Steve Carrell leaving 'The Office' after next season.
 

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-al...e-steve-carell


'The Office': Who can replace Steve Carell?
By sepinwall
Monday, Jun 28, 2010

A couple of months back, Steve Carell briefly blew up the Internet when he told a BBC Radio reporter that he would leave "The Office" after his contract ended next season. Then everyone calmed down once we realized we'd have a year to wait, and that NBC would have a year to back several dump trucks full of money up to the Carell/Walls home to keep him.

But over the weekend, at the red carpet premiere of his new animated movie "Depiscable Me," Carell insisted that it's not about the money, that seven years is a long time to play any character, and that he wants to spend more time with his family. And while in Hollywood the default answer is always "It's about the money," Carell is one of the few actors in the business whom I might even slightly believe when he insists otherwise.

If he's leaving, he's not going to take "The Office" with him. It's NBC's only half-hour comedy that's an actual success on its own, and it's functioned as a life-support system for "30 Rock" for the last four years. During upfront week, NBC president Angela Bromstad suggested the show would continue with or without him.

Those of you who were unhappy with the creative direction of this season, and who therefore assume Carell's departure gives NBC a natural excuse to end the show, are just wasting your time. That's not the way the TV business works, except in rare cases like "Lost" (and there, ABC at least had other continuing hits like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives" to allow them to give Darlton an end date).

So if we figure that Carell's really leaving, and that the show will go on without him, what does that mean for the creative future of the series? I have some thoughts, after the jump...

When the initial BBC interview went viral back in April, I suggested that "The Office" might actually be better off without Carell at this point. He's a great comedian, and he made that show into a hit, but Michael Scott had become such a schizophrenic, all-things-to-all-writers character that he was getting in the way of the comedy at least as much as he was enabling it. The writers created many different flavors of Michael, and while everyone has their favorite, and some people might even like multiple flavors, it's hard to imagine that everyone loved them all.

Beyond that, there's the sense of ennui that crippled the sixth season. Much of last season was spent introducing, and then almost immediately abandoning, promising story ideas: Michael becoming part of the corporate culture at Dunder Mifflin, or Michael and Jim swapping jobs, or the sales staff becoming tyrants under the new Sabre corporate culture. Removing Michael would not only shake up the character dynamics, but I imagine it would force the writers out of their recent complacency and force them to follow ideas through to their logical conclusions.

But while I see advantages to a hypothetical ideal replacement, I'm really struggling to figure out who that might be.

I doubt the show would choose Michael's replacement from within. Not only would it undoubtedly cause strife among the current cast if, say, John Krasinski got promoted above one-time equal Rainn Wilson, but it would deprive NBC of the opportunity to promote the show with a new face at the center of it. Also, we've seen enough of Jim-as-boss to know it's not that funny as a long-term thing, and Dwight is already so far out there that giving him absolute power within the branch might make him (and the show) unwatchable. Andy becoming the new branch manager would at least allow the show to continue as it is, since Andy is just as socially tin-eared as Michael, albeit in subtly different ways.

I hope they don't go that route, either with Andy (with all due respect to Ed Helms) or with an outside person. Someone in a "Party Down" post last week, for instance, suggested that it would be simple to slide Ken Marino into that job without having to change much. I love Marino and agree that he can do many of the things Carell does (and has done them as Ron on "Party Down"), but again we'd run into the problem of the same-old, same-old on a series that badly needs a shakeup. It needs a character who can make Jim and Pam comedically relevant again, who can pull Dwight in from the edge of insanity, who can give the series the sense of direction it hasn't had since the Michael Scott Paper Company went out of business, etc.

Who is that person? Well, I'd like it to be someone not like Michael, but at the same time we saw briefly with Charles Minor (who was useful as a plot device but not a great engine for comedy) that bringing in his exact opposite won't automatically work. The show, as conceived by Gervais and Merchant and then adapted by Daniels, Carell and company, is about people stuck working in a job they hate for a boss they can't stand. If you put someone competent in charge - be it Jim or a new character - I don't know that there's enough juice there, or that it's still "The Office." So you have to find someone who's aggravating and/or weird, but in a way that doesn't just duplicate Michael so the replacement is constantly being compared to Carell. And that's not easy.

(For an example, look at Megan Mullally on "Party Down" this year. They replaced Jane Lynch with another very funny actress, made her ignorant and strange but in a different fashion from Lynch's character, and she only occasionally clicked.)

I'm not sure what kind of character it should be, or what actor or actress. Mainly I've spent a lot of time pondering pre-existing characters. Would it make any sense at all to bring in Amy Ryan full-time if she didn't have Carell to play off of? Probably not. Would transferring Karen back from Utica to take things over be interesting enough, or did her comic usefulness to the show end when both she and Pam had babies?

