Steve Carell saved The Office by making sure Michael Scott wasn't just 'an a--hole': 'The whole show turned around'

When The Office came over from the U.K. to the U.S., its future was up in the air until the folks running the American version realized Michael Scott (Steve Carell) isn't 'just an a--hole' but a well-meaning a--hole.

Paul Feig, who served as a director on a number of episodes on The Office, recalled the shift in an interview on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's podcast, Dinner's on Me.

Feig cites the difference between British humor and American humor in the characterization of Michael Scott. While the Brits "love tearing down a bore," Americans tend to want to sympathize with an unlikable lead character. If they don't like the character, "they'll tune it out. They just won't watch it."

Feig came on to direct episodes in season two, by which point Michael was still "such a bore and so mean." But also by this point, Carell had starred in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which made him a star.

"So Steve was this huge star all of a sudden, and they had this huge star in the show that they thought wasn't working and it wasn't working in the ratings," Feig said.

While filming the second season episode, "Office Olympics," Carell made an acting choice that changed the course of Michael Scott's development forever.

"It was the scene we were shooting when everybody was supposed to be working and they're screwing off doing this thing. And in order to not get in trouble with Michael, they're going to give him a gold medal," Feig explained.

"But we're shooting it and Steve gets emotional. Steve as the character, 'cause he's had this terrible day," Feig continued. "And so he starts like kind of crying, like a tear goes down his eye and we're like, 'Oh my God.' And I'm going like, 'Oh, do that again. Do that again. This is a great. And I think that was this moment of like, that's him."

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Feig continued, "He's got a humanity about him and everybody figured out, 'No, he's not an a--hole. He's a misguided idiot who is an a--hole because he's trying to be funny.' Right. So you go like, 'Okay, he means well.'"

So for the record, Michael Scott, kind of an a--hole but with redeemable qualities. David Brent, however, total a--hole, no redeemable qualities. And that's comedy, depending on whether you're American or British.