The Office: Andy's Downfall in Season 9 - What Went Wrong?

Summary

The show's writers grappled with Andy's character progression in the last season, leading to a radical transformation in his personality and an unfavorable aura surrounding him.

Andy's character arc in the show took a negative turn, ultimately leading him to have a mental breakdown during a singing competition. This not only diminished his character, but also shed light on the problem with the show's post-Michael boss.

In The Office season 9, Andy Bernard became extremely unlikable, leaving fans wondering what caused this downfall. Ed Helms portrayed the character from his introduction in season 3. Originally working at Dunder Mifflin's Stamford branch, Andy later moved to Scranton after the merger of the two offices. Despite his initial attempts to impress manager Michael Scott, Andy proved to be a terrible salesperson. However, he was still promoted to manager for two seasons before the show concluded. As Andy took on a larger role in the company, his personality underwent a significant change.

When Andy initially joined the Scranton branch in The Office, he displayed a combination of insecurity and arrogance towards his peers. Andy's idiosyncrasies made him a prime target for pranks, which consistently triggered his exaggerated anger issues. In due course, Andy assumed the position of manager following Michael's departure, and a complex romantic tension developed with Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper). However, upon returning from a trip to Florida, Andy faced the disheartening news that Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) had taken over his managerial role. Consequently, this triggered behavioral problems that ultimately resulted in a brief period of unemployment. Although Andy managed to regain his position by the end of the season, his problematic attitude continued to cast a shadow upon his character during the show's ninth and final season.

Andy Regained His Worst Qualities In The Office's Final Season

Andy's treatment of Nellie and his other co-workers was not only terrible, but he also proved to be truly awful to Erin in The Office season 9. Despite standing by his side during challenging moments concerning his career and family, Erin never received any appreciation from him. Interestingly, Andy was sent to Outward Bound for manager training before the final season. However, upon his return, he reverted back to his old ways, displaying a lack of understanding, arrogance, and self-centeredness. It almost seemed as if Andy had completely discarded all the positive character development he had undergone during his trip. While one theory speculated that his change in behavior was due to the "alcohorse" incident, it appeared that the real issues stemmed from the writing itself.

Another frequent question that arises is: what led to Andy's departure from The Office? The obstacles posed by filming schedules became a concern for Ed Helms, as he consistently landed leading roles in movies. Given his surging popularity following The Hangover, Helms found himself dividing his time between The Office and various film projects. Consequently, Andy's presence on the sitcom became intermittent, prompting the show's creators to devise off-screen storylines for his character. By weaving in and out of the narrative, Andy's erratic behavior became more difficult for viewers to digest. It is conceivable that the writers struggled to find a suitable role for Helms in the final season, thereby tarnishing the character's legacy with his unfavorable demeanor.

Andy Didn't Deserve His Bad The Office Ending

Although Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) was not particularly liked by viewers of The Office, his season 9 story arc, which concluded with the unfortunate ending known as "Andy The Office bad ending," was undeserved. In the second to last episode of the show, it is revealed that the documentary has been finished, shedding light on what happens to the main characters in their futures. While most of the characters receive satisfying conclusions, Andy's stands out significantly. Ultimately, Andy embarrasses himself completely by suffering a mental breakdown during a televised singing competition, resulting in his meltdown becoming an internet meme.

While he did have the opportunity to rejoin his alma mater (Cornell) as part of the staff, his participation in a singing competition illustrates how the writers diminished the depth of his character development in The Office conclusion. Adding insult to injury, it was disclosed during the table read for The Office finale that Andy had a fiancé, yet this uplifting revelation was ultimately omitted from the finale. Although not as prominent as Dwight, Jim, and Pam, Andy underwent his own intricate character arc throughout the series, grappling with insecurities and emotional management struggles, all of which were completely undermined by his actions in The Office season 9.

Andy's Ending Highlights The Office's Post-Michael Problem

After Steve Carrell's departure from The Office in season 7, the writers were confronted with the daunting task of filling the shoes of the iconic Dunder Mifflin boss. The treatment of Andy in the final seasons serves as a prime example of the show's struggle to find a suitable regional manager. Each subsequent boss was deemed unlikable, going over the top in their portrayal, whether it was Andy or Will Ferrell's D'angelo Vickers. Even Dwight underwent a complete transformation in his personality when he assumed the role of regional manager, becoming the most unfavorable character in the series. Though Dwight had always irked his co-workers, he had been adored by The Office fans until he took on the position of regional manager.