The Office

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

its on here and its amazing. i mean, idk what to think cause Steve Carell is leaving it after season 7,

[Explosivo_420]

I think someone just added that in, I didn't see it mentioned in the cited material.

I heard of Danny McBride as a possible candidate though.

[Remoat]

The lack of a source to back up the wikipedia article reduces this claim to rumor.  And the only reason I want to see David working in the U.S. is because he has a hit single.

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

Danny McBride? That's interesting.

[Explosivo_420]

yeah I also read Rhys Darby was being considered (he was Murray on Flight of the Conchords)

I think he'd be the best choice, but McBride would still be cool.

I'd be happy with Dwight or Andy being promoted to boss, no need to bring in a ringer.

But David Brent probably would be the most orgasmic solution, no doubt.

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

i never really watched flight of the conchords but yah dwight or andy may be my first choice. or jim...... or maybe just lwast the show alone.

idk.

[Remoat]

Gary Cole could reprise his Office Space role.  Or that lady from Better Off Ted could come back.

Wait I've got it:  Captain Hazel 'Hank' Murphy.

[Remoat]

This time I'm being serious about a possible replacement:

Harvey Keitel.

Apparently Paul Lieberstein, an executive producer on The Office, feels Keitel is the most ideal candidate.

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

lol crazy stuff meng. maybe they should just leave the office be with 7 seasons...

[Remoat]

I would prefer it if they ended the show.  This recasting of major characters after many years rarely succeeds in sitcoms, and I feel like this case could turn into The Andy Griffifth Show sans Don Knotts.  Although it could be interesting to see how a new character affects the show.  It might not be funny or satisfying, but it would be interesting.

[SwimMod_Luuv]

I think it could easily end up working in the same way people thought an American version of the Office might not work and then it did.

However, I will say that - like in this last couple seasons, I've been getting a sense of writer fatigue with the show.  Like the characters are sometimes going a little too far, stepping a little too far out of character, or the show is maybe a little overlty pointedly wacky at times, perhaps just due to a fatigue/boredom on the part of the writers maybe?

So while I hope it's awesome, and adds a whole new dimension to the show, my suspicion is that it will maybe fizzle out.

I think what might keep it afloat is if they could sign Carrel for returns.  Maybe two or three a season, just single episode guest shots.  Keep his character in it.

That coupled with the right new manager could give the show yet more longevity maybe.

My vote for new branch manager - I'm not sure.  Things I would pitch if I were in the room might be - maybe yeah settling on a manager, but also going through a cycle of episodes in which the branch went through a sting of different managers who failed miserably.  Maybe even current characters.as well.

But - my pick for ultimately the new manager would be - uh dunno.  Not Gervais. 

Garry Shandling?  Rob Riggle?  eh.  I just can't really think of anybody as perfect as Carel.  Honestly I think somebody

like Tim Heidecker would be a good pick.    Andy Richter would be a good person to consider.

Sam Bee would be hilarious, but I'm not sure it's the right vibe for the show. 

John C Reilly would be a great choice.  Don't think he'd do it.  But he'd be a great choice.

Eh, there's probably somebody perfect I'm not thinking of.

But I like those picks.  Shandling, Heidecker, Riggle, Reilly, Bee, Richter.

I think the ones I like the most are Shandling and Heidecker.

[Explosivo_420]

Shandling would be hilarious definitely.

[SwimMod_Luuv]

also I don't think you can have a resolved Pam/Jim thing happening AND have Michael Scott leave.

So - honestly if Scott's being written out, there probably needs to be some new Pam/Jim obstacles, maybe even some sort of split up.  not permanent maybe, I mean yeah I think that relationship should continue to be sort of what it is.

But if Michael Scott is gone and Jim and Pam are resolved, that's kind of a double whammy for the show in a sense.

Also eh, I think they're kinda wiggin out on Dwight's character.  It's not as interesting/solid as it once was, they kind of have him all over the place.  Like one episode he's pathetic, the next he's some kind of ladykiler, getting all these hot chicks and stuff. 

It's not a good time to lose that Michael Scott character at all actually.

My armchair advice would be - keep Michael Scott in from a distance.  Try to get Carel to agree to maybe a show a year even or something like that.  A few appearances occasionally.  I think they could even get away with fewer appearances than Kathy Bates has made as the new CEO.

Break up Jim & Pam again at least for awhile.

Bring in somebody like Shandling.

And I think the writers need to chill on Dwight actually.  They're often wildly inconsistent just because they seem to want to capitalize on the character's popularity or something maybe?  or - I dunno. 

More Andy Bernard.

Also there are some old characters that seem sort of gone for good, that should resurface for a plotline or two.  Just because - I think seeing some older faces might soften the blow of Michael Scott not being around.  Maybe bring back Jan for awhile.  David Wallace.  Holly.

