The Office star Jenna Fischer has defended the sitcom against criticisms that the quality went downhill after Steve Carrell's exit in 2011, saying that some of her favorite episodes were in the final two seasons.
"I think there was this lore, especially among the cast and the creatives, that maybe we hit our peak in season 3 or season 4," Fischer told the Fly on the Wall podcast. "And also this belief that the two seasons after Steve left, we were just treading water and maybe they weren’t as good. But when I watched everything, some of my favorite episodes were in seasons 8 and 9 after Steve had left. There were still these amazing storylines."
Fischer played Dunder Mifflin receptionist Pam Beesly for all nine seasons of The Office, from 2005 to 2013. Carrell, who played regional manager Michael Scott, left the show after season 7 when his character gets engaged and moves to Colorado.
Although it's been 12 years since the series ended, it's not quite the end of The Office yet. A spin-off is set to air later this year, titled The Paper, which sees the same documentary crew follow the volunteer staff of a historic Midwestern newspaper in decline. The show will star Domnhall Gleeson, Tim Key, Tracy Letts, The White Lotus season 2's Sabrina Impacciatore, and returning The Office cast member Oscar Nuñez.
The Paper premieres on Peacock this September. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other best new TV shows to add to your watchlist in 2025.
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