Steve Carell leaving "The Office"

[Alexander The So-so]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Steve Carell is tendering his resignation as the egotistical boss Michael Scott of "The Office", and leaving the hit TV comedy show next year.

Carell told Us Magazine that he would be leaving paper company Dunder Mifflin at the end of the upcoming TV season, in May 2011.

"Yes, it will be my last," Carell, 47, told UsMagazine.com while promoting his movie "Despicable Me". "It's the last (season) on my contract, and I want to honor my contract."

Carell, who won a Golden Globe award for his role, said he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two young children.

Carell began playing Michael Scott in 2005 when the U.S. version of the hit British mockumentary created by Ricky Gervais was launched on NBC.

NBC had no comment on Carell's remarks.

Carell's departure may not mean the end of "The Office" however. NBC executives told reporters in May that the network regarded the show as an ensemble piece and that producers were prepared for a possible departure by Carell.

The actor told Us Magazine he would be sad to leave the comedy series. "These are some of my best friends in the world! But it will be good -- it will be good for everybody," he said.

"The Office" has been one of NBC's biggest critical hits, winning an Emmy for best comedy series, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for its ensemble cast. The series has also been sold widely overseas.

omg.yahoo.com/news/steve-carell-resigning-from-the-office-next-year/43076?nc

[Orange]

I'm not a fan of the show, but is the show pretty much dead from here on out? Anytime they show commercials for The Office it seems like they center around him.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Hasn't he been leaving for years now?

[OblivionSorceress]

What?! Oh man, this is really going to suck if he leaves. I love him on The Office. It will certainly hurt the ratings for The Office but I don't think it will be a done deal for them yet. Wonder what they'll do to his character.

[Cry Me a Wiggle]

Yeah, but it should have ended three years ago anyway. What was a painful-but-funny slice of real life has morphed into the adventures of the smug married couple and the idiots they have daily parties with.

I still hold out hope that the ending revolves around Dwight going postal and mowing down the entire staff.

[kickassJP]

Jun 29, 2010 0:10:52 GMT -5 OblivionSorceress said:

What?! Oh man, this is really going to suck if he leaves. I love him on The Office. It will certainly hurt the ratings for The Office but I don't think it will be a done deal for them yet. Wonder what they'll do to his character.

He'll probably transfer to the branch that Holly Flax works at. The season finale hinted that Michael and Holly aren't quite done. I think it would be a perfect send off for his character. Holly was perfect for him and I know it had to be done, but it was depressing when they had to split up.

[PaperStreetBrigade]

The show ends with him leaving and in 2-3 years he'll be kicking himself for ever leaving the show. Then they'll give him a CSI show and all will be happy.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

I think nothing is set in stone at this point. Given the trouble NBC has had with some of its other programming lately I think they will make it worth Carell's wild to stay.

[Lionheart]

Seems kinda like the show needs to be winding down anyway. I'm not really sure what greener pastures Carrell thinks he'd be leaving for, though, since (as I mentioned in a somewhat length thread a week or two ago ) he's been largely typecast in his movie career and the shelf life for acts like his is not that long, as Will Farrell may be finding out.

[Chainsaw]

I think it's time to end it. Make next season the last season, and have Steve do a handful of episodes. As good as the people are on it, it really does revolve around Michael.

[Matt Dunn]

Am I the only one who hopes they hire Ricky Gervais as the new boss?

[Baixo Astral]

Jun 29, 2010 2:44:40 GMT -5 Matt Dunn said:

Am I the only one who hopes they hire Ricky Gervais as the new boss?

End the show with him walking in the door and greeting the staff.

[Full of IT.]

Jun 29, 2010 1:05:38 GMT -5 kickassJP said:

Jun 29, 2010 0:10:52 GMT -5 OblivionSorceress said:

What?! Oh man, this is really going to suck if he leaves. I love him on The Office. It will certainly hurt the ratings for The Office but I don't think it will be a done deal for them yet. Wonder what they'll do to his character.

