The long anticipated end to the Office aired on Thursday night (led with an emotionally charged "retrospective" hour) and after watching it a second time, I'll share a few thoughts on this masterpiece of a series finale.
First off, the writer's packed so much into 75 minutes of showtime (including commercials), and brought so many storylines to a resolution, it was overwhelming. And it seems like some of these stories could have been developed more fully over the last season or two.
I am the first to admit that the show floundered in Season 8, (following Steve Carell's departure) mainly because there was so much time and energy spent on "replacing" Michael Scott. I feel like viewers were robbed from some of these great stories during the drawn-out Robert California story arc.
But the last few episodes leading up to the finale have been fantastically pitch-perfect (including the Jim and Pam marital conflict hook).
In the months leading up to the end of the series, speculation ran high and rumors abounded on whether or not Carell would return in the finale. I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I tempered my expectations until the moment when Jim, Dwight's "bestest mensch" (Schrute-speak for "best man"), informed Dwight of the rule that the best man must be older than the groom.
And then the camera panned around to reveal that, YES, Michael Scott would step into that role!
Yes sir, Jim: Best. Prank. Ever.
There were so many "happy endings" for everyone that I'll defer to this article from the Hollywood Reporter, which does a great job in summarizing what happened to each character.
And full disclosure: I could have done without the awkward male stripper scene (who turned out to be Meredith's son). Just eww.
As it is when any show ends, it's always hard to say goodbye. But the Office holds a special place, because I started watching when I was dating my future wife in 2005. We've remained faithful to the show (and to each other) since then, in good times and bad (never straying during the low ratings) until death (or cancellation) do us part. Our entire marriage we've bonded with these people, and so losing it is bittersweet.
A great TV show is measured by, I think, the amount of fond life memories attached to it and the time period the show aired.
So, of all the brilliant quotes in this episode, I give the nod to Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) when he lamented, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”
Well played, Nard Dog.
Farewell to the end of an era, and to one of the most groundbreaking shows of our time.
RELATED: I think the Office was so unique because of the evident, fun chemistry between the talent, writers, and crew. Just watching these cast farewell videos confirms how special these people are.
Office Cast Farewells:
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