So - I think appearances of characters who were associated with Scott could help as well.  Plus I love those characters and those actors.  So win-win.

But - I honestly don't think they can last too long without Carell, with Jim & Pam resolved indefinately, the inconsistent Dwight character they're doing now, etc.  I think with the last season, there've been some decent moments, but there used to be many elements holding it together, this last season I think it's definitely been primarily Carell's charisma holding it together.

Without that they're definitely going to have to kick it up a notch.  They're going to need new stuff, but also they're going to need to take a look at what the show is, revisiting the consistency of the first few seasons.  So - I think if the show pulls out of this it'll be a combination of looking back and looking forward.  Establishing enough "new" but also returning to some small extent to the show's roots.

I just can't see it succeeding without Carell if it doesn't do that.

[episodenoin]

As much as Gervais made the British Office what it is, his role there was as a different type of boss than Carrell's. Carrell's has some redeeming qualities and you sometimes just can't help but to feel sorry for him because he is good-natured in the end. Gervais's rendition would've gotten fired in the US in a heartbeat.

Plus, he would be the easiest option to "merge" the two versions together but it's like having a tuna melt and an egg salad sandwich and shoving them together. They're both potentially fine sandwiches on their own and they have a lot of the same base characteristics but to incorporate the tuna into the egg salad and stick it under the heat... doesn't give that same expected flavor.

The Michael Scott character would have to be scrapped completely and not have actor coming in and posing as Michael. It's just been too many seasons. He would have to get transferred or fired and still come by the office on occassions because he's a lonely guy, giving way for guest appearances so it's going to have to be someone new or the writers create what they've been hinting of for years... that Jim become the new Michael and he loses his edge. (Remember, Michael's told Jim that he came into Dundler Mifflin for the exact same reasons, that he also was top sales like Jim, etc.)

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

these are great ideas, and I would definatley like to see some new drama in the Jim/Pam thing. like maybe one of them accidently makes out or something with someone else, idk.

[SwimMod_Luuv]

I don't know if it'd have to be anything sexual even.  at least not right away.

Jim and Pam make a great team, but when they're out of sync, they can be actually pretty sort of damaging to one another.

I think it's been dislayed, not only in the whole on again off again relationship, but even in a few situations since they've been married.

So - something dumb, or one of those out of sync sort of moments could just snowball into something bigger.  And then once apart, maybe then one of them could date somebody or sleep with somebody or something.  Which would give it a little more longevity.

But part of I think the magic of Jim and Pam is how - on the one level they're so perfect for each other, and yet on the other hand, they are so often out of sync with each other.  I think it translates to this dynamic of something that should be perfect juuuust as soon as it lines up...but it just winds up not being as easy as it looks or something.

But - eh.  I think the writers held out for so long on the Jim/Pam thing that once they gave into resolving it, they moved way way way too quickly.  Not only did they marry them off but they had a kid right away too.

But I still think - like Pam would probably have to have the issue.  Because Jim's character I don't think would walk away from his wife and kid unless Pam forced the issue, or seemed to be forcing the issue.  And for her to force the issue, something would really have to be up with Jim, or her perception of him.

So - I think the writers really just slapped an ironclad lock on the Jim/Pam relationship, maybe just out of being tired of the relationship going so long without a definitive resolution.

[Ship0fFooLsGD]

Dude, your a genious everything you just said is great.

[Remoat]

The Jim and Pam situation doesn't seem to have a great direction in which to go.  I agree that they were more likable when they weren't a couple and were still a source of sexual tension.  As spouses their relationship is at best dull and at worst annoying.  However breaking them apart could lead them into the kind of sitcom-style romance that is so common in their on-again-off-again dynamic that it could be just as tiresome as Pam and Jim as a married couple.

A large part of the problem is the show's old age.  I don't know if the writers can find a way to reinvigorate it, but I guess we'll see what the future holds.

[deceased]

bye bye office if he does with out carrel its over

[SandraDare]

Ricky Gervais is awesome. I am quite sure everyone has seen this a million times... but it always cracks me up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr9_5uZn6ds

[Remoat]

It's worth seeing time and time again.

Apparently Will Ferrell will temporarily fill in for Carrell

[Stokenstein]

I just hope they don't make a bad choice, I could care less who it is...

Ricky Gervais would not fit into the American show, I've seen the BBC version and I just wouldn't be happy with this.

[GodspreadThin]

I seriously doubt that, though it was great to see Michael Scott and David Brent finally meet.

[cannabear]

Steve Carell will be dearly missed. I am all in favor of Jim Carey. I don't think America will be very receptive of Ricky's spot-off humour. Though An Idiot Abroad turned out hilariously.