He'll probably transfer to the branch that Holly Flax works at. The season finale hinted that Michael and Holly aren't quite done. I think it would be a perfect send off for his character. Holly was perfect for him and I know it had to be done, but it was depressing when they had to split up.

I've always wondered this, why did it have to be done? Why did Holly leave so abruptly? I recall she was there for a couple episodes then all of the sudden disappeared with just a quick explanation and Toby was back soon after.

[Brother Ike: Thread Killer]

Jun 29, 2010 8:12:34 GMT -5 Full of IT. said:

Jun 29, 2010 1:05:38 GMT -5 kickassJP said:

He'll probably transfer to the branch that Holly Flax works at. The season finale hinted that Michael and Holly aren't quite done. I think it would be a perfect send off for his character. Holly was perfect for him and I know it had to be done, but it was depressing when they had to split up.

I've always wondered this, why did it have to be done? Why did Holly leave so abruptly? I recall she was there for a couple episodes then all of the sudden disappeared with just a quick explanation and Toby was back soon after.

yeah this is what made me the last few years imo. They start something but then the writers would be too afraid to change the status quo and revert everything back to normal. this REALLY pissed me off with abruptly ending the "Micheal Scott Paper Company"

I say just end it now, the show might have survived a few years ago but now the writing it so stale and the cast has become caricatures so badly that it would just be unwatchable.

[Full of IT.]

Jun 29, 2010 8:33:23 GMT -5 Brother Ike: Thread Killer said:

Jun 29, 2010 8:12:34 GMT -5 Full of IT. said:

I've always wondered this, why did it have to be done? Why did Holly leave so abruptly? I recall she was there for a couple episodes then all of the sudden disappeared with just a quick explanation and Toby was back soon after.

yeah this is what made me the last few years imo. They start something but then the writers would be too afraid to change the status quo and revert everything back to normal. this REALLY pissed me off with abruptly ending the "Micheal Scott Paper Company"

I say just end it now, the show might have survived a few years ago but now the writing it so stale and the cast has become caricatures so badly that it would just be unwatchable.

So you mean there was no reason for it other than being afraid of change? I assumed there was an issue with Amy Ryan so they had to write accordingly.

I too was irritated beyond belief when they ended the Michael Scott Paper Company. They finally has something fresh.

When I first heard the news Carrell was done, I was happy because I thought that meant the end of The Office. It's been a hell of a ride but it's definitely time to end it.

A Michael Scott-less office is no working environment I want any part of.

[Deleted]

Much as I love the show, I'm okay with it ending. It's better to go out while still on top than to overstay your welcome.

What makes the show is Michael Scott as the boss and the way the employees react to him. Take him out of the equation, and you have two options: Replace him with a character that acts just like him, which would be lame. Or replace him with a character that is his total opposite, which would make the reactions of the other workers totally different, thus changing the vibe of the whole show. How funny would it be to see them react to a competent, logical boss that always makes appropriate decisions? Not very funny.

I hope NBC has learned from Scrubs, The X-Files, That 70's Show, etc. that when you get rid of the main character, most of the fans stop watching, regardless of whether it's still a good show or not. Then the shows get cancelled a season or two later anyway. What we're left with are solid runs with one awkwardy different season at the end.

Please don't go there this time NBC.

[oldad5518]

Steve Carell = Bob Newhart.........Just like Newhart he will be back on tv with a new show on a new network in two years when he has nothing to do.

[kayfabulous]

When Steve Carell leaves the show just needs to end. It's kind of past the point of entertainment now anyway. After Jim and Pam actually got married the show has just kind of gone downhill. I still enjoy watching reruns but I don't watch actual new episodes anymore.

[default]

Kudos for getting off the sinking ship that is NBC.

[Ben Wyatt]

Honestly, I kinda feel like they should have ended the series about a year or 2 ago