The Connector
The Connector
Michael Scott leaves 'The Office.'

“The Office” has always been about the boss. The original British edition was built around Ricky Gervais’ portrayal of dimwit manager David Brent. When the sitcom was adapted for American television in 2004, showrunner Greg Daniels got the previously minor-league actor Steve Carrell, and promoted him to the big time.

Since then, over seven seasons of awkward, mockumentary fun, the show has built a robust and lovable supporting cast. Yet, the focus of the humor has always centered around Carrell’s character, Michael Scott. In a long telegraphed decision, the actor finally decided to leave the show as of last week’s episode. The big question on viewers’ minds: what’s next for Dunder Mifflin?

A scan of the latest TV show news reveals a flurry of possibilities. “The Office” is currently in the midst of a multi-episode arc starring funnyman Will Ferrell. There’s a deliberate attempt to make him more low key than his popular “Will Ferrell” image, but it is almost to the point of mediocrity. The only thing one gets from this guest stint is that Vickers (Ferrell’s character) is so much of an ass, that he can’t help but be usurped by one of the beloved coworkers. By the end of the season, “The Office” will be visited by the likes of Will Arnett, Ricky Gervais and Jim Carrey in a star-studded list of job applicants. As in life, the position will probably go to someone from the inside, but thanks for trying!

And yet, all of this speculation over the future of the show ignores the present that Greg Daniels and the writing team of the show created. The final Michael Scott episode was an emotional, well-crafted swan song for Carrell. “Goodbye Michael” made me care about the Dunder Mifflin gang long after I had checked out. Sure, I’ve watched the last few episodes, but mostly the way one would watch the spectacle of speeding trains about to collide. However, by the end of the super-sized episode, I was shedding a tear for Michael Scott’s farewell.

Michael explains to the office that he would be leaving in two days, and so the party planning committee — long since disbanded — comes together to plan the office goodbye party. What everyone does not know, is that Michael is leaving that day, not the next. In bucket list fashion, Michael makes a list of everyone he would like to say goodbye to, and crafts what he thinks is the perfect scenario for each person. Some characters are ignored as they’ve been throughout the years, but the ones that matter to Michael, and to us, get fitting conclusions.

Along the way, the ever-astute Jim gets suspicious when Michael asks where Pam had gone. With only a few more names to cross off, Michael is anxiously coming up against his flight time to Colorado. After much prodding, Michael admits to Jim that he’s leaving that day. Upset about missing his goodbye to Pam, the beloved boss takes his scheduled cab to the airport where he removes his microphone for the last time. Finally, as he walks silently toward the terminal, Pam gets her chance to say goodbye.

Perhaps I found the episode emotional because I myself am getting ready to leave a college job. But props have to be given to Carrell’s acting in his final episode, as well as to the writers and cinematographers who coordinated those last minutes. The wordless goodbye between a tired Pam and Michael was pitch perfect. Whether you’ve loyally watched all seven seasons, or checked out somewhere along the road, “Goodbye Michael” was a reminder of the best days of “The Office,” those days when awkward antics met real people. It’s a shame that the only paper produced nowadays in NBC’s version of Scranton is that upon which to make paper-thin caricatures.

The question is, who will get to lead the show now? Ladies and gentlemen, start your cover letters.