The Officelosing Steve Carell is still a widely discussed topic in the world of sitcoms, with the actor stepping away from the role of Michael Scott in season 7.Steve Carell’s departure fromThe Officeis a huge moment in the series, and one that audiences never fail to mention when talking about the show. Dunder Mifflin Scranton’s iconic boss leaves in the season 7 episode “Goodbye, Michael,” and moves to Colorado to be with Holly Flax, the love of his life and wife-to-be.
It’s an emotional moment for all involved, and in a recent episode of theGood Guyspodcast(viaVariety),Dwight Schrute actor Rainn Wilson discusses how Carell’s exit impactedThe Office’s productionat the time. See his full comments below:
When Steve left, then it was a little bit chaotic of trying to figure out the tone of the show and who’s the lead and, how are we telling these stories without, you know, the comic engine of the show, which is Michael Scott, and without one of the greatest comic actors in American history at the center of our show. That was also a struggle.
However,Wilson did mention to hosts Josh Peck and Ben Soffer that he wasn’t shocked by Carell’s departure. The actor also explained that because Carell was “Such a big movie star at the time,” and that everyone “Knew it was coming for a long time.”
What Rainn Wilson’s Comments On Steve Carell’s Departure From The Office Mean
It Was Just As Wild & Baffling On Set As It Was For Audiences At Home
It’s worth noting thatWilson doesn’t judge Carell for leavingThe Officeor imply that his departure caused any sort of decline in the show’s quality.If anything, his comments are more a statement about how production tried to ensureevery season ofThe Officewas to the same standard, with the hopes that fans would be happy with the show going forward. Wilson acknowledges thatThe Officeworked hard to try to understand what the tone of the show would be without Carell, and how it could successfully continue without him as the glue that held them all together.
What his remarks do, however, is confirm thatThe Officewas somewhat prepared for Carell to leave,but even with that knowledge, production found it hard to find its footing. Many believeThe Officebecame a different showafter Michael left, and while there’s undoubtedly a tonal shift in seasons 8 and 9, the hilarious sitcom managed to find a way to carry on without Steve Carell.
Our Take On Rainn Wilson’s Remarks About The Office’s Biggest Cast Change
The Office Production & Cast Were Aware Carell’s Exit Could Be On The Horizon
Wilson’s comments are not surprising. Carell’s exit was a huge moment for audiences, let alone theOfficecast. However,one of the reasonsThe Officeis such a success is the supporting characters, and thankfully, they kept the show afloat until the season 9 finale.Throughout the series, the likes of Angela and Oscar become integral to the story, and in the later seasons, they’re arguably more interesting thanPam and Jim’s relationship inThe Office, for example.
Althoughaudiences are often divided about whetherThe Officegoes completely downhill without Carell,or if it’s simply different, it’s clear that the show’s lead saying goodbye was just as big a deal off-screen as it was on.The Officeis definitely chaotic in the few episodes between Michael leaving and Andy taking on the role of regional manager, and it’s strange, but not shocking, that it was just as wild behind the scenes, too.
