Dwight Schrute, played by actor Rainn Wilson, is and isn’t like other characters we’ve experienced on TV. He is that character that annoys, that makes us wonder, that prompts laughter and that, even though we shouldn’t like him, he urges us to. But he isn’t normal. He really isn’t normal, which, of course, is his appeal. The quirky attitude is not a facade, it is who he really is, and he is constantly telling you, telepathically of course, “to live with it!”
Dwight definitely steals scenes, and that’s okay because “The Office” would not be what it is without him. What makes him so distinct is who he is, where he comes from and how he lives his life. He lives on his parents’ beet farm with a cousin named Mose, he’s been trained to do surveillance because he was a volunteer sheriff’s deputy, he apparently remembers him mom biting the umbilical cord when he was born and he owns a lot of really weird weapons like throwing stars.
Dwight can steal a scene with just a look or face, like when he finds out Jim is leaving the Scranton branch and starts to fake cry. He steals scenes, mostly however, by his words and/or actions. When he says, “Why tip someone for a job I’m capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did, however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones,” it almost paralyzes you. It was Michael’s birthday in season two, and that statement just stopped fans, and characters, in their tracks. The statement makes you think because it actually, almost makes sense.
Dwight is the definite foil on “The Office” which is a compliment to his character. He is certainly the straight man, however, he is hilarious in his own right, even if he doesn’t mean to be. But his character highlights all the others in the office setting, and that is true, assistant manager material. Dwight should be proud.