Season 8 and 9 of The Office will always be known as the post-Michael Scott era but that shouldn't take away the fact that the installments were actually quite good. Season 8 aired during the 2011-12 TV season followed with the NBC sitcom's ninth and final season which concluded in May 2013. Here's why the final two seasons deserve praise from fans.
There's no question that Michael Scott served as the central figure of the workplace comedy. Actor Steve Carell was the driving force behind The Office and the show benefited from his presence. It's easy to discredit season 8 and 9 due to Carell's absence and it's no question the series struggled following the departure of their central character. With that said, it's better to look at the final two seasons as a fresh start to The Office as it gave the opportunity to focus on more subplots surrounding the rest of the characters before the series officially wrapped up.
Had The Office ended when Michael moved to Colorado in season 7, there would have been no time to effectively tie up any loose ends to give the rest of the employees of Dunder Mifflin an appropriate sendoff. The focus would have remained on Michael with the majority of the secondary characters as an afterthought. Season 8 and 9 gave The Office an opportunity to allow Dunder Mifflin to move in different directions while also fleshing out more of the ensemble cast. It took time for the series to get back on its feet as the writing was a little wonky but season 8 and 9 featured many fantastic moments.
Many fans and critics of The Office considered season 8 the show's weakest which was understandable. Viewers were attached to Michael and his prominence in the series. Will Ferrell didn't fit The Office's comedic style with Deangelo Vickers but he thankfully disappeared before season 8. The series then introduced Robert California (James Spader) as the CEO that took over Dunder Mifflin. It was difficult to welcome Robert in the leadership when the season first aired but upon perceiving his arc upon various rewatches, he was a nice change of pace. Andy's role as manager was ill-received because he felt like a weaker version of Michael Scott. Robert, however, was odd and enigmatic as he offset many of the personalities on the series. Season 8's overall arc is much more enjoyable when separated from the immediate emotions surrounding Michael's exit and the ultimate outcome of the show is already known.
Robert's pool party was one of the best moments from season 8 as was the Florida storyline. As many of the characters traveled to Florida for a special project, it shifted the focus outside of Scranton which was another amusing change of pace. Ellie Kemper's role as Erin notably got more screentime proving the actress to be on the show's strengths. This continued in season 9 when the series realized that she was better off without Andy. The Office moved away from Andy as manager and finally gave Dwight the position he and viewers always hoped for.
Season 9 of The Office might have toyed with Jim and Pam's relationship but it took time to give each character a suitable end. The in-show documentary came to an end and the employees of Dunder Mifflin moved in various directions. Before tying up loose ends, The Office season 9 gave fans memorable moments like the work bus, Dwight's portrayal as Belsnickel, and the return of Jan Levinson. The finale of The Office was extremely satisfying as it honored all eras of the series, including Michael's reign as well as the post-Michael timeline.
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