On May 16, 2013, fans across the world huddled around their television sets to witness the season finale of the notorious show, The Office. The ninth season was declared the “Farewell Season,” and was definitely a bittersweet year of outrageous episodes and heartfelt moments between characters.
The Office is a satirical sitcom that originated in the United Kingdom and was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant in 2001. After recording one season in the UK without much success, the sitcom was brought to the U.S. in 2005 and Steve Carrel was declared the lead actor. The Office showcases the day-to-day lives of office employees as they battle outrageous situations, demands, and unconceivable events at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This show has received numerous award nominations, including four Emmy awards.
The Office has been a consistently entertaining show, standing as my favorite television show for nearly seven years. After the seventh season, the show hit a slight hiccup after Steve Carrel decided not to resign his seven-season contract, opting to end the infamous character role of Michael Scott (Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin). However, the show quickly adjusted itself, taking an unexpected turn as they brought in various well-known comedians, such as Will Ferrell, to interview for the now vacant manager position. Although they ended up promoting from within, Office fans remained consistent following the cast for two more seasons.
The final season focused a great deal on Jim and Pam’s relationship and the battles they were faced with as Jim began a new career in Philadelphia. Through years of friendship, and hit or miss romantic feelings, Office fans were ecstatic when Jim and Pam finally became an item. Now married with two children, Jim and Pam struggle as they seek to find a proper balance between family and Jim’s desire to fulfill a career as a sports marketing agent. Jim and Pam ultimately became the ideal sitcom couple and viewers understood that he had more potential than simply remaining a paper salesman. However, his desire to devote his time in both Scranton and Philadelphia led his marriage to a rocky point eventually leading them to marriage counseling. How devastating. I can remember sitting in front of my TV crying as Jim said, “If she doesn’t want to move to Philadelphia…we are going to have way bigger issues.” Not only was I crushed, but I was also hoping that this show would not end on a bad note. However, I am happy to say that they definitely succeeded any of my wildest expectations for the final episodes of this show.
Towards the ending episodes, the writers found a way to draft a script that ultimately led the characters to believe that the recordings over the past few years would ultimately be turned into a documentary of their day-to-day lives. It was amusing witnessing the characters freak out when they discovered almost all of their personal information had been filmed over the years and coming to accept that the entire world would witness their deepest secrets. I loved the irony in leading the characters to believe that their lives would become a show, when their lives were already a show within this very sitcom. It was a very creative way to end the show and I can personally say that I will forever miss The Office.