The Office says farewell to Michael Scott

Last night’s episode of The Office made me even more regretful that I was unable to review last week’s awesome Dundies episode. Unforeseen circumstances kept me from watching the episode until yesterday, and I have to say that it was quite possibly the best episode of The Office the last two seasons of the show have produced. I thought it was hilarious, and I hope you all enjoyed it too. Last night’s? Not so much.

From the start I’d like to separate what we saw for 52 minutes from the fact that Michael was actually leaving. That remained a sad, poignant fact, and no matter how bad the episode it wouldn’t have changed the significance of the event. Which isn’t to say that the show didn’t put that theory to the test.

I enjoyed the montage theme song, with scenes from the last seven years … so why wasn’t that an idea that was carried throughout the episode? Michael’s gifts to his employees were a perfect opportunity to do call backs to any number of things, an opportunity that was mostly wasted on junk. And while I laughed with Michael laughing at Oscar, what the mother of crap was that crazy doll he gave to him?

There were a few gifts that had a greater meaning. Andy paid back Michael’s faith in him at the end, but I’m not sure what part of salesman/manager Michael was thinking when he decided to give Andy the office’s top ten accounts. Couldn’t he have at least handed them off to an unproven salesman, as opposed to a proven bad one?

The “Somehow I Manage” book that Michael gave to Darryl was funny. I’m sure there’s nothing in there of substance, but does it indicate that Michael sees Darryl as his true heir? I did like how he asked Darryl about using the baler … as well as how much time he wasted trying to “unintentionally” shoot a basketball into it. That brought back nice memories.

Michael leaving also put Deangelo’s (Will Ferrell) behavior into starker relief. What in the world was he doing at the animal shelter? At least that was funny — as was somehow discussing Russian Roulette on a sales call — whereas his whole eating thing seemed somewhat unformed. I love Ferrell, but I have to think that he’s just a sideshow here, as will be all the special guests due to appear in the season finale. Ray Romano’s really looking for work right now?

Gabe freaking out on Andy was creepy. Any chance he’s leaving too? He was annoying before, but now I worry that he’ll bring a weapon to work and go on a rampage.

Great seeing the “dream team” (and Meredith) party planning committee back together again, but what about former co-heads Dwight and Jim? Did their tenure end so badly that they weren’t called upon to help plan the mother of all parties?

I hoped for more in the Toby/Michael goodbye, despite the fact that we’ve seen it happen before when Toby left. But how about Toby calling up his brother Rory in advance of Michael’s moving to Colorado? That actually should have been the coda of the episode: a basket of jams and preserves waiting for Michael at the airport when he landed. That whole thing was funny.

I wasn’t impressed with the episode, but I was actually touched at the end. Watching Michael take off his wireless mic was a profound ending to Steve Carell’s time on the show … and Pam catching up to him right afterward was perfect. Her talking head ruined it a little — I think we should have been left with a visual of him walking away — but it was the right way to end Michael’s time with us.

I think the character was given a terrible reason for leaving, and I’m sorry to see Steve Carell go in general, but I do thank him for the great contribution that he made to what has been one of the better sitcoms on TV. And don’t we really have some great memories with him? Have any you’d like to share? Leave your favorite Michael Scott moments in the comments below!

“I’ve given up expecting Michael to do the right thing. Or the decent thing. Or even the comprehensible thing.” – Dwight

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Apr 29, 2011 @ 14:11 EST5EDT