Anyone who watched the early seasons of The Office would agree that Steve Carell’s character of Michael Scott was iconic. There were so many Michael Scott moments that people will be quoting until the end of days. It broke all of our hearts when we stopped seeing Michael’s presence interacting with the other comedically brilliant personalities of the show. When he left, it was almost too much for us to bear… It was almost.. too hard..
That’s what she said.
So what gives?
Why Did Steve Carell Leave The Office?
When an actor leaves a show, especially a highly successful, popular, and beloved sitcom, it’s inevitable that people are going to talk. We wonder if there was a falling out or a fight between the cast or production crew (as Grey’s Anatomy actors were famous for). Who could Steve have fought with? Who wouldn’t love Steve?! Why did we lose Michael Scott?!
The facts surrounding the reason for his leaving are very strange and sound quite blurry. Steve was a gentleman and said that he was leaving to spend more time with family. However, what really happened was a bit of a slap in the face to the legendary actor.
Was it Meredith’s repeated nudity? Was it all of Angela’s cats? No. It was an even sillier reason.
The truth is, Steve’s manager contacted NBC’s executives as the end of his contract approached regarding renewing, since they hadn’t received word. Yet, the silence continued. It was never really clear why. NBC just never contacted him about continuing his role on the show.
Did Steve Carell Regret Leaving The Office?
Steve never wanted to leave in the first place. He wasn’t really left with any choice. Additionally, when Steve let it slip in a public interview that he was leaving and the silence was only prolonged further, he felt disheartened. He felt as though none of his co-stars or production cared that he was leaving.
Poor Steve!!
Cast members recall the shooting of Michael’s final episode as being filled with tears. Steve said he had formed a family with all of the members of the show over the 8 years of his appearances as Michael Scott. He described his goodbyes to the cast as “emotional torture” for him. John Krasinski (Jim Halpert) said that it felt like the show was ending with Steve leaving.
Michael Scott’s Final Episode
The only cool thing is that Steve Carell actually got to have a say in the plot of his last episode. He grew the character for 8 years and wanted to reflect the character’s personal growth as a person. Therefore, Michael made his exit as a more mature, more emotionally balanced individual.
NBC messed up when they lost Steve. Ratings nearly plummeted for seasons 8 and 9 with the absence of Michael Scott. Steve’s talent in comedy, and as an actor in general, is absolutely undeniable.
How mad were you about him being booted from the show? Join the conversation in the comment section below!
*Image courtesy of: Floor8