Steve Carell is leaving “The Office” at the end of the month after seven hilarious seasons. How will the show handle his departure? Will he ever be back? And most importantly, who is taking his place as the manger of Dunder Mifflin? Until these big questions are answered, let’s take a look back to Michael Scott's ten best moments on the office.
1. Health Care: Season 1, Episode 3
Let's be honest, season one of “The Office” wasn't the best. The show hadn't found its voice yet and was trying too hard to be its British counterpart. That said, the episode “Health Care” is fantastic. For the first time we got to see how Michael’s desire to be liked by everyone causes him to get into trouble. Corporate gives Michael the task of cutting healthcare benefits for his office. Not wanting everyone to be mad at him, Michael passes the task off to Dwight, who proceeds to make everything worse. In an attempt to get everyone back on his side, Michael promises the office a surprise. When the time comes for Michael to reveal the surprise, his hands are empty, in one of the most awkward television moments of all time. Michael attempts to improvise his way out of the situation, but ends up staring in silence at a room full of glaring employees.
2. Shareholder Meeting: Season 6, Episode 11
Dunder Mifflin's fiscal woes really became apparent in this episode when Michael is invited to the shareholders meeting as the most successful manger. When Michael begins to realize he was not invited to the meeting as an honor but in order for the board to save face, he immediately went about trying to come up with a plan to fix the problem. That is, until one of the board member calls him a moron. He calmly reminds the board that he is the best they have. The effect is heartwarming.
“I'm not a moron. Time after time, my branch leads in sales. I have personally won over 17 Dundie awards, so I am not a moron. And, I'm just trying to help, you know? So ... you're the moron.”
3. New Boss: Season 5, Episode 20
As the show has matured, Michael’s standing up for himself has emerged as a major theme. No other moment of the show was as shocking as Michael quitting Dunder Mifflin after 15 years of service. The company repeatedly treated him horribly even as it became more apparent that his was the only profitable branch. Quitting was the best thing Michael could have done, and it lead to the hilarious story arc of the Michael Scott Paper Company.
4. Safety Training: Season 3, Episode 22
The end of season three saw Michael interviewing for a job at corporate, which wanted a recommendation from Michael on who should take over for him. Of course, Michael doesn't simply give them a name. Instead, he turns a trip to the beach into a competition for who would be the best manager. Michael decided that a fire walk would be the best way to display who could do the job. After being challenged by Jim to walk through the fire first, Michael is unable to pass his own test, and Dwight decides to stand in the fire until he is made manager. Unable to stand in place, Dwight falls to the ground screaming in pain as the rest of the office tries to pull him out of the fire. Michael’s reply to Dwight's actions is priceless: “Being the boss is also about image. I've never looked like that. That was gross.”
5. Fun Run: Season 4, Episode 1
Season four brought a much-needed change to the office. Ryan was promoted to corporate, Pam and Jim were finally together and Michael ran down Meredith with his car. As hilarious as this all was, Michael’s reaction to the news that, on top of being hit by his car, Meredith also has rabies was hilarious. In an attempt to raise rabies awareness, Michael holds a race to cure rabies, despite the fact there is already a cure for rabies. To prepare for the race Michael drinks no water and loads up on carbs with fettuccine alfredo. By the end of the race Michael could barley walk, but after being “cheered” on by his employees, he was able to crawl across the finish line.
6. Business Trip: Season 5, Episode 8
Season five started off the relationship between Michael and Holly, but also ended it rather quickly. Michael Scott is a deeply loyal person, especially when it comes to Dunder Mifflin. Unfortunately, the company has never been as loyal to him. After corporate transfers Holly and ends their relationship, Michael is devastated and the corporate office wants to bribe him into feeling better with a business trip. For the first time we see Michael stand up for himself. “No, David. You listen to me. Why did you send her away? That — God. You knew I liked her and you just sent her away. And that — that was a sucky thing to do, man. That was a really sucky thing to do.”
7. The Client: Season 2, Episode 7
Most of the time Michael Scott acts like a child who messes up every task he is given. In “The Client,” Michael goes on a big sales call with Jan and immediately begins messing things up and being extremely inappropriate. As the episode continues, Michael and the client start to talk like friends. By the end of the episode they are drinking and having a great time together. Michael is able to close a deal that Jan couldn't and show the audience that there is a reason he is a great manager.
8. Gay Witch Hunt: Season 3, Episode 1
As season three opens, there is a lot of drama between Pam and Jim. Michael’s storyline in “Gay Witch Hunt” is a hilarious break for the audience. Michael inadvertently tells the whole office Oscar is homosexual. After realizing what he did, Michael spends the rest of the episode trying to make things right and, of course, makes the situation much worse. This all culminates with Michael and Oscar kissing in front of the office in what has to go done as the most horrible television kiss of all time.
9. Booze Cruise: Season 2 Episode 11
After screaming “Fire!” during the middle of a company booze cruise and causing several people to jump overboard, Michael is sent to the brig and handcuffed to the outside of the boat. Jim, after watching Pam get re-engaged, comes outside to talk to Michael. Jim confesses his feelings for Pam to Michael, and we’re given one of the most heartwarming moments in the show’s history. Michael’s response to Jim's depression was simple and naïve, but it was exactly what Jim and the audience wanted to hear: “Never, ever, ever give up.”
10. Garage Sale: Season 7, Episode 19
Could I have ended the list with anything but the proposal? We have been with Michael Scott through thick and thin, through awful relationships and even worse breakups. Holly coming back into Michal’s life was a cheer-worthy event, and seeing Michael contemplate how to ask Holly to marry him was awesome. After Pam and the rest of the crew steer him away from bad proposal ideas, he somehow manages to put one great proposal together. It was appropriate that all the members of the office were involved in the proposal, as Michael likes to remind everyone that the office is a family. Even the office itself was involved as we all took a walk down memory lane. Michael Scott may have a few episodes left, but it's hard to imagine the writers could top this moment.
Reach the reporter at tkuipers@asu.edu
