‘The Office’: Creed Bratton Actor Says ‘For Sure, They Got the Wrong Guy’ in the Scranton Strangler Case
Fans of The Office received closure on a lot of things when the series ended. Jim and Pam are happily married. Michael and Holly get together, and Dwight finally marries Angela. One thing they never received an answer to is who the Scranton Strangler is.
The Scranton Strangler is a serial killer in the Scranton, Pennsylvania area. This Is first mentioned in season 6 of The Office. According to The Office Wiki, “Scranton Strangler is a nickname for an unseen serial criminal in Scranton. A man named George Howard Skub goes to prison after being convicted of being the strangler. Toby Flenderson, who served on the jury, believed Skub was innocent.”
Fans have many theories on the identity of the Scranton Strangler. Toby Flenderson isn’t the only one who believes Skub is innocent. Creed Bratton, who portrays Creed on the show, recently spoke to CNN about the Scranton Strangler. He believes authorities may have nabbed the wrong guy.
Creed Bratton and his ‘Office’ shenanigans
Bratton, whose character has the same name, is one of the wilder personalities to grace the offices of Dunder Mifflin. A fan favorite, his moments on the show are always incredibly random — from talking about his days in cults (as both a follower and a leader) to growing mung beans in his desk drawer. No one ever knows what to expect when they see Creed on camera.
During many of Creed’s interviews within the sitcom, he alludes to not being a stranger to crime. In fact, audience members aren’t even sure if Creed Bratton is his real name. In the season 5 episode, “Crime Aid,” he makes the following statement, “Nobody steals from Creed Bratton and gets away with it. The last person to do this disappeared. His name? Creed Bratton.”
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Was Creed the Scranton Strangler?
Office fans have been trying for years to figure out who’s behind the Scranton serial killings. The supposed killer has been convicted. Many believe Toby is guilty despite his incredibly mild demeanor on the show.
One Reddit user even breaks down potential evidence and motives that point to Toby. “On the day when the falsely-accused strangler is being pursued by the cops, the staff is sitting at Toby’s desk when his phone rings. Not only did someone try to reach him, but since Erin wasn’t at reception forwarding calls, the person calling Toby must have known his extension directly. As a man with few friends who rarely if ever receives direct calls, this is highly suspicious and points to either an accomplice or a confidant to whom Toby confessed.”
While Creed’s life outside of Dunder Mifflin is a bit of a mystery, his hints at a darker side lend him to at least being a suspect in the killings. At one point, he shows up to work in a blood-spattered shirt on Halloween. He tells the audience he didn’t realize what day it was.
In a recent interview with New Day on CNN, Bratton talked about his time on the show. He said, “They got the wrong guy.” Whether or not he was hinting at his character being the actual killer or just joking is up for fans to decide.
Bratton’s time on ‘The Office’
Bratton went on to talk about other topics than the Scranton Strangler. When asked about his time on The Office, Bratton joked, “It was very sad. They were actually very cruel to me.” He also discussed his “casual cartwheel” and his upcoming music tour with the band Mount Joy. Many know Bratton was a member of the band, The Grass Roots from 1967-1969 and still plays various venues. Only now he incorporates his comedic skills with his musical abilities, which Office fans are sure to enjoy.
The Office is currently streaming all nine seasons on Peacock.
