NBC: Season 7 will be Michael Scott's Last.

[MadBadger]

NBC confirms that Steve Carell is leaving the Office after the end of next season when his contract expires. The show is expected to go on without him.

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/07/26/nbc-confirms-that-steve-carell-is-leaving-the-office-after-this-season/58236

Show went downhill last season. I think they should just end if after this year.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. There's no reason to continue the show after he leaves.

It would be like how they tried to continue Scrubs after Zack Braff left--why? It will just wither and die, as much as I love some of the supporting cast.

[Yavin4]

3. "It would be like how they tried to continue Scrubs after Zack Braff left--why?"

More re-run inventory = more profits for the show's creator.

[ThomasQED]

9. I disagree!

On both shows. I expected not to like Braffless Scrubs but the new characters are pretty good.

The Office has enough quirky characters and storylines to survive Michael Scott's absence.

In both cases, it will depend on how good the writing is.

[Sebastian Doyle]

10. Was that a steaming pile of shit or what?

Scrubs with NONE of the main characters? (except Dr. Cox maybe was around for the whole thing) even the fucking janitor left. (Because he had a new show with Patricia Hatemonger)

[cbdo2007]

2. He carries the whole show so without him it's just like a normal shitty office.

[Yavin4]

4. I've Always Wondered How He Was Able to Maintain His Schedule

He makes about two or three films a year, and he does a full season of the office. He has two movies currently out, and another one that came out earlier this year.

The man must be exhausted.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

5. I doubt it's that taxing

A feature movie takes about 30-45 days to shoot, and the TV production schedule only takes up about 5 months out of the year or so. So, even with two movies and the show, he probably still gets at least 3 months a year off.

I'd gladly trade places with him. He can get my 10 days off per year.

[Yavin4]

6. Actually, He Did Three Movies This Year

So far.

[cbdo2007]

7. And it's not like he's off making Avatar - did any of you see Date Night? They probably could have

filmed that in a long drunken weekend. It was horrible.

[Common Sense Party]

8. They should have ended it when Pam & Jim tied the knot.

Now without Michael, there is no point in continuing.

I could see Dwight Shrute getting a spinoff show that would last perhaps half a season.

[fujiyama]

11. Yeah, that or the baby would have been a pretty good series finale

It feels like they're dragging it out. They've lost ideas. It's still a funny show, but God they're no where near as great as the first 2-3 seasons.

Michael Scott's character IS the heart of the show. They'll drag it on another season or two after him, maybe even bring him back for a cameo...but I don't really it going very far.

[Common Sense Party]

12. That they still manage to get some laughs every show is a testament

to the good writers they have.

But writers can't make up for the loss of, as you correctly say, the 'heart of the show.' I thought Seasons 2-4 were the funniest. It's been slipping a bit year after year since then. They need to pack it in before it slides completely downhill.

[chrisa]

13. Stick a fork in it, Finally.

It hasn't been funny since they changed the formula a couple of years ago. Having Jim and Pam actually getting married should have been the last, or one of the last episodes.