Steve Carell is clocking out of Dunder Mifflin for good.
The star and manager of "The Office," NBC's mockumentary-style sitcom, announced last year he would leave the show after starring as bumbling office manager Michael Scott for seven seasons. The final episode to feature Carell will air tonight.
"Steve Carell helped put the U.S. [version of] ‘The Office' on the map," junior Cameron Rhein said. "It's going to be sad to see him go, and to see how the show will carry on from there."
Carell's character, Michael Scott, will undoubtedly be remembered as the boss you hope you never have: a kind-hearted but clumsy man, more likely to be seen causing trouble and awkward moments than actually getting work done. But Carell's charm, and the hilarious antics of Michael Scott are a hit with audiences and critics, and earned Carell a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations for his performance.
In the past season, Michael dated and eventually proposed to co-worker Holly, played by Amy Ryan, and announced to the office that he would accompany her to Colorado to be with her family. This led to the hiring of Will Ferrell as the new office manager Deangelo Vickers, a position Ferrell has said that he would like to keep. In a touching scene, the office workers thanked Michael for his time as their boss to the music of "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent."
In classic "Office" humor, the employees sang "9,986,000 minutes, that's how many minutes you've been here…. That's like watching ‘Die Hard' 80,000 times," as Michael began to tear up.
"I'm very sad that Michael is leaving ‘The Office,'" junior Katelyn Kwiatkowski, a fan of the show, said. "He's at the center of all the humor and misunderstandings that make ‘The Office' what it is."
Kwiatkowski also said that, while she has not been to happy with Ferrell's performance thus far she is excited for the season's end.
"I heard Will Arnett will be on the finale, and I'm really looking forward to that," she said.
"I'm sad but I'm happy because Steve Carell has a great movie career ahead of him," senior Kerry Magro said, citing some of Carell's successful films, such as "Despicable Me" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin." "And I think Will Ferrell will do ‘The Office' justice as manager."
Whatever Michael's last shenanigans on "The Office" may be, fans can be sure that Carell's exit will leave them satisfied and smiling.
That's what she said.
Erin Bell can be reached at erin.bell@student.shu.edu.
