The Office Would Be 'Too Hard' to Make Today, Says Rainn Wilson

The Office would be impossible to make today, according to Dwight Schrute himself. Rainn Wilson told Fox News that the show's politically incorrect humor would be 'too hard' to produce in the current cultural climate — and he admits he misses that freedom. The comments come as the beloved series continues drawing massive audiences on streaming services in UAE, where it remains available on both Netflix and OSN+.

What Rainn Wilson actually said about The Office's humor

Wilson didn't hold back in his assessment of how The Office would fare today. 'I do feel like you couldn't make The Office today,' he said. 'I think that would be too hard to be as politically incorrect as the show was. And I do kind of miss that.'

The actor pointed to the deliberately clueless portrayal of characters like his Dwight Schrute and Steve Carell's Michael Scott as key to the show's success. 'We milked that for a lot of great, really inappropriate stuff,' Wilson explained. 'But even with the fact that painting [Michael] as just an idiot, I don't think you could get away with it today.'

Our take is that Wilson's point feels fair — some of the show's edgier workplace jokes would likely face more scrutiny today, while the series still works because the humor was usually aimed at exposing ignorance rather than celebrating it.

The 'A Benihana Christmas' episode Wilson finds cringe-worthy

Wilson specifically called out the season three episode 'A Benihana Christmas' as problematic by today's standards. The episode features Michael marking an Asian American waitress with a Sharpie pen at an office Christmas party — the joke being that he needs this to tell the difference between Asian women.

'It's a tricky conversation,' Wilson said previously about the episode. 'It's like they're clueless, and in their cluelessness, they're racist and insensitive, and they're always saying the wrong thing.' Fellow Office stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kingsley agreed on their podcast that 'the storyline would [not] have been written today.'

The episode highlights how The Office walked a fine line between exposing workplace ignorance and potentially perpetuating it — a balance that Wilson acknowledges would be much harder to strike today.

Where to watch The Office in UAE right now

Despite Wilson's concerns about its content, The Office remains hugely popular in the UAE. The complete series is available on both Netflix and OSN+, making it accessible to most streaming subscribers in the region. The show consistently ranks among the most-watched content on these platforms.

For UAE viewers considering their streaming options, The Office's availability on multiple platforms gives flexibility in how you access it. Both services offer Arabic subtitles, though no Arabic dubbing is available for the series.

The Office spinoff 'The Paper' gets renewed

While Wilson reflects on what The Office couldn't do today, the franchise is actually expanding. The spinoff series 'The Paper' has already been renewed for a second season, suggesting there's still appetite for Office-style workplace comedy.

No UAE release date has been announced for The Paper yet, though it's likely to arrive on major streaming platforms eventually. The original Office ended in 2013 after nine successful seasons and 201 episodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Rainn Wilson say about The Office?

Rainn Wilson said The Office would be 'too hard' to make today because it was too politically incorrect for the current cultural climate. He specifically mentioned that the show's 'really inappropriate stuff' wouldn't be acceptable now, even though characters like Michael Scott were portrayed as idiots.

Is there a spinoff of The Office?

Yes, there's a spinoff called 'The Paper' which has already been renewed for a second season. However, no UAE release date has been announced yet for this new series.

Where can I watch The Office in the UAE?

The Office is available on both Netflix and OSN+ in the UAE. Both platforms offer the complete series with Arabic subtitles, though no Arabic dubbing is available.

Which Office episode does Rainn Wilson find problematic?

'A Benihana Christmas' from season three is the episode Wilson specifically mentioned as cringe-worthy. It features Michael Scott marking an Asian American waitress with a Sharpie pen, which Wilson and other cast members acknowledge wouldn't be written today.

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