We first meet The Office's Robert California in the seventh season when he interviews for the regional manager position at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. After a string of oddball interviews, the hiring committee stops in their tracks when they come across Robert California. He's quirky but incredibly intelligent. Jim even tells Robert he fears he is over-qualified for the position. But by the end of the day, Robert California is gifted the position of regional manager.
As every Office fan knows, though, Robert was meant for bigger things in life than just being the regional manager of a failing paper and printer company. Before he departs in the eighth season, he does and says a lot of weird things... but is it because he's far too good for Scranton? Let's take a look at the evidence.
Weird: He Puts Andy In An Odd Position With Susan
When Robert becomes the CEO of Sabre, he puts Andy in charge as Scranton's regional manager. In the episode "Mrs. California," Robert brings his wife Susan to the office in hopes of getting her a job at the Scranton branch. The only problem is he told Andy under no circumstances should he hire her. Robert didn't want to work with his wife but he could never tell her that.
Andy turns Susan down throughout her day at the office but Robert acts in such a way that Andy is confused about what to do. He ends up hiring Susan, which really ticks off Robert. This put all three of them in an uncomfortable position.
Too Good: He Literally Convinces A CEO To Step Down And Give Him Her Job
After getting hired as the Scranton branch's regional manager, Robert walks into the office on his first day of work and leaves immediately after. He gets in his car and drives all the way to Tallahassee where Sabre's headquarters are, and somehow convinces Jo to leave her position as CEO and give it to him.
This meant that Scranton still needs a regional manager but California is confident enough to steal a job from a very stubborn and brilliant CEO! Is he a secret genius or just oddly compelling?
Weird: He Inappropriately Comes On To Erin
Robert California is mature enough to realize when someone is in need of help — Erin especially. She's so pure and humble that a woman like her can easily be manipulated by those with bad intentions. This is probably why Pete is so protective of her in the ninth season.
At the office Christmas party in "Christmas Wishes," Robert announces that Susan is leaving him. As the CEO of the company, he inappropriately tells Erin to make him feel better and to get in touch with her "adventurous spirit" through alcohol. This s a weird part of the show, even for a guy like Robert California. He gives her a ride home that night but thankfully nothing happens.
Too Good: His Weird Pool Party Has Good Intentions
In the episode "Pool Party," Kevin convinces Robert to have a party at this house as a way to bring the office together. As a CEO who appears to find Scranton's workers depressing, it's nice that Robert feels comfortable enough to have the office in his home, eating his food and drinking his wine.
The party ends oddly with Jim escaping, Andy losing his family ring, and Robert getting insanely drunk with Ryan and Gabe until the wee hours of the night. You could say it was a team bonding moment gone weird.
Weird: He Relates Everything Back To Sex
Robert California's initial interview with Dunder Mifflin has to be the strangest of all his scenes. He talks a bunch of nonsense that doesn't exactly answer the committee's question and yet, he makes sense.
When asked about his prior experience with refinery equipment and how it correlated to selling paper, California goes on a spree about matching everything to sex. "There is no such thing as a product. Don't ever think there is. There is only sex. Everything is sex." He's so convincing, however, that the committee can't even disagree.
Too Good: His Work Ethic Is Unstoppable
It's not known where Robert California attended college or if he even went to college, but his confidence is so empowering that he can do anything he puts his mind to. His work ethic is unstoppable.
In "The List," Erin finds a list Robert keeps in his notebook where he has half the office on one side and the other half on the other. It's viewed as a "winners and losers" list that helps Robert keep track of who he likes working with. The list sends the entire office in a tizzy, but it's not a bad way of keeping notes. In other episodes, he mentions that fear is what motivates him and that he's never uncomfortable. Now that's one man who won't fall apart under pressure.
Weird: Is Robert Scared Of Nellie?
The only other person that's as ballsy as Robert is Nellie. We meet both of them in the later seasons, and Nellie worked beside Robert in Florida before coming to Scranton.
When Nellie eventually comes to Scranton, she shocks everyone by taking Andy's regional manager job because he wasn't in the office. What's weirder is that Robert doesn't try and stop her. Is he afraid of her? Is calling out another person of his caliber intimidating for him? He eventually explains that he has a sexual attraction to Nellie and it's too strong to try and stop her, but it's still weird to see someone like Robert at a loss for words.
Too Good: He Lives Too Large For Scranton
Once Robert takes Jo's job as CEO of Sabre, he should have realized that he is far too big for Scranton. Scranton is a small city in Pennsylvania that doesn't offer anything Robert is interested in. His type of mindset is much better suited for LA or New York — perhaps somewhere within corporate.
In the episode "Pool Party," he says he has an 11,000-square-foot house, with each room a different theme. By how Scranton appears on the show, it would appear that Robert owns the nicest home in the area. With his kind of mentality and success, he should have relocated to a busier, more urban area.
Weird: Who Is Bob Kazamakis?
When Andy convinces David Wallace to buy out Dunder Mifflin, he shows up at Scranton to tell them the news in person. Unbeknownst to David, Robert California is at the office, which would mean he's out of a job. Instead of introducing himself in a raw way, Robert says he's Bob Kazamakis and invites David to talk with him in the conference room. No one knew who Bob Kazamakis was and it makes Scranton wonder if they knew Robert's real name at all. In another episode, he tells Andy his name was Lizard King, so who knows what the truth is!
Too Good: He's Loved By His Co-Workers Through Intimidation
At Andy's garden party, a round of toasts are given to Robert California for keeping their branch running and successful. Andy is hoping the appreciation would be given to him but it's Robert who is valued. It's at that moment viewers realize that no matter how intimidating Robert is, he's clearly loved and ired by those who work for him. With that kind of mentality, Robert appears to be a big fish in a small pond who could have moved on to bigger and brighter things.