(Speaking of actors from "Parks and Recreation," Fienberg suggested that Daniels and Mik Schur loan Nick Offerman to their sister show for a four-episode arc in which Ron Effing Swanson briefly goes into the private sector, is hired to clean up Dunder-Mifflin from Michael's usual messes, and then moves back to Pawnee. That would certainly be fun - I can picture Dwight having a man-crush on Ron that would make his previous Michael idolatry seem like complete ambivalence (and I could also see Ryan, and Kelly, and the account department all digging the guy) - but of course what sitcom on television would not be improved by the temporary addition of Ron Effing Swanson? What part of life would not be improved, for that matter?)

Do I think "The Office" should continue on without Carell? Probably not. But unless NBC has such a massive ratings turnaround this year that it can afford to part with "The Office" - and probably not even then - that ship has sailed. Given that, who do you want to see sitting behind Michael's old desk? Someone old? Someone new? What kind of person?

Speaking of Party Down, I think that Adam Scott could pull it off if he played a dick like he did in Step Brothers.

Enter Bob Odenkirk.

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Time to end the show. Just give it up.

Should have done it a long time ago. I lost interest around season 4.

Two off-the-wall suggestions I heard on the internets yesterday were Michael Emerson and Portia di Rossi. Either would be kind of brilliant moves.

I vote for Rob Riggle (a KC native) to take his place (even though he's a guest star on Gary Unmarried right now). For those that don't know him, he's the police officer from the Hangover and the PAU! guy from Stepbrothers.

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The show has run its course. The only reason I still watch it is because it's on before 30 Rock.

Only reason I still watch it is because it comes on right after the best comedy on TV last year, Parks and Recreation (which itself comes on after the best new comedy of last year, Community).

No.

I'm not entertained by "The Office" anymore.... all of the characters have run stale.

My new show of love is "The Big Bang Theory".

What do you mean "no?"

I mean "No, Community sucks, and Parks and Rec isn't the best comedy on TV last year or any year".

You are an awful person who lacks the mental faculties required to assess television shows. I can accept people who don't care for Community because of its pop culture-heavy jokes (though those people ignore how natural the characters are). But you would be proven demonstrably stupid if you think that 30 Rock's series-worst fourth season was good enough to be in the same universe of quality as the second season of Parks and Recreation, let alone be better than it.

I'm assessing them quite well. Community won't be around much longer, and Parks and Rec is a very average television sitcom. There's only so far you can go with a show about a dumb blonde and jokes about her being a dumb blonde and the zany situations dumb blondes get into. It's really not any better than the played out Steve Carell character on The Office.

That description does not fit the show at all. At all. You didn't watch the second season, did you? I don't blame you; the first season was as poor as The Office's first season. But, like The Office, the show took an enormous leap in quality in its second season.

As for Community's quality being connected to how long it stays on air, well, that is a fallacious line of reasoning. 30 Rock wouldn't be on the air if it weren't for it airing right after The Office (a claim backed up by 30 Rock's dreadful ratings in the few times when it didn't have an Office lead-in).

Without him and Andrew then the office is nothing. They need to find a solid replacement.

They had a good story going with Angela being the office slore but then they just dropped it altogether.

This.

The Office was one of the funniest shows for awhile, but it's become rather tedious and annoying. I just find myself yelling at Michael to stop being such an douchebag sometimes. At first, it was funny, now it's like you want to kidnap him and drive him to the nearest mental hospital and get rid of him for good. The show's been on too long- time to kill it.

The Big Bang Theory is funny and entertaining as hell. However, I'm wondering if I'll just get tired of that neurotic character pretty soon too.

It sounds like it's time for Ted McGinley to join the cast.

They should hire Todd Packard.

I ****ing love that guy (David koechner) I think his name is.

I didn't know Parks and Rec was still on the air... I thought it was horrible.

Is it passing into the realm of unfunny shows the fans say detractors are too unsophisticated to appreciate?

For the Office, I felt the show wound up its productive run with the engagement. Nothing after was especially good, I thought.

This last season of The Office was by far the most tedious and uneven in the show's history. It was stop and go with more discomfort than laughs in between. Uncomfortable humor can be very funny and successful but it has to have perfect aim. The Office (as much as I hate to say it) was off the mark most of last season.

... HOWEVER. From the Christmas episode until the last two of the season, The Office was on fire. It was almost as good as it's ever been in that stretch. The show still has gas in the tank.

Do I think it should end with Carell? Yes. I do. But since it looks like that won't happen, I hope they make a smart move and do exactly as the article says. It's not about replacing Michael Scott with an impersonator or look/act-alike.

I'm not sure who the answer is... but I'll be damned if Michael Emerson wouldn't shake things up and rock the **** outta that show. :) Of course, I'd rather he and O'Quinn get their hitman show together.

This is do-able, if unwise. It will be difficult. But NBC has a chance to reinvent the show and hit a grand slam here.

