29 comments

  1. Wow…some of those people’s comments on that page are really mean.

    I would really miss BJ as Ryan but he is a character I could live without if it came down to it.

  2. Cool, I’m a tipster! :) It will be sad to see BJ go but I’m ready for Pam coming back (if that’s what Ausiello is hinting at)! :)

  3. Thank goodness Ausiello is so bad at hinting at spoilers. I think I can safely say Pam is returning to Scranton.

  4. If I had to, I could maybe live without Ryan the character. However, I really hope BJ stays on in a writer capacity. Keeping as many “original” Office voices as possible would be great, not to mention his episodes are some of my favorites.

  5. I find this a little odd since all the actors seem to be so loyal to the show. I mean, you can’t deny that working with Tarantino is an amazing opportunity, but I’m sure the other actors on the show have had to pass up some major roles because of shooting schedules. Whatever the case is, I hope B.J. stays on in some sort of capacity.

  7. PAMJIM (#5) – I agree with you. I miss the nonchalant, aloof Ryan of Seasons 1-3. He was funny in that he didn’t care, and was only defined as the object of Kelly’s and Michael’s affections.

    Sticious (#7) – It’s not like B.J. has really even been present on the screen this Season anyway. I saw less of Ryan than of Holly, and she was a guest star.

  8. Wow -some of those comments at ew.com were harsh. I think Ryan not being on the show for awhile would be a healthy change for the show. He’s been in the background for most of this season anyway. B.J. is an amazing writer. I’m hoping he’ll be doing more episodes in the future.
    Pam’s dynamic is greatly missed. It’s not just about JAM being together. Remember, most of the pranks that Jim played on Dwight, or even on Andy and Michael, were done with help from Pam. So, I’m excited to see her come back to reception.

  9. The first thing I thought was that if BJ is gone they’ll have to remake the opening credits–that could be amazing (I’ve secretly been watching for updated credits ever since Season 3 started).

  10. I won’t really miss Ryan as a character. B.J., however is an amazing writer, and will be EXTREMELY missed by me if he leaves The Office for good. Let’s not forget that he was the one to introduce That’s What She Said to The Office.

  12. POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD:
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    #9 Dinkin Flicka – B.J. Novak came to Ohio University last weekend, and at the end of his show, he had a Q&A. One person asked about what was going to happen with Ryan and Kelly and his response was along the lines of “Watch the next two episodes for Ryan and Kelly developments.” So that would mean “Business Trip” and “Frame Toby.”

  13. Steve/#4- I’m with you on that the whole way. I don’t care if it’s an unpopular opinion, JAM is fairly boring.

    I’ve been dreading this news, as Ryan is my favorite character. If he leaves the show, my desire to watch will be even more reduced then it is already. Not only has Ryan been shoved to the side, but the quality of the episodes (aside from last week’s amazing show) has been sub-par since the beginning of S4.

    Please don’t leave the show B.J.

  14. I was wondering if you’d have this article up, Tanster; can’t say that I find B.J.’s possible departure terribly surprising, but I will be sad if does stop writing for the show completely. His episodes are always so well-balanced and advance the plot without being beating the storyline to death. The show will keep truckin’ along though, even if this should have been the last season, in my unimportant opinion.

  15. The scheduling of Inglorious Bastards was done months ago! I think if he were to go away for good, they wouldn’t spend the time redeeming him from last season and teasing us with more Ryan/Kelly stuff.

  16. BJ’s writing talents will be severely missed. He’s written some of the best episodes ever.

    Now I’m going to go to my little corner and cry.

  17. No! Please don’t take away Ryan! I think the character is getting a bit stale, but I still think he’s too awesome to just have once-a-season appearances like Roy. Let’s hope they keep him around for a Kelly/Ryan thing…Darryl will be around anyway for the warehouse.

    Oh wait…remember how there was once a spoiler for how there would be two weddings this season? What if it’s these guys? And Angela and Dwight (because we all know they will end up together)? I don’t think jam is getting married this season, so there’s still hope!

