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When one thinks about the characters of The Office, the word “positive” doesn’t typically come to mind. Maybe words like: funny, severe, and lacking self-awareness, but not positive.

As it turns out, The Office crew is a pretty negative bunch. Here are the most negative and positive characters in the series, and how their demeanor changes through the seasons.

Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, Paul Lieberstein as Toby Flenderson, Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin of 'The Office'
Craig Robinson as Darryl Philbin, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert, Paul Lieberstein as Toby Flenderson, Angela Kinsey as Angela Martin of ‘The Office’ | Chris Haston/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Angela is the most negative character in ‘The Office’

The Pudding compiled The Office characters’ sentiments each season according to IBM’s Watson. They found that, overwhelmingly, Angela is the most negative character in the series. Her most negative season is Season 4, which checks out because that’s the season where Dwight kills Sprinkles. Her most positive season is Season 8, where she gives birth to her son Phillip.

The next most negative character is, unsurprisingly, Toby. Toby’s sad, negative demeanor makes him who he is. His most negative season is Season 7, where he has to act as a counselor to Michael after he spanks his nephew in the office. His most positive season is Season 4, where he decides to move to Costa Rica.

The third most negative character in the series is Ryan in Season 1. It’s clear that Ryan doesn’t like his job or his co-workers, always looking for an out or other, better opportunities.

The most positive characters in ‘The Office’

Though he might have an anger problem, Andy is the most positive character in the series in Season 4, where he really starts to meld with the Scranton Branch. It’s also when he proposes to Angela. Andy is, understandably, at his most negative in Season 4, when he discovers Angela has been cheating on him with Dwight.

After Andy, Erin is the second-most positive character in The Office. She begins her time on the show pretty positive but gets progressively negative the more time she spends with her co-workers.

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Though he’s one of the most negative characters on the show, Ryan is also one of the most positive. He comes in as the third most positive character in Season 3, when he gets promoted to Michael’s superior and dumps Kelly.

As for Jim and Pam:

“At first, Jim’s positivity was surprising, but, when acknowledging his temperate personality compared to his coworkers, it becomes more understandable,” writes The Pudding. “Pam’s negativity drops when she starts dating Jim, placing season 8, when she has her second child, as her most positive time in the series.”

You can see a full breakdown of the characters’ dispositions here.

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