No. It is legitimately amazing now. Not only was season 2 of P&R unequivocally the best season of comedy last TV season, it was, IMO, the single best season of comedy since Arrested Development.

If you didn't watch Parks & Rec season 2 then watch it. Now. You don't need to have seen season one, you can just pick up with season two.

Hopefully they end the show in style, and goes out well if it ends. if they replace michael i hope its solid and the stories get better

I've never understood the love that Arrested Development gets.

Only seen one episode of P&R. Liked it. A lot.

I've tried several times to get into this show, I just can't, not sure why. Something's missing. It just doesnt come across as a can't-miss comedy like The Office.

Do you think that - if the internet had been around - there would have been discussions like this when Diane left Cheers?

Wow. I'm speechless at that one.

Because you are a rube.

:)

Sorry, man. I thought you might be.

To be fair, I haven't made it through all of Season One yet. And there are funny bits and pieces, but I don't get the overall appeal. I don't know what I'm missing. It just seems so whiney and arrogent and worn... I don't know... perhaps this is best served in another thread...

Community and 30Rock are Ok. Not even close to The Office. Hell, I like Big Bang Theory better.

Lol, and people talking about how the last season of ALF was better than the season before, but that Diff'rent Strokes has really lost its burst since they brought in the little red-head kid.

I hate human beings.

30 Rock is really growing on me. It took a while to creep in, but it's a solid show. Some of the humor is a bit obvious and repetative. But when it hits, it gets bigger belly laughs from me than almot anything else out there.

I only saw Community once. It didn't really do much for me. Certainly didn't make me want to tune in again. But I didn't hate it.

ROFL

:rolleyes:

I hate douchebags with stupid usernames like Reaper...

This is best served in this thread, seeing as I have hijacked this thread and turned it into a thread about how I am better at watching TV than all of you. :D

Funny bits and pieces? WTF do you laugh at? No other comedy makes me laugh as much as AD. The tightness of the writing is unlike anything I've ever seen on another comedy. Nothing is introduced that won't become part of a joke later. The show builds upon its own mythology by doing callback jokes all over the place. All the comedies from the last half of the 2000's that I love are united in their ability to rip off Arrested Development over and over again. It is the show that all other comedies wish they were. I can't say a single bad thing about it.

Good. You don't deserve to like me.

Never watched Parks & Rec,I don't care for Amy Poehler (sp?). Watched Community once and didn't really care for it even though I like Joel McHale (sp?). Love the Office, but I find myself constantly watching seasons 2 and 3 re-runs, and only watching the episodes from the later seasons once.

:)

I don't know. Maybe it's just where I'm at in life, but I get tired of excessively rich people whining. I don't care if the joke's on them. It annoys the piss out of me and is rarely funny. I do love Bateman, though.

Also, I tend to love running jokes when they come from characters - like Michael Scott's "that's what she said" (though, to be fair the joy of that joke is how sparcely it's employed and the timing of when it is). But on the whole, I don't like running jokes as a device. I much prefer the manipluation of language.

Also, anytime someone runs into something. I can't help it. That's funny, funny shit. Best example: the dude in Ed Wood who can't get through the door and smacks right into the flat. He growls as you see the shitty set waver back and forth. Hilarious.

I've always wondered what the discussions would've been like for a show like WKRP in Cincinnati and how people would have canonized the show for the songs they played that night, or an argument between which chick was the hottest: Bailey Quarters or Jennifer Marlowe?

Too bad the *****ing record companies can't get their rights together and get that series on DVD with the original music. That was a great show.

It was a bit before my time. But used to watch re-runs on Nic-at-Nite, and really enjoyed it. I'd love to see the series front to back one of these days.

Only if Portia di Rossi plays the same character she played in Better Off Ted.

Veronica was one of the best characters around...stupid ABC. I have no idea why they cancelled that show.

I'm with you. That show was hilarious.

This.
30 Rock is hilarious

Ooooh. That could be really interesting. I kinda like that.

It would definitely create a different dynamic, but still revolve around a boss that's pretty easy to hate.

That way the boss is far enough removed from Michael so as to not seem like an 'imposter' but still serves the purpose of the character (i.e. common enemy).

I agree the show has run it's course.

Big Bang is moving to Thursdays so I'll be watching that. Funniest show on tv.

Todd Packard:

"Hey Halpert......STILL QUEER?!?!"

ROFL

Those whining rich people are, all of them (except for maybe Michael and George Michael), depicted in an extremely brutal, disparaging light. We're supposed to laugh at how pathetic these people are; they are totally unsympathetic.

Exactly. A similar role would work great.

Totally. I get that. But it doesn't work for me. They're so abnoxious and unsympathetic and irritating that it doesn't make me want to unite against them - even in laughter - it just makes me say "who gives a shit" and change the channel.

