In Defense of Toby

I have been meaning to address this issue for quite some time, but never got around to it before now. Until last year, I had always assumed that most "Office" fans, like myself, enjoyed the bumbling, nebbish antics of one Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein), Dunder Mifflin Scranton's resident HR representative. However, to my extreme shock and dismay, Heather expressed near-hatred for this character. She reasoned that as Michael was the lead of the show, and lovable and awesome, and also hated Toby, he was Michael's enemy, and should thus be ours as well. I guess I just don't see it that way, and here's why:

1) The main source of Michael's contention is that Toby, as the HR rep, is not subordinate to Michael, but to the company. It is his job to shoot down Michael's unreasonable ideas, enforce codes of conduct in the office, and remind Michael of deadlines and other necessary corporate agendas. To someone as wholly unqualified and immature as Michael, the idea that he cannot treat the office as his own private recreational fun zone without a reprimand from Toby is just unconscionable. But that doesn't make Michael right. And as I understand it, most HR reps are, as Michael puts it, "party poopers," but it is Toby's job. He has to have some responsibility.

Michael should take heart in the fact that Toby is really not that good at his job; he could be a lot more efficient. In Toby's presence Michael has gotten away with letting Dwight choose the health care plan, participation and a condoning of The Dundies annually, football in the office, sexual and bigoted harassment of his employees, the embarrassing antics of his Welcome Wagon festivities for recruits from the merger, a Casino Night, a trip to the mall for Women's Appreciation, and an impromptu grief counseling session. Considering the inappropriate outcome and fallout from every one of these Michael-inspired events, Michael should be grateful Toby is as complacent as he is.

2) Toby is often very kind to Michael. Not only does he allow The Dundies, but he shows up, participates, laughs at Michael's bad jokes, and cheers everyone on, despite the fact that he has never been given a Dundie. He smiles and genuinely applauds for Michael when Jim awards him a gold medal for his condo in the Office Olympics. When Toby brings his daughter into work and Michael bonds with her, Toby doesn't keep all of the things she steals from Michael's office, but brings them back. He also counsels a distraught Michael on how to initiate the process of fatherhood. When Michael locks the staff in the conference room for preferring jail to the office, it is Toby who convinces him they are just joking. Yes, he probably does this primarily to help his officemates, but he is nevertheless kind and gentle with Michael as he's doing it. (That's what she said!) And after Michael's disastrous and painful experience in Jan's case deposition, Toby offers him condolence and support, even though Michael rebuffs him. This is after an onslaught of cruel and unnecessary comments and actions taken against Toby by Michael. I think he is far too kind for his own good.

3) Toby is too pathetic to be hated. How can you despise such a sadsack? He's too shy to ask out Pam when he has the chance, spends an entire evening trying to win her a toy from a vending machine, and now that she's with Jim, his passive-aggressive attempts to will their relationship out of existence are just too cutely hopeless. He also had to cheer for himself when he won the Fun Run, people assume his date is a hired escort (true or not? sad either way), he has to deal with the daily embarrassment of his failed marriage (thanks to Michael's constant comments), and the highlight of his week is beating Michael at poker.

If that's not enough of a reason to give the guy a break, here's a few more reasons:

• He's personable: often found eating with and chatting contentedly with the gang.
• He's funny: his Sexual Harrassment seminar (despite Michael's protests) was cute, as was his advice that they treat "every day like Pam's mom is coming to visit." Also, Michael's beef with him in "Diversity Day" was not that he was offended by Toby's "Indian style" joke, but that everyone laughed at it, whereas no one laughed at Michael's repeated attempts at humor throughout the day.
• He puts up with Dwight: who else would be able to deal with Dwight's weekly complaints about Jim (and smartly file them at "imaginary corporate") and be able to fake a kind reaction to Dwight's inappropriate questions regarding sexual intercourse and the geography of the vagina?
• Jim likes him (or at least he did until the writers went down this, universally agreed, ill-advised trip to parallel Jim's behavior with Michael's): they used to sit together and got along great. Michael made Toby move because he coveted Jim's friendship and had to get Toby out of the way. If Jim likes you, you can't be that bad. Jim has a great deal of affection for Michael too...
• He can appreciate diabolical punishment: while he doesn't appreciate that Michael seated him near Kelly, he does acknowledge Michael's particularly devious retribution was "genius."
• He's played brilliantly by Paul Lieberstein, who also wrote the following episodes: Heath Care, The Client, The Carpet, Dwight's Speech, The Coup, Cocktails, The Job and Money.

So after reading this compilation of (admittedly) belabored and detailed facts, how can you persist in actively loathing the guy? I understand that he won't be everyone's favorite character, but he's no more annoying, pathetic or sad than any other person who works in that office, he has by far the most difficult and enemy-creating job, and he has to deal with Michael's all-consuming hatred on a daily basis. The real reason Michael hates him is that he embodies everything Michael is afraid of becoming. If even Michael Scott thinks Toby's life is beneath him, doesn't that at least earn the guy some pity?

ETA: Of course I would have to publish this on the day of the episode in which Toby is perhaps the most unlikable he has ever been. I am not pleased with him right now, but I hope this behavior will not continue. I still think the #1 Prick is Ryan, but for today, Toby is Deputy Douche!