On the American version of The Office, why does Michael Scott hate Toby so much?
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MrBLT needs to be contained
ANSWERS: 7
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Because he's a downer. Company Policy? Rules? Pffft.
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I think it's because Toby works for Corporate and not for him. He has no "power" over him per se and so he uses insults in an attempt to exert whatever “control” over Toby he can.
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Because he works in HR, and everything about him annoys Toby. Any kind of fun or parties that Michael plans are blown up by Toby due to company policies and such.
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It all starts on the Diversity Day episode. Toby Flenderson: [joking] Hey, we're not all going to sit in a circle Indian style, are we? Michael Scott: [serious] Get out. Toby Flenderson: Oh. Sorry. Michael Scott: No. This is not a joke. What you said was offensive... and lame, so double offense. This is a place of welcoming, and... you should just get the hell out of here. I was watching the DVD commentaries and Steve (Michael) was asked that question and he said when they all came together to read scripts for the first couple times, when Steve got in character he just had a negative reaction towards Paul (Toby). He informed the writers and they ran with it.
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They don't ever really tell you in the story but there is some history there between them prior to the show.
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It is hilarious, I love Michael's reaction last season when Toby was hired back on,"NO, NO, NO"...
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Michael is an optimistic narcissist who uses optimism to block his negative thoughts that come from his failures in life and lack of friends. Toby is a depressed realist who is like the voice of "negative" reason in Michael's head that he would prefer to ignore. Toby also scares Michael because Toby reminds Michael of the side of him that he has repressed.
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