Ed Helms Played Three Different Characters In The Office And We Didn’t Even Notice It

Technically, Ed Helms played three different characters in The Office, and we didn’t even notice it when it was happening. Most notably known for his character, Andy Bernard, Ed Helms became a pretty important member of The Office’s cast, especially in the later seasons when Michael Scott left. His comedic personality brought a lot to the show, and he became one of the best characters introduced to The Office after season 2. However, Ed Helms actually played three very different versions of his famous Andy Bernard character, and their personalities were so distinct that they felt like different people entirely.

With just over 200 episodes across The Office’s 9 seasons airing since 2005, the beloved sitcom had to do a lot in order to keep audiences invested, especially when most of the action was set in one location. As a result, the characters and their personalities drove the show more than anything. Andy Bernard was a brilliant addition to The Office because he started out as an annoying and antagonistic personality in season 3 and slowly evolved into something more. This also led to Ed Helms actually ending up playing three totally different versions of his character in The Office.

Ed Helms Plays Three Different Versions Of Andy In The Office

Stamford-Era Andy, Scranton-Era Andy, And Season 9 Andy…

Ed Helms’ Andy Bernard was introduced as a new character in The Office season 3’s premiere, and his personality was quite different at first. As the Regional Director of Sales at the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin, Andy managed the office that Jim moved to in order to get away from Pam. His work style, much like Michael’s, was rather chaotic, showcasing a strange trend for those in charge of Dunder Mifflin. However, unlike Michael, Andy was not so lovable to begin with and actually had a lot of anger issues which came to a head during the merger arc.

Following his anger management therapy, Andy became one of the most likable characters in The Office for the longest time. Despite his somewhat annoying personality traits, like his over-eagerness and constant singing, Andy was generally a nice personality in The Office and got along with almost everyone. In fact, his character change almost led to Andy marrying Angela, who was notoriously strict. Unfortunately, this version was scrapped towards the end of the show, as The Office made Andy Bernard extremely unlikable for seemingly no reason in season 9, despite him finally dating Erin and becoming Regional Manager at Scranton.

Andy’s Inconsistent Character Arc Was One Of The Office’s Biggest Flaws

Andy Bernard Was Done Dirty In The Office

Andy’s inconsistent character arc was one of The Office’s biggest flaws, because it felt out of place in such a character-driven show. Having started out as a chaotic and angry personality, Andy steadily evolved into a likable character that fit well into Dunder Mifflin. To undo this in The Office’s final season, reverting him back to an annoying and unlikable personality, made it feel like Ed Helms’ character wasn’t cared about and was simply a scapegoat to cause drama. Consequently, many fans were unhappy with this decision and felt Andy Bernard deserved better than his The Office season 9 treatment.

Furthermore, Andy Bernard’s character change was made worse by Michael’s exit from The Office. Steve Carell supposedly left so that the show could focus on other characters, without Michael being used as the lead. As a result, other characters in The Office needed to step up into the limelight, and their stories now needed to be much more interesting in the wake of Carell’s absence. Therefore, as a comedic character, it made sense that Andy would be the perfect choice to bring into the foreground of The Office, but in doing so, the show actually ruined his character arc.

The Office’s “Second Andy” Was By Far The Better One

Andy Became A Brilliant Character After Season 3

Out of all three versions of Andy, many fans will agree that the second iteration was the best one. Having resolved his anger issues and finally settled into life at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin, He became a hilarious and likable personality in The Office. Andy’s annoying mannerisms were toned down into “quirks,” making him much more tolerable, and he even had some wholesome moments that showcased a completely different side to his aloof character, like his romantic relationship with Angela. In fact, Andy seemed like the perfect Michael Scott replacement following Carell’s departure, due to his entertaining immature maturity.

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10 Characters From The Office Who Deserved Better Endings

The Office had a wonderful run for nine incredible seasons, but the show’s ending left a lot to be desired for several pivotal characters.

However, when Michael left The Office, Andy’s character went downhill. When Andy returned from The Bahamas, he had reverted to his old ways, mirroring the same cocky and tone-deaf manager from The Office season 3. Andy’s treatment of his co-workers, and especially his girlfriend Erin, was completely out of character and poorly explained by off-screen storylines (due to Ed Helms’ hectic filming schedule). Consequently, there were three total versions of Andy that appeared in The Office, with the second being the most agreeable, and they were so different that it was almost like Ed Helms was playing completely separate characters.

TV Show

My Favorite TV Shows
My Watchlist

The Office

8/10

Release Date

2005 – 2012

Showrunner

Greg Daniels

Directors

Greg Daniels, Paul Lieberstein, Paul Feig, Randall Einhorn, Ken Kwapis