Steve Carell had reservations about returning as Michael Scott at the end of the season The office. Details about her cameo were teased by the sitcom’s stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey during a recent episode of their Office ladies podcast (via CinemaBlend). Michael’s screen time in Season 9, Episode 23, “Finale”, was minimal due to the requirements set by Carell for his return. Fortunately, this gave ample space to put Michael in the spotlight, so the writers could give The officemain characters of a perfect ending.
The office the series finale premiered in 2013; the episode revolved around the long-awaited wedding between Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and Angela Martin (Kinsey), which became the ideal path for Michael’s natural return. Carell appears in two scenes in the final episode, including the memorable moment when Jim (John Krasinski) surprises Dwight with Michael’s presence. After nine successful seasons, the finale was a wonderful addition to perfectly wrap up the main cast’s story, but it also gave Michael the perfect ending in The office.
Michael Scott Having a Bigger Role in The Office Ending Would Have Ruined Everything
Michael’s heavy involvement in the end would have diminished what the office worked to achieve
The series’ writers planned a much larger role for the former branch manager, including an alternate ending that wanted to feature Michael’s children in The officethe end. There were many unanswered questions following Michael’s departure, such as what his life would be like in Colorado with Holly (Amy Ryan). That being said, keeping most of Michael’s life private was a much better decision for the series. Michael’s outward desperation for love took him to some pretty embarrassing extremes, so his quiet contentment says a lot about how happy he ended up being.
Furthermore, the reason why Carell didn’t want to return to The office the ending correctly sums up the risk of Michael taking precedence over the revival cast. Carell didn’t want to jeopardize the farewell to former cast members. Fischer, the actress who played former receptionist Pam Beesly, explained (via Office ladies):
“He didn’t want to open [Michael’s ending] come back again, and he especially didn’t want to come back after two years and have this final episode about him. Steve really felt that ‘my character had his ending’. This is the end for everyone. And he didn’t want to overshadow that.“
Steve Carell’s departure from the office meant the show had two endings
A finale in The Office seasons 7 and 9 meant each character had their respective moment
Carell’s role in The office was what defined the show, and it’s hard to deny that Michael Scott had a permanent impression on the entire sitcom genre. His departure from the series was incredibly decisive among audiences, meaning the conclusion of season 7 feels like an ending in itself. The important farewell to The officeThe cast of is a testament to how beloved Michael has become. Michael was an unwavering supporter of his colleagues, so the final “9,986,000 minutes“the surprise was the perfect farewell for your beloved character.
It is important to recognize that The office struggled to maintain its momentum after Michael left, but made a quick recovery by redirecting its focus to the show’s new leads.
It is important to recognize that The office struggled to maintain its momentum after Michael left, but made a quick recovery by redirecting its focus to the show’s new leads. Jim and Pam became a key part of the remaining stories, as did Andy Bernard (Ed Helms). Seasons 8 and 9 required a lot more testing situations to convince audiences to stay interested, and the legacy character’s greater presence was key to achieving that. The result was several open-ended situations, but these were perfectly intertwined in a stunning conclusion at the end of season 9.
Source: CinemaBlend, Podcast for Office Ladies