10 Characters From The Office Who Deserved Better

In NBC's The Office, there is the core cast (Michael, Jim, Dwight, etc.), but also well-written minor characters. Here are 10 who deserved better.

In television, not all characters are created or written equally. When The Office premiered on NBC in 2005, the show was revered for its strongly featured and witty, well-written supporting cast. Although there were the core players (Michael, Jim, Dwight, Pam, and Ryan), there was an immediate sense of comedic equality when it came to the background characters of Angela, Phyllis, Kevin, etc.

As the series drew to a close after nine seasons, we noticed not all minor roles were developed or treated how they deserved to be. Some were written off abruptly, some slandered by their coworkers, and others were just plain ignored and left to fend for themselves. Here are 10 characters who deserved far better treatment and endings than what they were given.

10 Meredith Palmer

Throughout the series, Meredith served as a much-needed shot of comedic relief to some of the dryer episodes. Until the last episode, she was a one-dimensional character and didn't venture through any subplots. However, maybe it's not her fault.

Her stint as the promiscuous and inappropriate alcoholic of the office was never written to be a major storyline. Still, she does get the short end of the stick when it's revealed she completed a Ph.D. in School Psychology during the duration of filming, but the documentary crew glossed over her accomplishment.

9 Ravi

In "Angry Andy" season 8, Pam introduces her pediatrician, Ravi, to Kelly in the hopes they would hit it off (or maybe to derail Kelly and Ryan's incessant, sexual drama train). For an episode or two, it really seems Kelly has matured and is ready for a strong, committed relationship.

However, given her obnoxious track record with Ryan, it's no surprise she screws over Ravi in the finale by running away with Ryan during Angela and Dwight's wedding. Ravi adored Kelly, despite her whining and entitled attitude. He deserved better than to be abandoned, and frankly, better than Kelly, in general.

8 Toby Flenderson

You can't help but watch The Office and have your heart broken a little each time Toby is mistreated or just plain verbally abused. Michael Scott regularly treats him like trash, but it's never revealed exactly why. One can assume Michael doesn't have a good reason.

By the end of the show, all you want is for someone to show Toby some kindness, but sadly he's still the outcast of the group.

7 Karen Filipelli

Yes, she ends up with a good job, a loving husband, and a baby on the way, but earlier on in the show, Karen was severely mistreated by Jim. The couple dated for one season as Jim moved back to Scranton when the Stamford branch closed, and he persuaded Karen to come with him.

She uprooted her life for him, dealt with him having feelings for Pam, and yet he still broke up with her without giving her an honest explanation. Jim even alludes to Michael in “A Benihana Christmas” that Karen is his rebound after Pam rejected him.

6 Helene Beesly

Michael broke up with her ... on her birthday ... in front of her daughter and daughter's fiancee ... in the middle of a restaurant. Could it have been any worse? Michael and Helene's relationship was never meant to last, but he could have been more of a gentleman during the breakup.

Despite his hilarious line in "Double Date" ("I'm not robbing the cradle. If anything, I'm robbing the ... grave"), Michael's complete disregard for Helene's feelings is uncalled for.

5 Gabe Lewis

Zach Woods plays the character of Gabriel Susan Lewis inexplicably well, from his creepy affinity for sexual touching to his absurd obsession with Erin Hannon. We get the sense Gabe is going to follow a similar trope to Toby (the office punching bag) throughout his first appearances in the Scranton office.

He's pushy, irritating, and interjects an uncomfortable anecdote into every conversation he walks by. However, Gabe was harmless, and he was so terrible at being vindictive, he posed no real threat to anyone in the office.

4 Nellie Bertram

Our first introduction to Nellie in the "Search Committee" portrays her as slightly obnoxious and deluded, but her later appearances reveal her as an ambitious and calculated business professional. She craves three things: success, friendship, and family.

Andy is unapologetically rude to her through the entirety of season 9, and while some resentment is justified, as she did steal his job, his cruel treatment of her is all together undeserved.

3 Deangelo Vickers

Will Ferrell portrayed one of the show's most incoherent, inconsistent characters in the series: Deangelo Jeremitrius Vickers, the Regional Manager replacement after Michael Scott.

Despite being undoubtedly deranged (remember how he only worked at Dunder Mifflin because he saved Jo's dogs from being stolen ... while he was walking the streets unemployed and wasted?), Deangelo didn't deserve such a harsh way to be written off. He slipped into a coma and died ... what a way harsh way to send off a character who was management filler, at best.

2 Nick, The IT Guy

Traditionally, the employees of Dunder Mifflin were not kind to their IT support. In early seasons, Michael reveals their offensive, reductionist nicknames for several, including Ear Hair and Fatso.

The eighth IT guy, Nick, doesn't get a mean nickname but is instead yelled at by various coworkers when he announces he's leaving for an opportunity with Teach for America. All he does is try to connect with a group of people, and how do they repay him? With rude comments and blatant disregard.

1 Esther Bruegger

In the beginning, Dwight treats his girlfriend, Esther, with the utmost courtesy and respect. However, as the final season dragged out his lingering feelings for Angela, Dwight devolved into a sub-par boyfriend. We still don't know how the broke things off with her. Maybe he was a real jerk and did it via voicemail? Maybe stuck a Post-It to her tractor?

Their breakup was so glossed over that we're just left to speculate. She was a great partner to Dwight, bringing him picnic lunches at work and supporting him through every little contest. She deserved better than a sudden break-up.