deserved More

Like Jan, David Wallace served in the upper management of Dunder Mifflin. While he generally operated out of the head office in New York, David did make an effort to come out and engage with smaller remote branches like Scranton’s. However, when Dunder Mifflin ran into financial troubles, David Wallace managed to get a decent severance, but it also resulted in him feeling aimless and lost.

He got out once before, and despite being aimless, David began pursuing passion projects.

Later on, David Wallace reacquired the company, and he presumably enjoyed many more years at Dunder Mifflin. However, it felt like he was stuck. He got out once before, and despite being aimless, David began pursuing passion projects. While he loved Dunder Mifflin, it felt as though the company was holding him back, and reacquiring the company likely didn’t make him any more happy or fulfilled.

6. Karen Filipelli

A Loyal Friend Who Deserved Better

When Jim was initially pining over Pam Beasley in Scranton, he conceded that since Pam was engaged to her then boyfriend, Roy, Jim didn’t stand a chance. So, he decided to get a transfer, and started to take his career more seriously in another branch. While there, Jim met an intelligent and beautiful colleague named Karen Filipelli, and the two quickly sparked up a romance. However, when their branch was closed and integrated with Scranton, the relationship was doomed.

Pam broke it off with Roy, and Jim’s old flame came back as a burning fire. Karen had genuine feelings for Jim, but he ultimately dumped her in favor of his first choice. Karen does appear a couple more times in The Office, with her final appearances being in season 5, and a brief cameo in Michael’s movie “Threat Level Midnight” in season 7. By season 5, Karen is pregnant and happily married, which is sweet, but the way her life was turned upside down with her old office closing, and then her boyfriend leaving her for his crush was tragic.

5. A.J.

A Brief but Memorable Character Who Left Too Soon

Speaking of ex’s, Michael Scott had several relationships throughout The Office, but the one woman who he really connected with on a deeper level was Holly Flax. Michael and Holly had quirky characteristics that complimented each other, and they generally brought out the best in one another. However, Holly was moved out of the Scranton branch not long after they began dating. Michael still carried a torch for Holly, but it seemed like the two were fated to be apart.

But, in season 7, Holly returns to the show for the second time with her new boyfriend, A.J.

For the most part, A.J. is a good guy, who has strong feelings for Holly, and gives her gifts that are meaningful to her, like the Woody doll. However, A.J. is not the best when it comes to commitment. Specifically, Holly is upset when, after a couple of years dating, A.J. has not proposed. Unhappy with their progress, Holly gives him an ultimatum, and despite living together and having had a long-term relationship, she dumps him.

4. Katy Moore

A Strong Woman Who Deserved More Screen Time

Katy Moore is a character who was played by the incredibly talented actress, Amy Adams. However, her role in The Office was oddly small. However, when she shows up in season 1, she attracts a lot of attention as she makes an effort to sell some bags to the staff of the Scranton branch. While she clearly has no interest in suitors like Michael or Dwight, she does end up getting a ride home with Jim, and the pair begin dating.

Katy and Jim continue dating into season 2, but after a while, it becomes clear that Jim’s feelings for Pam are too all-consuming. While on a booze cruise, Jim breaks up with Katy due to his strong feelings for Pam and his sadness that she is engaged to Roy. But this leaves Katy awkwardly tagging along on Jim’s work trip after their breakup, before she disappears, never to be seen again in the show.

3. Kelly Kapoor

A Character Deserving of Growth and Maturity

=Kelly had some highs and lows in the run of The Office, with a lot of her early appearances seeing her pining for Ryan Howard, the intern. Kelly was ambitious and resourceful, managing to get a promotion by creating a new role and jumping on opportunities. However, she left the series early in season 9 to enjoy a happily ever after with her successful doctor fiancé, Ravi, when he accepts a job in Miami University, Ohio.

Despite running toward her happy ending, Kelly returns for the finale and bumps into Ryan, who is raising his son as a single parent after his life has taken him on a roller coaster. Ryan and Kelly instantly perceive their connection, and Ryan tricks Ravi into taking his son to inspect a fake rash, only to run away with Kelly. As much as the pair may be as messed up as each other, it’s unlikely their actions will lead them toward a happier or better life, and Ryan’s son is certainly in a precarious position after he abandons him.

2. Stanley Hudson

A Cynic Who Deserved a Happy Ending

Stanley was a quiet but constant presence in The Office, and generally, it’s because he did not enjoy communicating with his colleagues. Stanley worked for many years at Dunder Mifflin, but it was always a paycheck, and he was always keen to leave as soon as it was home time. However, when he finally did achieve his dream of retiring from the workforce, Stanley retires to Florida, leaving everyone else in the past.

Stanley lost loved ones, and by the time he retired, there wasn’t a lot left for him to enjoy.

But, as seen when he appears in the finale, Stanley does miss his coworkers, particularly Phyllis, who used to sit close to his desk. Stanley lost loved ones, and by the time he retired, there wasn’t a lot left for him to enjoy. This led to more isolation, and a hobby of carving wooden birds. Hopefully he’s happier, but Stanley wasn’t exactly someone who cracked a smile very often either.

1. Andy Bernard

A Character Arc That Went Off the Rails

Andy’s ending in The Office was one of the biggest travesties of the show. Andy started out as a goofy colleague that Jim got to know when he transferred away from Scranton. However, when the branch closed down, Andy also transferred to Scranton, and began to try and make a name for himself as one of the best salesmen in the team. Unfortunately, Andy did not always possess the relevant skills, and so, he often appears to be lagging behind others like Dwight and Jim.

Then, Andy has his heart broken by Angela, who cheats on him with Dwight, and then again by Erin, who develops strong feelings for Pete. Ultimately, Andy experiences multiple mental breaks, and he finds himself the subject of viral videos, leading to near constant ridicule. He does manage to turn things around a little when he gets a job at his old university, Cornell, but his public perception is likely to continue to see him ridiculed after The Office concludes.