Ryan Bailey Howard is a fictional character in the American television series The Office. He is portrayed by B. J. Novak. Novak also served as a writer, director, and executive producer for the show. He is based on the character Ricky Howard from the original British version of The Office, as well as Neil Godwin during the fourth season. He is one of the main characters in seasons 1-8 and is a guest character in season 9. The name is a tribute to the Philadelphia Phillies' starting first baseman during the series' first run, who played for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in 2004.De Nicola, Christina and Burkhardt, Molly. "The Office stars take in Red Sox game, share love of baseball," MLB.com, Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.

Character profile

Little is shown in the show about the character's early life, but it is revealed in a deleted scene from "Diversity Day" that he grew up in Scranton. In the web episode "The Story of Subtle Sexuality," Ryan mentions that his parents live in separate houses. At the beginning of the series, Ryan Howard is a temporary employee at the Scranton branch of the fictitious paper distributor, Dunder Mifflin, who joined the staff in the first episode, earning him the nickname "The Temp."

In early episodes, he is shown to be uncomfortable with his professional relationship with his boss, Michael Scott. Michael often forces Ryan to carry out menial tasks for him, while at the same time becoming obsessed with Ryan's personal life and trying to gain Ryan's friendship. As the series progresses, Ryan begins to display a great deal of contempt and disdain for both his coworkers and his job. This becomes more apparent when Ryan is promoted in "The Job" to work at Dunder Mifflin's corporate office in New York. In the Season 4 finale, "Goodbye, Toby," Ryan is arrested for committing fraud. He is eventually released and sentenced to work community service.

In the Season 5 premiere, Ryan returns to the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin after Michael arranges for him to replace their previous receptionist, Pam Beesly. His aspirations to climb back to the top of the corporate ladder are revealed when he adds coworkers Jim Halpert and Kevin Malone to a list of people who "will be sorry" when he returns to the top. In a deleted scene, he would add Dunder Mifflin CFO David Wallace to that list after Wallace called and became irate upon learning of Ryan's return to the Scranton branch, causing Ryan to cry.

Ryan was a member of a fraternity in college and holds an MBA from the University of Scranton's Kania School of Management, which he earned during the second and third seasons. His dream is to one day own his own business.

Throughout the series, Ryan changes his persona every year, beginning with the third season. When offered a job for corporate in the season 3 finale, Ryan relocates to New York City and adopts a cocky nouveau riche persona by becoming extroverted, growing a beard, wearing expensive suits, and getting $200 haircuts. He is seen getting inebriated with drugs and alcohol while partying. His downfall culminates in falsifying Dunder Mifflin's financial results via his website's sales numbers, effectively committing fraud, as Oscar Martinez later claims.

In Season 5, he returns with blonde highlights and a "work hard, play hard" attitude. He works for Michael at the Michael Scott Paper Company and still tries to keep his work ethic and aspires to do good.

From Seasons 6–8, Ryan seems to be devoid of many of his former morals and ambitions. He does not care to work, reads poetry, and initiates various creative projects. He switches clothing, trying fanciful scarves, fake glasses, suspenders, bow ties, trench coats, etc., and tries to create an "unsolvable attitude". He stays at Dunder Mifflin, but his position is unspecified; Michael mentions that he works there full-time in the episode "WUPHF.com." Many of the staff, most notably Jim and Pam, note Ryan's ineptitude as an employee and that he sponges off his parents by living with them and driving his mom's car.

Seasons 1–2 For the first episode and much of season 1, Ryan's purpose in the show mirrors that of his British equivalent, Ricky Howard. He is the audience surrogate, allowing other characters to introduce themselves to him, and by extension, the viewer.

Ryan was hired to replace Tom Peets, an employee who had committed suicide shortly before the start of the series. Tom is first referenced in the season 2 episode "Performance Review", where a note from him in Michael Scott's long-ignored suggestion box requests counseling for his depression. Michael initially assumes the note is a joke as no one who currently works at the branch is named Tom, until Phyllis reminds him of the suicide.

Over the first two seasons, Ryan is a minor character primarily defined by his dissatisfaction with his job and his relationships with Michael and Kelly. He is sarcastic and generally uninterested towards his co-workers. Ryan wants to step away from Dunder Mifflin as soon as possible, saying that his ultimate fear would be to become a fixture around the office with a nickname on the pattern of "the (something) guy". During Ryan's term as a temporary employee (and even for a few months after his full-time promotion), various characters (mainly Dwight) frequently address him as "Temp" instead of by his name. In later seasons, several characters sarcastically use this term long after Ryan has risen to a more prominent position in the company.

Ryan is often the victim of Michael's ridiculous behavior, usually resigning himself without complaint. Also, by the end of season 2, Jim facilitates a relationship between Kelly and Ryan, which is very rocky from the start.

