It's not an exaggeration to say that The Office was not the same after Steve Carell left. Whenever I rewatch the series, I'm always aware of that fact as I get to the later seasons. As sad as it is when Michael Scott departs Dunder Mifflin Scranton, I do admit that I love his final season. So many bits about the character are wrapped up perfectly, allowing for him to make his not-so-grand departure from the office in a satisfying way. Well, it turns out, Michaels' quiet exit the Scranton office was Steve Carell's idea!
While speaking with Amy Poehler on this week's episode of her podcast, Good Hang, Carell talked about wanting there to be a sense of growth for his character, who -- as he reminds us -- starts out very clearly wanting to be loved by the people around him. He's not really that guy at the end of his run on the series, as Carell reveals what he told EP/showrunner Greg Daniels in the year leading up to his final episode:
