The Office is one of the most popular TV sitcoms of all time, and much of this popularity comes from its eccentric cast of unique characters. Everybody's got their own favorite, but Ranker has put together an exhaustive list of the show's best characters, according to fans.
The cast of The Office has been through multiple waves throughout its time on TV, with many of the fan-favorite characters not even appearing until later seasons. It's for this reason that the show is so beloved - it's always reinventing itself and adding new individuals to keep the stories new and exciting.
Oscar Martinez
Although Oscar didn't play a huge role in the first few seasons of The Office, his character became much more prevalent in the show's latter half. Not only does he have plenty of iconic quotes and funny lines, but his relationships with the others in the office are always fun to watch.
Oscar often acts as the voice of reason in Dunder Mifflin, usually offering advice to Michael and preventing him from going ahead with his wild plans and senseless ideas. His sarcasm and nonchalance make him a great addition to the cast, always with something sharp to add to the conversation.
Prison Mike
Despite not technically being a separate character, Prison Mike is so beloved by fans that it wouldn't be right not to include him on this list. He first appears in the Season 3 episode "The Convict," when he speaks to the employees of Dunder Mifflin about his experiences in prison.
Prison Mike is one of the first 'alter-egos' that Michael displays throughout his time on The Office, but he's far from the last. With characters including Michael Klump and Michael Scarn, the manager quickly became synonymous with his eccentric impressions and impersonations.
Darryl Philbin
Darryl was only a minor character in the first few seasons of The Office, but he quickly became a much more present member of the cast when Dunder Mifflin was acquired by Sabre and Jo promoted him to work in the office. It was here that we finally got to see him interact with the rest of the cast.
It was this transition upstairs that proved Darryl deserved more respect at Dunder Mifflin, with the character often coming into conflict with Michael over his absurd managing methods. Craig Robinson's performance as the character is surely one of the funniest and most entertaining in the entire show.
Stanley Hudson
Stanley has been an integral member of the office team since the show's first season, and he's been a hugely reliable source of laughs ever since. His complete apathy towards Michael and his managing methods is always fun to watch, and Leslie David Baker plays this hilariously.
Stanley is rarely the star of the show, but he's always there in the background with a sharp quip or joke to keep the mood light. His journey throughout the show was an interesting one to track, with his affair in Season 6 being one of the show's more surprising plot points.
Pam Halpert
Pam has also been one of the most important of the cast ever since day one, playing a huge role in the show's first couple of seasons. The tension that arose from her friendship with Jim and her engagement to Roy was constantly engaging and led to one of the best TV sitcom marriages ever.
Pam is also one of the most interesting characters in the show, with the first few seasons focusing on her dream of going to art school and not being stuck as a receptionist forever. She's one of the show's most beloved characters, and she has plenty of memorable moments and hilarious lines throughout the show.
Kevin Malone
There are few characters that are quite as fun to watch as Kevin Malone, whose cluelessness often makes him the butt of the joke. A lot of Kevin's most famous scenes made fans cringe, but there's still no denying that he's one of the show's funniest assets.
Although the joke is often on him, it's still fair to say that Kevin has been involved in some of the show's funniest scenes and smartest jokes. The character is so strongly connected with the sense of humor that makes The Office so lovable, which makes it impossible not to love his character.
Creed Bratton
Creed is an extremely mysterious and unknowable character, and that's exactly what makes his presence in the show so funny. His jokes are always so unexpected and very rarely make sense, which makes it doubly entertaining when he actually does speak up with some hilarious nonsense.
Very little is known about Creed's character, so it's always a surprise when he pops up in a scene with something funny to say. Bratton's performance is also consistently entertaining, offering some of the funniest facial expressions and reactions in the show.
Jim Halpert
There's an argument to be made that Jim is the real main character of The Office, since so much of the show focuses on his relationships with Pam, Dwight, and Michael. He's the character that's developed the most since the first season, and he's always been there with a sarcastic joke to lighten a scene.
Jim's relationship with Pam has always been a huge part of The Office, with the show often focusing on their friendship and subsequent marriage. They're an integral part of the office environment, and their story is often prioritized by the show.
Michael Scott
Steve Carrell provides one of the best comedic performances of all time with Michael Scott, the eccentric and incompetent manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton. Michael become famous for his hilarious schemes and questionable pieces of business advice, alongside his entertaining dynamics with the others in the office.
Michael's search for love has always been a huge part of the show, and his engagement to Holly Flax at the end of the show's seventh season is regarded as one of the most emotional moments in the entire show by many fans. Everybody is glad that Michael finally got his happy ending, even if it took a while to get there.
Dwight Schrute
The only character in The Office even more iconic than Michael is Dwight Schrute, whose endless antics and childish pranks allow him to stand out from the rest of the employees. He's unlike any other character, with an extremely distinct personality that keeps his scenes fun and interesting.
Dwight has had many "rivalries" throughout his time on the show, but his relationship with Jim will always be the most interesting. The two clearly don't get along, but they have a kind of sibling conflict that makes their scenes together come alive unlike any other pairing on the show.