Regarded as one of the best comedy shows to date, The Office (regardless of its unoriginal concept) quickly rose to unparalleled fame and success because of a very specific factor: Steve Carell. The actor’s ability to decode the most uncomfortable and inappropriate situation into a side-stitching laugh fest was inimitable and it was his character’s slow evolution through the seasons that sealed the deal for most fans.
As such, when the series came to an end, it was expected that Steve Carell’s Michael Scott would make a customary appearance, giving the finale a fitting end with the entire original cast present. After all, it was not asking for much when even David Brent from The Office (UK) made a cameo on the show, too. But no such luck was favored by Carell who not only hesitated about the idea but rejected it entirely.
Jenna Fischer later revealed the whole story about what attributed to Steve Carell’s reluctance to return to The Office.
Steve Carell Refused to Return for The Office Finale
Sometimes, we sacrifice the things we love to remain true to our principles, no matter how irrational the circumstances might seem. Steve Carell did the same for his character, the ever-animated Michael Scott, in The Office. Despite being one of the best works of his career, Carell did not want to grace the series with Michael Scott’s presence in the finale.
Wanting to have him return for a long time, series creator Greg Daniels reached out to Carell to make a cameo appearance in the series finale but was instead met with immediate hesitation about the premise. Jenna Fischer later revealed on the Office Ladies podcast the real reason behind his rejection:
Steve was reluctant. He felt like Michael’s story had really ended. He didn’t want to open it back up again, and he especially did not wanna come back after two years and have this finale episode be about him. Steve really felt like, ‘My character had his ending.’ This is everybody else’s ending, and he didn’t wanna overshadow that.
In a manner of speaking, Carell was right. It was not simply he who carried the sitcom on his back for the whole 9 years of its airing. The entire cast of the sitcom deserved to have their own ending when Michael Scott already got his own grand exit in 2011. He eventually did return in the finale for Dwight and Angela’s wedding since it was “a creative reason supported by history.”
The irony behind Carell’s selfless decision was that his character Michael Scott would have done everything in his power to steal the spotlight for himself at Dwight’s wedding. Considering his previous stints at Phyllis’s wedding, the Secret Santa office party, and almost every other social gathering pertaining to the office or otherwise, it would have been highly unreasonable to not have Michael Scott show up at the wedding of one of his best friends.
The Legacy That The Office Left Behind
The US version of The Office gets more recognition than Ricky Gervais’ original BBC sitcom for a reason. With 9 seasons of the NBC mockumentary to keep the audience entertained, the sitcom did more than retain its original concept of awkward comedy. It evolved into a family saga, complete with heartfelt moments, just as much as it descended into raucous dysfunctional hilarity.
The Office became loved by the fans because it adapted to the times, shifting with the seasons to make the character arcs grow and develop as real people would, imbuing the show with the various colorful aspects of humanity. It highlighted the realities of life even outside the bullpen, involving the fans in the constant hardships, struggles, relationships, and the not-commonly-seen caring side of the characters.
Rarities like Oscar and Angela’s unique friendship, Jim and Dwight’s weird friendship, and the episode where Michael supports Pam at her art show made us fall in love with the series over the years. The legacy that the series left behind when it ended in 2013 makes The Office relevant even a decade later, creating a permanent mark in pop culture as fans return to it time and again.
The sitcom’s finale resembled an era coming to an end. It was a culmination of boundless love and friendship between the cast and the fans. The tearful goodbye among the office employees resembled a lot of the real emotions playing among the audience who lived and grew up with the sitcom. The cast and crew that worked tirelessly to make The Office one of the funniest and simultaneously emotional shows deserve a special honorary mention, too.
The Office is streaming on Peacock.
