When Steve Carell announced that the seventh season of The Office would be his last, a stapler-in-jello-sized hole in my heart appeared. I was shocked, stunned, speechless - pick an adjective - not because it was an unexpected move, but because I had thrust it so far back in my mind, never wanting it to surface.
The good news is that the rest of the drones of Dunder Mifflin aren't going anywhere soon. Following Carell's retirement from the series, NBC will continue with at least one more season, saying that the former branch manager will be welcome back for a cameo any time.
But for many Dunder-philes, a cameo won't be enough. When the news of Carell's departure arose, fans braced themselves for the cancellation of the show. After it was renewed - surprisingly - many of those same fans, saddened at the thought of the end, said it should have ended. After all, Michael Scott, Carell's character, is the awkward, crude, irreplaceable soul of the Scranton office. "Michael is the spirit of the show," fourth-year College student Logan George said. "I'm not going to watch it without him." The situation, to me, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, I agree with those that say The Office should die with Michael Scott's character; after all, the show is a bit past its prime - seasons two, three and four. But I can't imagine my life without The Office. Thursday nights will probably be spent in a darkened corner, reminiscing about the glory days of foolhardy pranks, Christmas parties and Mega-Desk. I know the end is near, even with the continuation of an eighth season, but the desire - no, the need - to watch the rest of the gang in action is still there.
A last hurrah was foreseeable anyway. Last year, we got to attend Pam and Jim's wedding, and this spring brought around the birth of their first baby. These were two huge, long-awaited episodes set up by the fifth season. Now, it's not only a question of what The Office can deliver, with or without Carell, but also if it can even deliver. "I have no clue about what direction they're planning on going in," fourth-year College student Becca Jackson said. "What else is there to watch?"
Turns out there are certainly more plot twists to be had on the horizon, among the biggest of which will be Scott's replacement as branch manager. Fourth-year College student Harris Hudson thinks it will be Dwight Schrute, while second-year Engineering student Chris Copeland is leaning toward Jim Halpert. But could there be a more surprising alternative? Pam has taken big strides within the workplace since the Michael Scott Paper Company merger with Sabre, and Kelly recently participated in a diversity leadership program through Sabre. The producers could even bring in someone from the outside, just as they recently did with Idris Elba and Kathy Bates. Plus, much of what will be left to follow in the post-Carell wasteland should be set up nicely by season seven, which premieres Sept. 23.
If The Office lives on, then so will my fandom. Steve will be missed, but this last season should be a fun one. He'll exit just like he came in.
That's what she said.
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