The Office Reboot: Breaking Michael Scott's Perfect Ending

The Possibility of a Reboot

The possibility of The Office reboot increased when Peacock launched in 2019, with plans to bring back the mockumentary sitcom thrown out there to appeal to potential subscribers.

Steve Carell and Jenna Fischer in Michael's last Office episode

At that point, only six years had passed since The Office ended, but the series found record-breaking viewership through streaming. Though several prominent cast members have expressed interest in reprising their roles for a continuation project, showrunner Greg Daniels shared doubt about a real reboot happening following Peacock's initial tease.

However, the showrunner later hinted at a potential reboot of The Office, leaving fans hopeful for the return of this beloved sitcom. A return would be the latest major sitcom to get the modern reboot treatment, following in the footsteps of shows like The Conners, Night Court, and Frasier.

The Perfect Sendoff of Michael Scott

Michael Scott served as Dunder Mifflin Scranton's vapid yet successful Regional Manager for seven seasons on The Office. After years of failed relationships and attempts to have a family of his own, he found the love of his life in Holly Flax. Following his proposal, the pair left Scranton to move to Colorado, and, in turn, Carell left The Office after serving as a central character since 2005.

Jim and Pam in The Office season 9

Michael's departure was sad, but it turned out to be a perfect sendoff, allowing the character to finally receive what he had always wanted while allowing his co-workers to share how much they mean to him and the workplace.

Despite giving Michael Scott the ideal sendoff, it would be extremely tough for a direct reboot of The Office to ever work without having Steve Carell involved in some capacity. Michael's absence was heavily felt in the show's final two seasons, as was the void left by Carell's leadership.

The Impact of Michael's Absence

If any kind of reboot featuring The Office's original cast decides to leave Carell's Michael Scott behind, it would essentially be a continuation of The Office seasons 8 and 9, which are widely viewed as the two weakest installments. Michael's absence was heavily felt in the show's final two seasons, as was the void left by Carell's leadership.

A reboot of The Office is only appealing if it's a project replicating what the show was like at its peak. Bringing back Michael is the only way to live up to those very high expectations. Having Carell return wouldn't have to undo Michael's previous ending completely. He could be visiting Scranton for the short term to reunite with some of his old co-workers and friends, or maybe he decides to move back to Scranton with his family at the same time other characters come back to town.