Thursday night,The Officesays goodbye with a one-hour retrospective (NBC, 8 p.m.
ET), followed by the one-hour series finale.
We hadnt read it.
Credit: Chris Haston/NBC
We were all reading the words and what was going to happen in that moment, he says.
Id heard a rumor about Kevin, and based on what the rumor was, I wasnt happy.
But then when I read it and saw how things worked, I was very happy.
Here, Baumgartner looks back on 10 episodes that helped define the show and remain personal and fan favorites.
Its just too mean.
That Michael Scott is just so awful.
And yet, I look at the demographics, and clearly that demographic is watchingCSI.
The show is unapologetically not nice.
To me, thats what distinguishes it fromModern Family, which was obviously born out ofThe Office.
Ultimately, that is a nice show.
It makes you feel good.The Officecomedy is much more subversive, dark, and challenging in a way.
Christmas Party, Season 2:It was our first show over 10 million viewers.
Even Diversity Day, you could argue was an ensemble show, but that episode was truly an ensemble.
Everybody had something to do.
It was like, Okay, this is really happening.
But we were only picked up for six episodes in season 2.
So then we came back, and then suddenlyMy Name is Earlhelped us out.
And then we built higher that than.
So we were tromping along with NBC saying, Okay, you could do four more episodes.
it’s possible for you to do three more.
you could do four more.
Secret Santa, Season 6:Michaels so determined to be Santa, and Kevin sits in his lap.
That probably is the single moment of the show that the entire ensemble had the hardest time not laughing.
I dont think they had enough footage that they could air a version without people laughing.
Mindy Kaling and John Krasinski talk about it all the time they were just gone.
Thats a really memorable one for me.
We ended us doing it time and time again.
So it was the finale of one year and leading into the first episode of the next year.
Like at a certain point, it has to be called out.
Speaking of breaking, I feel like thats the only time for me its on air.
There was something so ridiculous and so funny, and she was so earnest doing it.
(Watch the scene below with Hulu Plus.)
My skin had just absorbed all of this chili.
It was so disgusting and horrifying.
But at the time, it was fun.
I was like, Yeah, let me slip around!
Let my plant my hand right in the middle of this stuff!
He was backing up, and he tripped and fell.
And that was in the final cut.
Just the chaos that created thats unique to our show.
Because its handheld and documentary-style, it worked.
We rehearsed that for a couple of days.
Its one continuous shot.
We were running from this place to that place while the camera was here resetting.
He comes in, and the camera jerks in this perfect way and zooms in.
The camera is surprised like were surprised watching it.
Its just beautiful to me.
(Watch the scene below with Hulu Plus.)
I think because we had gone through it with him, it made the series finale easier.
And this was a collective we-are-all-saying-goodbye-to-him.
I would say the greatest ensemble-building thing that ever happened off-set was Steve alone winning the Golden Globe.
We were all at the Beverly Hilton, but we werent in the room because we werent nominated.
We were peons from this other little show on NBC.
We were on a rooftop of a parking garage where they had set up a tent.
Theres a great picture that was taken of all of us in this booth with him.
When he said goodbye, it was the first piece that went away from the old gang.
But maybe it didnt make it on air.
Originally, the band was called Jokers & Tokers, and it was a Steve Miller tribute band.
Something happened, and they couldnt end up making a deal.
Then the band became Scrantonicity….
It was really difficult for me because I dont play the drums.
Im not a musician, and Im surrounded in my cast by a ton of amazing musicians.
I dont know what the hell you guys are saying.
And then a week passed, and Im like, What are you doing?
Youre not gonna learn how to play drums any better than you know now.
So forget about it.
Read more:
Office Finale: On-Set Photos!
Office in Scranton: Party Pics!
