Is The Office’s Weepy Good-bye for Michael Scott or Steve Carell?

Ed here: As a big fan of The Office (I've come to enjoy it more than the original UK version even if it's nowhere near as daring), I've been fearing for weeks that the goodbye episode would resort to treacle on high. The trailer with Jim all gushy and mushy certainly makes you cringe but today on the New York magazine blog there's a very nice tribute to what Steve Carrell has done with the character over the eight years he's been there. (I'll watch tonight but I won't be surprised if this turns out to be as bad as the Seinfeld sign-off.)

New York Magazine:

Is The Office’s Weepy Good-bye for Michael Scott or Steve Carell? by Willa Paskin

Photo: Chris Haston/NBC

Here is a truncated list of inappropriate things that Michael Scott has done to his staff this season on The Office:

• egged Toby’s house; publicly given him an award for being despicable; yelled at him “You bitch! You can’t help people. You couldn’t help your marriage"; other daily tortures
• been so overcome by jealousy that he interrupted Andy’s performance in Sweeney Todd with boos, and other petulant behaviors
• lied to Dwight about recommending him for a job
• crashed Jim and Pam’s child’s baptism; called their child a “b-i-t-c-h”
• humiliatingly force-fed Kevin broccoli
• had a temper tantrum at Gabe’s apartment because he felt his authority was being threatened; his poor behavior included being rude to Gabe, throwing pizza dough, destroying everyone else’s ability to watch Glee
• regularly disparaged Phyllis about her age, even though they went to high school together
• tried to keep Darryl from getting his due credit for an idea

So why are all of these people serenading him on the occasion of his departure?

for the rest go here:
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/04/is_the_office_saying_good_bye.html