Over the course of nine seasons,The Officeprovided some of the funniest moments in sitcom history. With a top-tier ensemble, theNBCseries captured the mundane of office life thanks to zany antics and ridiculous characters. As wild as the show would get, the office hierarchy reigned supreme. For some employees,the most coveted job at the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch was that of the regional manager.
From a macro perspective,Steve Carell’s Michael Scott inhabited the position for the majority of the run, butthere were a handful of individuals who had their shot at sipping out of the “World’s Best Boss” mug. Whether attempting to replace the head honcho or stepping in when a de facto leader was needed, these individuals took on the regional manager position through a variety of competencies. The competence of these individuals added to the comedy. But in the real world, perhaps they would have been passed up. We’re here to rank the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch regional managers, and it just might shock you!
11Kevin Malone
Played by Brian Baumgartner
Yes, you’re reading this correctly. There was averyshort period of time in which the bumbling, goofy yet lovable accountantKevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner)served as Scranton’s regional manager.And by short, I mean one hour. During the Season 9 episode “Roy’s Wedding,“the cold open showsthe office strewn with garbage as the custodial staff are out. In order to tidy up the place, Pam (Jenna Fischer) creates a chore wheel at the behest of every individual.
Hoping to appeal to her coworkers, she attempts to make the chore wheel fun, adding prizes, including money and candy, and punishments, such as being punched in the gut or having to give your lunch to Stanley (Leslie David Baker). But the most coveted prize on the wheel was to serve as regional manager for an hour. In a cutaway scene, a disgruntled Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) stands outside his office as Kevin sits in the chair, spinning with glee, as the recipient of the prize. While we may not know how much, or if any, damage he inflicted during his hour in charge,just the mere fact that the most socially unaware individual had the role at all is comedy gold.
10Creed Bratton
Played by Creed Bratton
As the most mysterious man in the office, Creed (Creed Bratton) was the epitome of expecting the unexpected. Following the Sabre merger, the Scranton branch experienced a series of changes at the top. After a series of unfortunate events,the office is left without a manager for a brief moment. In the interim, Sabre CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) appoints Creed as the acting manager of the branch, pending the formation of a search committee to find a permanent replacement.
Not knowing much about him, Jo chose Creed for the position primarily because he had the most experience and seniority on staff. What they all soon learn is that means nothing when it comes to Creed Bratton! While the episode, “Search Committee,” is filled with some extraordinary cameos from the likes ofWill Arnett,Ray Romano,Jim Carrey, andRicky Gervaisreprising his role of David Brent from the UK series, the reality was, the destructive Creed was in the boss’s chair!Did he attempt to poach the company’s clients to establish his own paper company? Yes. Yes, he did.Thankfully, he was stripped of the position quickly enough before he burned the place to the ground, which would have been a very Creed thing to do.
9Deangelo Vickers
Played by Will Ferrell
Following the departure of Michael Scott from Scranton, and thus Carell fromThe Office, a successor by the name of Deangelo Vickers (Will Ferrell) officially took over. As a means to bridge the gap, the guest spot from Ferrell was everything you expected it to be: hilarious and unhinged.Deangelo brings a new evolution of antics that the staff had been used to with Michael, like juggling invisible balls while singing “Bring Me to Life” byEvanescence. He has all of Michael’s worst qualities and literally none of his good ones.
Deangelo was present long enough to form a new “Inner Circle” of favorite employees, including Kevin, Darryl (Craig Robinson), and Gabe (Zach Woods). Like Michael before him, Deangelo’s pride was always at the top of his mind, so when temporary Inner Circle member Jim (John Krasinski) challenges Deangelo to a free-throw line dunk contest, Deangelo accepts. Well, in an incredibly unfortunate moment, the hoop collapses on him, sending him to the hospital. He is eventually honored by Jo during the search for a new regional manager as she refers to him as"the second idiot to dunk himself to death.“As much fun as it would have been to see Ferrell permanently take over for hisAnchormanco-star, it’s likely Dunder Mifflin would have become DOA.
8Robert California
Played by James Spader
Tonally, it was clear thatJames Spaderwas never going to be able to leadThe Officeinto the next era, especially given Robert California’s viperous nature. As an actor whose strengths lie in bringing a glint of humor to the dramatic,Spader represented the employee whose mission was to reach the top by any means possible. As the winner of the search, Robert was hired to be the next regional manager. Using tactics including intimidation and flaunting stories of his past, manipulation was the name of the game.
As one of the shortest tenures at the branch,Andy eventually explained that Robert took a look around the place on his first day and left. Perhaps unimpressed, Robert’s departure was partially due to his desire to be Sabre’s CEO, so he bounced, headed to Florida, and convinced Jo to retire. Talk about successfully climbing the corporate ladder! While Spader’s character didn’t stay in Scranton,he did play a part in the new era of the series, always remembered as “the f–ing Lizard King!”
7Jim Halpert
Played by John Krasinski
Now listen, before you bash this placement, we’re talking about competency at this particular job. Jim Halpert is easily one of the best employees Dundler Mifflin ever had. But that doesn’t mean every great employee is destined to lead.Jim started at Dundler Mifflin for a paycheck and a chance to flirt with the receptionist. ThoughThe Officewas a workplace comedy, the true heart of the show came from watching the romance blossom between Jim and Pam. Of course, in any good story, there must be some conflict, which was Jim being temporarily transferred to the Stamford branch.
Eventually, Scranton and Stamford merged, which also meant a merging of minds. Reluctantly, Jim and Michael became co-managers with hopes that their individual strengths would combine to create a competent leader. During the Season 6 episode “Manager and a Salesman,“Jim held the sole position of regional manager for a whopping four and a half hours.During that time, it was revealed that despite a higher position, the money truly came from being a salesperson. Michael and Jim competed hard for a demotion. Of course, Michael wins out, but he ends up swapping back to his original role, as that’s his destiny. For Jim, his mission was to build a family with Pam, so whatever job meant stability for him and Pam was where he preferred to be.
