The Office’s 2 Highest-Rated Episodes Perfectly Explain Why The Show Was Never The Same After Michael Left

Although The Office continued for an impressive period without its leading man, the sitcom’s top two episodes are the biggest piece of evidence possible that can be used to prove that Steve Carell’s exit as Michael Scott irreparably damaged the show. Although The Office easily makes the list of shows with the best ensemble TV casts of all time, there’s no denying the unique quality that Carell offered. The workplace mockumentary sitcom attempted to weather the storm of the actor’s decision to leave, but it was never quite the same.

Many of The Office‘s funniest episodes centered around Michael Scott and his chaotic exploits, but Carell’s character was also responsible for some of the show’s most emotional moments. His presence brought out the best in the other members of The Office cast, and he shared a hilarious dynamic with almost every other main and secondary character. For a long time, Michael’s final episode was the show’s biggest milestone – but another installment eventually took that title.

The Only Office Episode To Beat “Goodbye, Michael” Is The Return Of Steve Carell

Michael’s comeback in The Office’s finale helped it earn the number one spot

The Office season 7, episode 22, “Goodbye, Michael,” was Steve Carell’s final appearance as a member of the main cast. Starting with the three season 7 episodes that followed “Goodbye, Michael,” the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin went through a revolving door of successors to Michael’s former role. However, no actor – new or old – could stop The Office‘s steady decline. Now, 11 years after the show ended, IMDb’s episode rankings reveal the only episode to beat Michael’s exit is when he came back for The Office season 9, episode 23, “Finale.”

Michael is barely in “Finale,” which was a respectful move by the writers, as the remaining cast had carried the show in Carell’s absence for over two seasons. As such, focusing too much on Michael’s comeback would have been unfair to the other actors. That being said, it would have been a huge disappointment if Carell’s character hadn’t shown up. The episode snagging the top spot in IMDb’s ranking is a huge signifier of how relieved fans will have been to see Michael again, and it’s perhaps unlikely to boast such a title if he hadn’t returned.

The Office’s Top 2 Episodes Prove How Irreplaceable Steve Carell Was

Michael Scott was a one-of-a-kind character

The Office passed the 200 hundred episode mark, so there’s no shortage of eligible entries when it comes to naming the sitcom’s best efforts. While it’s completely understandable why the finale takes the top spot – if not also a little predictable – Michael’s departure in second place is arguably a little more surprising. On the other hand, “Goodbye, Michael” also has a finale-esque atmosphere. The emotions associated with both episodes have helped massively in their immortalization, and it’s no coincidence that they also include vital milestones pertaining to Steven Carell’s time on The Office.