Carrell leaving could actually be good for the show.

"Michael-heavy" episodes tend to suck and last season was just so mediocre that they clearly needed a major shakeup.

I don't like Andy as the manager, though. I can only handle him in small doses.

I think they needed some new blood there.

It wasn't that bad. The thing about California talking Jo out of her own job was genius.

Yeah, I was a bit disappointed when they revealed that.

I've always hated Andy because he reminds me too much of a completely unlikeable D-bag I know.

That being said... I don't know. I'm kind of pleasantly surprised. I really like the new direction of the show. It's kind of amazing the way a TV show can erase your previous memories of a character and form a completely new one. I think Andy's new character is endearing. As a businessperson myself, I kind of like the new direction of a complete badass like Robert California and a young mentee like Andy Bernard.

Given that most of last season of The Office, in my opinion, became a little bit of a trainwreck, I'm actually pretty excited about a complete change in direction.

I was skeptical about Andy as boss, too, but I liked Thursday's episode a lot. The bit at the end about underachievers inspiring the unexceptional, or whatever it was he said, was freaking hilarious. And during the title sequence, when he moves the statue on his desk and it ends up on the floor. Perfect.

I've been a huge fan of how the've transitioned away from Carrell.

Jim's humor has grown old on me.

I think Darrell has been really funny this year. Creed is my favorite though.

/creed ?

By the way, anyone know how come they didn't finish the storyline about the printers catching on fire?
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I think Kristen Wiig would be a great addition to the show as manager.

Liked the second episode of the season way more. I hate it when The Office tries to be topical, so that planking cold open annoyed the shit out of me. But this episode had some of the pathos that the new, too-self-aware Office lacks a lot of the time.

Spader's great, and I think he provides a good foil to a desperate-for-approval guy like Andy.

They've had some minor slip-ups, I think, where they have Andy do things that don't really fit his character as well as they would have fit Michael. Like the inadvertently racist stuff in the second episode -- that's 100% Michael. And sometimes it feels like Ed Helms is doing a Steve Carell impression. But I think they're working toward giving him more distinct neuroses that fit the Michael Scott mold but that are uniquely Andy.

That would have been a great move. Alas.

The part that most reminded me of Michael was Andy sitting on Jim's desk. That it's more suited for michaels character rather than Andy's.
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It makes sense for Andy to do some of the things that Michael would do. He's been his reference point for a boss.

Yup - I think that's a pretty fair allowance for the writers. He took the job out of Cornell, yes? So Michael is his only real example of a boss in his professional career.

The last episode was much better. And I think the show can excel as long as Spader's in it to provide just enough of that 'cool guy grim reaper' character that can offset Andy a little.

I really wish they wouldn't have knocked up Pam and Angela, though. Pregnancy storylines absolutely suck dicks.

The Office is OK, and has been OK the past few seasons. Parks and Rec is kicking its ass right now.

If you think last season the Office was OK, this season would have to get 'good', IMO.

I think this season has been OK thus far (maybe a little better than that; maybe not as funny, but some legitimately great moments).

Last season was trash. Pure, unadulterated, trash.