6Nellie Bertram
Played by Catherine Tate
Thanks toThe Office, American auditions finally had the gift of experiencing the utter brilliance ofCatherine Tate. Known to British audiences for her exceptional comedic chops and being one of the best companions onDoctor Who, Nellie Bertram couldn’t be further from any of her previous roles. Originally auditioning for the part of regional manager during the “Search Committee” episode, it was obvious that she was not right for the role. As a close confidant of Jo’s,Nellie is first hired as “President of Special Projects,“where she is tasked with opening a series of brick-and-mortar stores. It’s an immediate flop, so she returns to Scranton to see that the regional manager’s chair is vacant. Literally.
Now, what you must give Nellie credit for is her gumption. Sure, she had some awful ideas, but she struck while the iron was hot, appointing herself as regional manager while Andy was away in Florida to win the heart of Erin (Ellie Kemper). Nellie is ambitious and knows how to win over the staff by just giving them raises.Her reign is not as long as she desired.She’s ousted when Andy fights to get his job back, thanks to David Wallace (Andy Buckley) buying the company. She remains at Dunder Mifflin in a reduced role as Special Projects Manager and as Andy’s official rival. Nellie is fearless, but not the best leader. In fact, as care-free as office life was, sales was not the ticket.
5Andy Bernard
Played by Ed Helms
Poor Andy Bernard. Part of Helms' charm in the part was how driven he was, despite being incredibly gullible and unaware. Andy always tried to find a way to be noticed; he finally got his wish when Robert California left the regional manager position open. In his first act as Sabre CEO, Robert appointed him as the new branch manager.Andy was surprisingly good at the job. Though once the butt of many people’s jokes, the Scranton employees actually rally behind Andy as their leader.
Andy was kind.He was someone you wanted to work for, but Andy was just unreliable. Andy’s biggest obstacle was not Robert California; it was himself. He prioritized his heart over leading the team to victory. Andy’s obsession with winning over Erin led to a temporary lapse in judgment, as he left the spot vacant for months, allowing Nellie to steal the gig. When he finally returns to the job, Andy stays put until he goes off to pursue his aspiration of being a performer.
4Dwight Schrute
Played by Rainn Wilson
Once upon a time, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) was the Assistant (to) the Regional Manager. Buthis dream was to bethe supreme leader of the Scranton branch. As one of the longest-running characters on the show, in addition to his back-and-forth rivalry with Jim,Dwight’s recurring bit was his fight for the managerial position. And he had the taste of power numerous times. During the Season 3 episode “The Coup,” Dwight tries to push Michael out of his job after his Movie Mondays debacle. But after Michael gets word of the plan to usurp his power,a ruse is played as Dwight believes he is “acting manager” when Michael is “demoted.“In the end, Dwight comes clean, and his temporary brush with power is over.
Following Deangelo’s accident, Jo names Dwight the acting manager, but after witnessing Dwight for so many years, we knew this was not the final solution. Bringing a loaded gun to work, Dwight suffers his own accident as the gun goes off, forcing Jo to take Dwight out of the position. For fans of the show, the full-circle moment comes at the end when the job of regional manager is once again open after Andy leaves. Finally, acknowledging his hard work and dedication over the years, David Wallace promotes Dwight to his dream role, as we depart with Dwight leading the office.Despite his quirks, Dwight’s initiative is impressive. Except for the whole gun thing. Is he still the regional manager today? Well, perhaps we’ll learn that answer from Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) this fall onThe Paper!
3Charles Miner
Played by Idris Elba
There are many individuals on this list who take on the role of Scranton’s regional manager by default. Such was the case for Charles Miner, played by guest starIdris Elba. During Season 5’s “New Boss,” Charles is introduced as the boss from hell as the new Vice President of Northeast Sales. Easily seeing through Michael’s ineffectiveness, the two butt heads until Michael quits to create the Michael Scott Paper Company, bringing Pam and Ryan (B.J. Novak) with him.This leaves Charles as the de facto regional manager.
Perhaps in any other office, Charles' leadership would lead to victory, but thanks in part to Michael’s history with Dunder Mifflin’s clients and rapport with the employees,Charles loses control as the new rival company undercuts his own success. Michael, in a triumphant moment, manages to force a buyout before Dunder Mifflin crumbles. Charles goes back to corporate, but is swiftly fired due to Sabre’s purchase of the company.As far as competence, Charles is towards the top. But as someone you want to work for? Charles very close to the bottom.
Played by Ken Howard
For Ed Truck (Ken Howard), viewers really never had a chance to see him in action as the show picks up with Ed’s heir apparent, Michael Scott. Ed shaped the Scranton branch, hiring some staff favorites, including Michael, Stanley, Meredith (Kate Flannery), Creed, and Phyllis (Phyllis Smith). During his sole appearance on the series, “The Carpet,” Michael asks his former mentor for advice as he is worried his employees won’t see him as a friend.Ed bluntly tells Michael to let “your workers be your workers, your family be your family, your friends be your friends.”
It’s wild to imagine how the workplace changed so drastically during the transition from Ed to Michael. They both had very different management styles. Though Michael admired him,he always said his old boss was the opposite of fun. He never wanted to be like Ed, so he became the antithesis. Sadly, in the Season 3 episode “Grief Counseling,” it’s revealed that Ed Truck has died. According to Creed, a very unreliable source, Ed was decapitated by a truck. Despite their different approaches, Ed’s death hits Michael hard. As the longest-tenured regional manager, Ed was successful. He missed the top spot because, well, he wasn’t Michael Scott!