But, obviously, I'm in the minority. Most everyone I know loves AD with a passion. But for my tastes, I think The Office, 30 Rock, It's Always Sunny In Philidelphia and Family Guy are all smarter/funnier shows. So far. I'll see if I can ever get around to finishing S1 and see how I feel.

Bingo.

I'm growing sadder each time you post. :( Seriously, if Spain hadn't just won against Portugal I might have put you on ignore out of an emotional reaction to today's CP Worst Statement of the Day: that Family Guy is smarter/funnier than Arrested Development.

:cuss:

Maybe this is just stupid... but.... now, just think about it for a minute, okay... don't just dismiss this outright, okay... but... what if Ricky Gervais steps in to replace Michael Scott?

Then just enjoy it for the scripted visual and sementical puns.

The two Sunday Brunches on the Show are Skip Church's and Miss Temple's.

Or the time GOB bought a boat with company money and names it The Seaward. Michael scolds him and tells him he has to sell it as the company needs that money. Conversation ends with Michael yelling 'get rid of The Seaward,' only to reveal Mother standing behind them . . "I'm standing right here Michael" ROFL ROFL

The appeal of AD is that it just goes for the funny, and goes at it from every angle. Stupid puns, visuals, voiceovers [the sublime episode where Opie Cunningham keeps railing about how a competing show's voiceover guy is a hack], long form gags, recurring gags, gags that refer to real life [the juxtaposing of Theron's lovable character with a still of her role in Monster], gags that don't show themselves until repeated viewing [in the scene immediately prior to Buster losing his arm to a seal, he's sitting on a park bench advertising Army Officer Training, only Busters sitting just so that the bench reads 'Arm Off']

To this day, I can't think of the whole baseball/sex analogy without thinking of what George Jr. and Maebe did and the quick cutaway of Pete Rose sliding into third and giggling.

COME ON! /GOB

Rep.

****ing LOVE Parks and Rec.

I do disagree about the first part of your post though, as I still love The Office as well.

The Big Bang Theory is awful television

:)

Fine. I'll give it another shot.

Like I said, don't try to get emotionally involved, or connect with the characters. Just let the jokes and gags follow over you. Eventually it will win you over through sheer funny density.

Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with. Now that they're starting at a more reasonable level - coupled with your advice Baby Lee, and your disappointment in me, Reaper - perhaps I'll have a much more enjoyable experience.

Blasphemy.

It doesn't sound blasphemic to me.

I've heard good things about Big Bang Theory, but I just can't bring myself to watch anything that was "recorded in front of a live studio audience." Laugh-tracks have made me want to rip off my ears and use them to gouge out my eyes since they started using them in the old Scooby Doo cartoons.

michael would have been fired in the first episode if it was real life. I still watch the office, but good get him the **** out. No office would put up with that shit.

Die in a fire if you don't find it funny.

They aren't. One of their slides after the show explicitly explains this. They record the episode and then dub a laugh track specific to each episode by screening the episode to some fans. All of them are different.


That said, I agree re laugh tracks.

I thought there was a stretch of 4-5 episodes late in the season where The Office had a real good streak. But I don't think they were ever going to match seasons 2-3... those were two of the best seasons by a comedy, ever. Theoretically you could replace Carrell... but it'd be like replacing Sam on Cheers... just hard to imagine.

I haven't hardly watched enough of Parks and Rec... I've tried catching on to the end of this season of Community. I think it's hit and miss. But when it hits it's pretty good. Although I think they got carried away in the finale.

Why can't this show just die a in a fire?

It tried.

Dwight set the fire.

Stanley had a heart attack.

It was a whole mess.

It's occasionally stupid [Michael using GPS to drive into a lake], occasionally brilliant [Stanley's pushups], but mostly by now, it's just a bunch of people it's fun to hang out with for 1/2 hour a week. Doesn't have to reinvent the wheel, just give us the characters, and a couple chuckles.

RB, if you would weigh in when appropriate if watching AD with adjusted expectations helped I'd appreciate it.

No hurry, no worries. :thumb:

Blasphemy! For that remark, you shall die in a fire...:)

And thats why you never should put trust in Fox.

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Arrested Development was an amazing show.

30 Rock was good for two seasons.

The Office was good for four seasons.

Now I don't watch 30 Rock anymore and only watch The Office because I have nothing better to do.

Lets see...

Always Sunny is THE BEST show on TV right now...but last season of that was pretty disappointing, too. Still less disappointing than The Office and 30 Rock.

Excellent post, BL.
Yeah. I'll keep you posted once I get started.

Well, it was just one episode, but that was pretty funny. Especially Dwight taking a fire extinguisher to people planking.

Yeah. I really liked it. Missed Michael to a degree but the chemistry was fine w/o him. Pretty funny episode all things considered. And it wore it's heart on it's sleeve. Which I, personally, love.

James Spader > God