Show creator Greg Daniels announced that the upcoming ninth season of The Office will be its last. I've had a rocky relationship with the show, first hesitant to watch it because I was such a fan of the original British show. I stayed with the show mostly because I loved Dwight's character; there is something dark and disturbed about his character, and I, well, enjoy things that are dark and disturbed.
Initially, I enjoyed Pam and Jim's flirtatious courtship, but like many TV romances, the excitement fizzled when they finally got together. At first, you were rooting for these two crazy kids, and then suddenly, it seemed that in the span of only a few episodes, they were married with kids and still working in the same place. Is that what you call a fairy tale ending?
Many fans lost interest after Steve Carell's departure, but I saw it as a chance for the minor characters to have their chance in the spotlight, and it's these minor characters that make the show great. Erin (Ellie Kemper), first introduced as simply an airhead, has grown into her own, and Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, and B.J. Novak are some of the best in the business when it comes to subtle comedy and great delivery.
How do you end a much beloved show after nine seasons? With a big hoopla and plot twist? I hope not, because the main appeal of the show is its focus on the mundane and every day situations. Here are ten things I hope the final season will bring:
- If Michael Scott (Steve Carell) does make another appearance, it should be for a quick cameo. There was lots of buildup to him leaving and that would be for naught if he came back, but to give fans some closure, I think this cameo should just give enough information to know what is going on with the character.
- Can Gabe get a break? I know the intense hatred of him and his mass douchery is much of the enjoyment, but for some reason I'm always rooting for him.
- Please, for the sake of everyone, do not make Jim and Pam have another baby. They became insufferable after the first one.