Season 3 By the third season's opening episode "Gay Witch Hunt," Ryan becomes a full-time employee and inherits the job vacated by Jim Halpert. Despite the promotion, Michael still treats Ryan as his personal assistant. Upon Jim's return to Scranton after the branch merger, there is a moment of awkwardness when Jim casually sets up at his former desk, only to learn that it now belongs to Ryan—who refuses to give it back, the first hint of a rivalry.

Ryan goes to his first sales call in "Initiation," where he is subjected to a series of tests by Dwight. Despite his business education, Ryan is not a good salesman—his first client tells him flat out that he does not like him.

In the last scene of "The Job," Ryan receives a call from the New York headquarters, offering him the job previously held by Jan Levinson and making him Michael's immediate superior.Confirmed by writer/actor B. J. Novak in his blog http: /blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=3241662&blogID=266132650 After he hangs up, he immediately dumps Kelly.

Season 4 Novak, who also wrote for the show, commenting on the fourth season, said, "We wanted him to dress as obnoxious as possible. As much black as possible." This season also includes episodes that exhibit Ryan's social life outside the workplace, such as showing his studio apartment in Manhattan. Over the season, he becomes increasingly arrogant, condescending, and ambitious, speaking almost exclusively in business buzzwords. In "Dunder Mifflin Infinity," Ryan presents his concept of a trendy new sales website to the Scranton branch, and gives a BlackBerry to all of the main employees. He is eager to show off his new wealth. His occasional brushes with Kelly remain tense. In "Money," Darryl expresses his romantic desire for Kelly as he claims to "get excited every time I see that little dude (Ryan) walk through the door." It is also apparent that his new corporate peers also do not care for his attitude; one employee yells at Ryan to get out of his office, and another tells Michael and Dwight, "It was funny to see Ryan all embarrassed."

Later in the season, Ryan's new website is plagued by problems, including child predators and slow sales. The salesmen resist the new site as well. The later episodes show him becoming more agitated, defensive, and vindictive. Feeling threatened by Jim Halpert's good relationship with David Wallace, Ryan sets out to get Jim fired. Ryan's grooming also begins to decline, and he starts to look scruffy.

In "Goodbye, Toby", Ryan continues to be curt with Jim. However, it is discovered that Ryan has been misleading the company's shareholders. In a YouTube video entitled "Whoaa! Check it out!" Ryan is seen being arrested and escorted out of Dunder Mifflin's New York City office by police, much to Michael's dismay and Jim and Kelly's pleasure.

Season 5 In the first episode of season 5, it is revealed that Ryan has been released with a sentence of community service and has gotten sober. Michael hires Ryan through the temp agency as the fill-in receptionist. In a deleted scene, he receives a call from David Wallace for Michael. Infuriated that Ryan is back at Dunder Mifflin, Wallace yells at Ryan on the phone in front of the staff. This prompts Michael to defend Ryan and save his job. However, Ryan still exhibits the narcissistic ego he developed in the fourth season.

Ryan moves back to the annex with Kelly soon before Pam is scheduled to return. He starts showing off in front of Kelly and the two start kissing passionately. Ryan tells Kelly to break up with Darryl via text message. Darryl responds quickly saying "It's cool", with Kelly overjoyed and Ryan shocked. In "Frame Toby", Ryan breaks up with Kelly again, saying he is going with friends to Thailand, but convinces her to have sex with him one last time and give him some traveling money.

Ryan is not seen again until the episode "Dream Team" in which he is seen working at a bowling alley until being hired by Michael to work at the Michael Scott Paper Company where he makes his first sale. His appearance has changed drastically with having a tan from his supposed trip to Thailand (later revealed to be Fort Lauderdale), and his hair is dyed blonde.

Initially, Ryan seems unmotivated in the new company, spending his time chatting on the telephone and surfing the web, which, along with a lack of space, causes tension with Pam. However, relations between the employees improve as Ryan's behavior matures. Bonding with Pam and Michael over the company's relative success and through the close quarters, Ryan becomes more active and involved.

After the buyout of The Michael Scott Paper Company by Dunder Mifflin, overruling David Wallace's vocal opposition, Ryan is initially rehired as a salesperson, although, as a result of budget problems, he is demoted back to a temporary employee. In an interview, he says now that he is a temp again, the only thing he can control is his food, eating five small meals a day.

Season 6

In the sixth-season premiere, "Gossip", Ryan's appearance has changed back to his more traditional look – black hair and no noticeable tan. In "The Promotion," Ryan seems to have picked up some persuasion skills from the sales team, as he manages to scam Pam out of a wedding gift and wheedle $50 from her.

As of the beginning of season 6, he is dating Kelly again. The two dance down the aisle together at Jim and Pam's wedding. As the season progresses, Ryan develops a hipster persona, wearing suspenders, flannel shirts, bow ties, and scarves. In "Double Date," Ryan is shown to have begun photography as a hobby and gets Kelly to pose topless. He tries, but fails, to get Erin to do the same.