Steve Carell returns to comedy in an untitled HBO series.
Steve Carell, famous for his role as Michael Scott on NBC's 'The Office', where he won a Golden Globe, is set to return to television comedy in an upcoming HBO series. Known for his comedic genius, Carell is poised to take on a new role that promises to captivate audiences once again. The untitled project will reunite Scrubs alumni Bill Lawrence (of Ted Lasso fame) and Matt Tarses, who will collaborate on the script and oversee HBO's ‘straight-to-series’ order. This new comedy will be set on a college campus, with Carell playing an author dealing with a challenging relationship with his daughter. His iconic role in 'The Office' has garnered a dedicated fan base over the years. Interestingly, Carell almost missed out on the opportunity to play Michael Scott, a role that has become legendary in the comedy world.
It's difficult to envision anyone but Steve Carell as Michael Scott in 'The Office.' Carell's perfect comic timing, delivery, and physical comedy elevated the character to iconic status. Inspired by David Brent from the British series, Michael Scott became Carell's own, partly because Carell deliberately avoided watching much of Ricky Gervais' performance to ensure his portrayal remained distinct.
However, Carell almost missed out on the role. When Greg Daniels was casting for the show, other actors considered included Paul Giamatti, Martin Short, and Bob Odenkirk. Odenkirk, later famous for his role in 'Breaking Bad,' was particularly close to becoming the Dunder Mifflin boss. Initially, Carell had to turn down the part due to a contract with the show 'Come to Papa,' which led to the role being offered to Odenkirk. Fortunately, 'Come to Papa' was cancelled, allowing Carell to step into the role of Michael Scott—a part that would ultimately make him a household name.
‘The Office’ is a mockumentary sitcom based on the 2001–2003 BBC series of the same name, created by and starring Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a seasoned writer for 'Saturday Night Live,' 'King of the Hill,' and 'The Simpsons,' the show chronicles the daily work lives of employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The original main cast included Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, and B.J. Novak, though the ensemble cast saw many changes over the years.
‘The Office’ initially received moderately positive reviews (with the pilot episode getting mixed feedback) during its brief first season. However, subsequent seasons garnered significant acclaim, particularly for Carell's performance, as the show’s characters, content, structure, and tone evolved distinctly from the original British series. In 2016, Rolling Stone honoured 'The Office' as one of the 100 greatest television shows of all time.