  18. I’m not surprised to hear that Ryan isn’t going to be around much longer. However, without BJ, the show will definitely be lacking a huge asset. I love his episodes, and he is one of the friendliest and funniest with the fans. I hope he sticks around.

  19. This makes me sad if he does leave for good. I can understand missing a few episodes. Oscar did that while he was filming his sitcom for Comedy Central.

    I don’t feel like the writers gave his ‘jail’ story line any life. It seems like there was a treasure trove of good material there (Kelly strutting through the jail to visit him, etc, etc).

    It also seems like none of the characters (from what we’ve been shown) have ever addressed his downfall. He’s barely been visible this season and I kept thinking that his time was coming. I guess maybe it is but I can’t see him leaving for good.

  20. Ryan’s my favorite too, so I’m pretty sad about B.J. possibly leaving. IMO the Ryan/Michael and Ryan/Kelly dynamics are some of the best/funniest on the show. I’ve had a bad feeling that this might happen all season as the character’s been so underused. I love this show for the ensemble dynamic we saw in the first three seasons and Ryan’s an integral part of that.

    From talking to the other Office fans I know, I think the Ryan character is more popular than people realize. It’s just that those fans are not as vocal as those of some of the other characters/pairings.

  21. Jay, I agree with you. It wasn’t until this news, that I realized there were others besides me that liked Ryan.

    I think the humor of Ryan stems from the way others interact with him, and the way he tries to not be a part of anything. Well, at least that is how it was in Seasons 1-3. The Season 4 story arc for Ryan really damaged his character. He was better as the guy who just didn’t want to be there, or be involved with his coworkers.

    Michael’s mancrush on Ryan is one of the best bits on the show. Hands down.

  22. Am I the only one that maybe doesn’t totally believe the rumor that he’ll be gone for good? It just says he asked for a leave of absence, which is understandable, since shooting of the Tarantino flick is in Germany. I don’t think he’d ever truly leave The Office in all capacities though. We may not see Ryan for a while, but I think it’s possible for the character to come back. But I think BJ will be writing for The Office for as long as it’s on the air. I can’t honestly believe he would desert the show that gave him his big break. Plus, he’s in the opening credits! They can’t just take him out! It’s been 5 years and they’ve never changed them…I choose to be in denial.

  23. I saw this coming. Ryan was fired from corporate, so what Michael did by hiring him … it ain’t going to fly once David Wallace finds out. I have a feeling that Wallace will finally call the office and realize who is at reception, and fire Ryan again. Or if Toby comes back, he won’t stand for it. And as for Pam, (hoping beyond all hopes), she will return, but be doing graphic design or something like that, for corporate. Someone will need to fill her place.

  24. I always liked Ryan too. Well, pre-season 4 Ryan anyway. For a main character, Ryan was always under-utilized.

    For a great Ryan/Kelly bit, watch the deleted scenes of Benni-Hana Christmas about their presents to each other.

  25. BJ as a writer and Ryan as a character are SUCH amazing assets to the show, I really hope he isn’t leaving for good because I would be very sad to lose him. For the record, Ryan is my absolute favorite character and right now he’s a little underused. Where can I sign the petition for More Ryan? Heh.

  26. The character of Ryan was great in season 2, but then he changed so much that I can sort of understand why he wouldn’t be needed any more. However, I can’t imagine BJ Novak leaving. He’s such an integral part of the show and wrote some of my favorite episodes. I hope he doesn’t leave permanently.

  27. We cannot lose Ryan Bailey Howard! He’s part of the original cast, and an integral part of the show. Plus, he’s in the opening credits and on the DVD covers! But seriously though, Ryan’s character has had the most growth throughout the show; he’s evolved so much and I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him!!

  28. Usually when an actor leaves a show and must be written out, the results are pretty unrealistic and the show ends up suffering. But The Office is (almost) unique in the fact that writing a character off is very easy and believable–in fact, it’s highly unlikely that a normal office would last 5 years without any significant staff changes. Besides, Ryan’s character has been milked for all it’s worth and B.J. Novak is destined for bigger things. I’m fine with this. In fact, I kinda hope it’s true.

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