‘The Office’ Fans Have a Tragic Theory About Andy Bernard and His Brain
Fans love to come up with theories about their favorite shows and characters. Mental Floss points out, there is no shortage of fan theories for The Office. Some theories tend to be a little far-fetched, while others make you think twice about the character you love. One such thought is about the Sales Representative, Andy Bernard, and what caused his personality to change toward the end of The Office.
What is ‘The Office’ About?
When The Office first aired on NBC in 2005, it was met with mixed reviews. This was because it was an American adaptation of the original British comedy with the same name and because it was filmed in a ‘mockumentary’ style.
However, it soon became a favorite among many and is arguably one of the best shows in TV history. The Office is about a fictional documentary crew filming the everyday lives, antics, and relationships of the employees working for Dunder Mifflin, a struggling paper company in Scranton, PA.
Who is Andy Bernard?
Viewers are first introduced to Andy Bernard, portrayed by Ed Helms, in season three when Jim transfers to the Stamford branch. When this branch closes, Andy, along with Jim, is transferred to Scranton.
Early on, viewers see that Andy has anger issues. When at Stamford, Jim pranks Andy by putting his calculator in jello, which sends Andy into a tantrum, and he kicks his trash can.
Later, when they work at the Scranton branch, Jim and Pam prank Andy by putting his phone in the ceiling. Andy becomes so angry with not being able to find it, that he punches the wall. This causes him to be sent to an anger management workshop for a few weeks.
Overall, Andy is insecure and cares what others think of him, especially his boss’. At one point, Jim explains to Michael Scott that Andy is a “yes” man, meaning that he will agree with whatever Michael says. This stems from Andy’s parents favoring his younger brother, and Andy continually tries to gain their approval.
Andy comes from a wealthy family, and he loves to brag about attending Cornell University. He uses any opportunity to bring up this fact in conversation. Andy also often mentions that he was also a part of a cappella group while he was at Cornell.
Even though he is annoying, he tends to get along with his co-workers. He even becomes engaged to Angela Martin, an accountant. However, Angela cheats on Andy with Dwight Schrute, another Sales Representative. When Andy finds out, he calls off the engagement.
Later on, in the show, Andy has an on-again, off-again relationship with Erin Hannon, the receptionist.
The ‘Alcohorse’ Theory
Andy seems to go through the most dramatic character change in the show. Fans believe he has brain damage caused by what one fan on Reddit calls “alcohorse.”
In season seven, episode eight, “The Viewing Party,” Andy is dealing with heartbreak. Erin, who is Andy’s ex-girlfriend, invites everyone over to her new boyfriend’s apartment to watch Glee. Andy goes and has to endure seeing Erin with Gabe Lewis, her new boyfriend.
Andy ends up snooping around Gabe’s room with the temp, Ryan Howard, and he comes across a container of powdered seahorse. Ryan explains that the powder gives you superhuman strength. So, Andy pours it into his wine and drinks.
The theory is that this combination of powdered seahorse and alcohol caused brain damage, which in turn caused a future behavior change. You can catch up on The Office and see Andy’s behavioral change on Netflix until January 2021. After that, the show will be moving to NBC’s streaming site for viewing.
