The Scene

Creator of "The Office" Teases Finale Details

Published on Wednesday, January 30 2013
Written by Felix Kay

 
After nine successful seasons, the hit NBC show “The Office” is coming to a bittersweet end. Since its debut, the show has aired 188 half-hour episodes and has launched the careers of many bright personalities, including Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, and Ed Helms, just to name a few.
 
With the series finally fast approaching, long-term loyal fans are dying to find out what’s in store for their beloved characters. Is fan favorite Michael Scott returning? How about Mindy Kaling and Ed Helms (who has been M.I.A. for most of the final season)? Will Erin and Pete hook-up? Thanks to the recent Television Critics Association Panel, we have some insight on what’s to come.
 
According to the show creator Greg Daniels, we can be assured that Steve Carell’s beloved bumbling manager Michael Scott (who left near the end of the seventh season) will likely not return. Sadfaces.
 
"Steve is very much of the opinion that the 'goodbye Michael' episode and the story arc that we did leading up to it was his goodbye to the fans and to the show, and that the stuff we're doing this season is the goodbye that the rest of the show gets to have,” said Daniels.
 
However, Mindy Kaling (who now has her show, “The Mindy Project”) and B.J. Novak are expected back for the end of the series, which will take place over a two-part one-hour finale. No word on what’s to come of Erin and Pete’s love affair, but there will be an interesting wrap-up story for the "documentary crew" that has been chronicling their lives for the last nine seasons.
 
If you tuned into last week’s episode, you can already see how the show is slowly progressing into its last leg and becoming more self-aware. At one point, the sound technician actually steps out from behind the camera to console Pam after a fight with her husband Jim. You can really get a sense of where the show is going with this documentary as they pull back the curtain.
 
"If you look at how many characters there are here, don't think we're planning on packing everything into the last episode. I would encourage people, if you are waiting for the end of 'The Office' to re-tune in, I would start doing it right away," Daniels teased.
 
18 of the show's final 24 episodes are already written. In the 15th episode, Daniels informed the panel that someone will be fired. He declined to say whether the person getting the sack is a long-time cast member or a newer one.
 
I’ve been a long-time fan of "The Office". I’ve stuck with the series through thick and thin. It was like a cool soap opera. It always stuck true to the original storylines, referring to old characters and sometimes bringing them back. This is why I believe the show was so successful. It not only had a brilliant cast but great story arcs and writing.
 
So, is there any life after “The Office”? You may have heard that NBC was planning on doing a spin-off of the show called “The Farm”, starring Rainn Wilson continuing as Dwight Schrute, set at Schrute Farms, Dwight's bed-and-breakfast and beet farm. Unfortunately, the new series was passed over, but we will get a chance to watch the pilot episode of “The Farm”, as it will be incorporated into an episode of "The Office" this season.
 
Other spin-off shows haven’t been announced, but one idea that comes to mind is doing one with Jim and Daryl working at their new sports marketing company in Philadelphia... but again, it’s just an idea.
 
In the meantime, catch “The Office” on NBC and don’t miss the firing episode, which is slated to air February 14!
 
 
- Felix Kay, YH Staff