Word that Steve Carell is preparing to leave The Office at the end of the 2010-2011 television season has left me wondering: Can the show survive without Michael Scott?
While I found myself disappointed with the show for most of this past season, I’ve never suggested that the problem would be solved with Carell’s departure. The show is billed as an ensemble piece, and I argue that the fault for the shoddy season lies with the entire group — Erin and Andy were just as bad as Michael.
However, no one makes the show’s viewers consistently laugh like Michael Scott (at least this viewer). And I can’t imagine that it was entirely coincidental that the show lagged at the same time as Michael became unbearably buffoonish and cartoonish. Because, let’s face it, Michael was little more than catchphrases and pratfalls last season.
Which only serves to further complicate the original question — is The Office better with a subpar Michael than with none at all?
I realize that that presumes Michael will be as bad this coming season as he was in the previous one, but I think it’s a bigger leap to assume he’ll return to form. Because whether he was co-managing with Jim, dating Pam’s mom, or kissing up to Jo, Michael was too overcooked for many people’s culinary preferences.
But no Michael would leave the show unbalanced. That’s right … I said it at some point during the season, and I’ll say it again — as ensemble as the show may be, Jim, Pam, and Michael are the stars (Dwight has joined Andy as a strong “B” player). Without Michael running around, the heavy lifting will be left in Jim’s and Pam’s hands. And as much as I loved them for years, last season the two were just plain awful.
It would be unfair to paint them with only the couple paintbrush, but the fact is that their relationship was what was most prominent about them. Jim had some moments while co-managing with Michael (which did not turn out as I had imagined), but Pam was completely lost outside of the confines of their engagement and then marriage. The character who everybody loved to love just up and disappeared.
Now, while all of this is well and good, the fact of the matter is that Carell is leaving the show, and the producers intend to continue The Office past his departure. That’s the reality. So how best to approach it?
I think Michael’s leaving arc can be great if handled correctly. He’d never flee Dunder Mifflin willingly for any reason other than a woman, so there could be a sweet love story in there for him (please God not with Holly!). As for getting fired … it definitely could happen, although if he hasn’t been fired for any of his nonsense up to this point…. I could see him taking someone else’s bullet, though. That would be a bittersweet ending for the manager who always wanted to be loved above all else.
Which would leave the office where, exactly? Well, I think promoting anyone other than Jim to branch manager would create a balance with Jim and Pam that could sustain in the long term. Jim as boss would leave the show entirely lopsided. But Dwight as manager? Or perhaps someone unexpected, like Oscar? That might create a nice new chemistry on the show.
But however it’s done, this will always be true: Michael Scott, you will be missed.
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jun 29, 2010 @ 13:30 EST5EDT
No. The show needs to end then.
When Jim was co-manager, it felt like they were trying to show him gradually transforming into another Michael Scott. But I think The Office shoud have ended soon after Jim and Pam got married… it’s painful to see a great comedy shriveling away like this.
*POST AUTHOR*
Interesting … I think going for a new dynamic was a good move. The mistake was thinking that marrying two of the characters would put a fresh face on the show, when all it has done is impose the marriage (and baby) on the office. The Michael Scott Paper Company, for instance, would have revamped the show. This was just the wrong path to follow, I think.
The show is better off ending. 7 seasons is a good run and I feel the show has reached the point where it needs to step down while it is still popular and not complete crap.
However if Michael Scott is the only one to go, let him go with Holly and live happily ever after. You may not like Holly but I have a feeling you are in the minority. No one has been shown to be a better match for Michael than her
A few years ago I could never imagine I’d be typing these words…I think the Office needs to end. It’s become a shell of itself and I no longer look forward to watching it every week. That being said, there is no way NBC will cancel it. It will absolutely continue without Carell. I don’t think they should promote from within, it would disrupt the balance. Though having Daryl as manager could be fun… I think Michael should leave to be with Holly, it’s the only scenario that seems plausible.
*POST AUTHOR*
AC and Natalie — I greatly dislike Holly, but that’s not why I think she’s the wrong end-game for Michael. I think it would be going the path of least resistance to make her his out. Why not give him a new relationship that will just be right from the beginning?
At the same time, even though Michael always dreams of that picture-perfect family life, I think it would be more right for him to leave in the defense of one of his employees. Seeing him fall on his sword to save someone else might be the best farewell for him.