In potentially ominous news for the post-Steve Carell era of The Office, last night’s episode saw a double-digit decline in ratings, dropping 17 percent from last week’s farewell to Michael Scott. Of course, “Goodbye, Michael” was obviously a strong performer, an event that likely brought back even former fans who had tuned out however many seasons ago, and Thursday’s departure for Will Ferrell’s character was far more low-key (and also, not that great), so comparing the two is slightly unfair. Still, it’s a possible sign that The Office could have a real hurdle to overcome in retaining its audience next season, let alone bringing back those who treated Steve Carell’s exit as the series finale. But maybe that’s nothing a little Jim Carrey, Ray Romano, James Spader, Ricky Gervais, and Will Arnett can’t fix?
Join the discussion...