I teared up reading Tallyhead MuckMallard’s idea for how The Office could end:
I had a crazy idea for the final scene of the series: a pre-teen Cece and Philip are watching the “documentary” alongside a gleeful Uncle Michael & Auntie Holly. Michael says something to the effect of, “and that is how your dad met your mother”. There’s a knock at the door, and Holly answers, and in come a beaming Jim & Pam. They all exchange pleasantries, and Jim & Pam thank Michael & Holly for watching the kids. Michael asks, “So how was the art exhibit?” to which Jim simply says, “Beesly knocked it out of the park.” Then Jim & Pam share one of their patented wordless smiles. End credits
How do you think The Office should end?
I just think that Dundler Mifflin will shut down suddenly … which has been everybody’s fear since the pilot. The documentary will show everybody’s last day at work together.
MuckMallard’s idea is SO good, that I hope Steve Carell gets wind of it. He’ll probably make the effort to appear on the finale if it is THIS well-written!
I think the documentary itself has all the moments you could ever need for a fantastic Jam moment. Don’t forget Pam has never seen the Jim talking heads we have, Pam has never seen HOW MUCH Jim was in pain to be with her.
Them watching it together, alone makes a great finale.
Toby becomes regional manager and hates the new HR person. The final line is a talking head with him saying he understands Michael finally.
Everyone in the office gathers in the conference room for one final time. The documentary crew pops in a DVD, on the screen the opening credits roll followed by the actual Pilot of The Office.
That’s good. I think they should end it where the documentary crew finally decides to leave. They show everybody taking off their mics then end credits. Life goes on at Dunder Mifflin.
I’d rather the doc crew hadn’t been shown and that they leave Dunder Mifflin as their time has come to an end. DM will continue but I’d want the end episode to be a follow up 1 year later to see what everyone has been up to (including Michael) then leave it there. It would seem so much more realistic which is what I’m gunning for.
I really disliked how the crew was shown in the previous episode. It sounded like a great idea on paper but was terrible when filmed.
I also like Gabby’s idea of returning to the start of things. It’s almost like a full circle. I just hope that if Michael is included in the ending that he isn’t just there for the sake of bringing him back but he’s there for an actual reason. It would seem strange for him to fly back from Colorado just to say “Ok, but guys”.
My ideal ending would be the “cast” watching the documentary with the crew, and Michael making a “That what she said” joke after a documentary producer says “That was longer than I thought it would be” or something like that.
Just have to add. 9: Iara’s idea is perfect.
Out of curiosity, since you all are talking about scenarios where we’d be watching a show “post documentary”, would it be too jarring to see The Office in a non-documentary format? If we see them watching the documentary, we’d probably be seeing their narrative “cinema” style. It might be weird/too jarring if that were the case.
I love that idea AND “lara’s” idea. I’m soooo hoping Michael makes a brief appearance. Even though I know it won’t happen. Hey, a girl can dream!
I’m not sure how I want it to end. The only thing I ask – or even pray – is that it doesn’t end as some “show within a show” thing. You know. Like someone behind the camera shouting “cut, let’s try that scene again from the top of page 3” and fading out.
That was how M*A*S*H was going to end at one point.
I think they should all gather together in a church and move on as a white light fills the room.
I had always had the same thoughts as #1. Have DM be downsized, the fear that was had in the pilot episode, things coming full circle. I’m struggling to find how that’s not a “downer” of way to end though. Some people are moving on, but some of the folks in Scranton need that job.
I know Steve said he isn’t coming back, but wouldn’t a great final scene be to have the film crew filming from the conference room showing everyone leave on their last day going out into the parking lot to see Michael and Holly there waiting for them (maybe the film crew notified Michael of what happened in Scranton), only seeing the excitement everyone has to see them and only hear muffled conversation, homage to the original Office and the couple of scenes like that in the US version (Company Picnic, Goodbye Michael).
I’m sure there’s a better way, but I think that would be nice.
I had this scene pictured in my head where the closing of the episode went like this:
Hospital delivery room. We see Holly fast asleep in her bed. Beside her sits Michael, holding a sleeping newborn in one arm, and holding in his other hand a coffee mug.
He raises the mug, which says “World’s Best Dad”. Teary-eyed, he looks at the camera and says:
“That pretty much sums it up.”
I can’t picture this without rolling a tear. Every time.
As for Steve’s decision not to return, I’m still optimistic that he may just be saying that to throw us off.
It’s disappointing nonetheless, because this is the show that MADE him. He claims that Michael returning makes no sense for the character, but I’m sure the writers have dozens of scenarios that make PERFECT sense. Just look at the imaginative ways we’ve thought up!
It doesn’t have to be a huge scene, let alone the full episode. It’s just been sort of sad that ever since he left it’s been a total disappearance. Barely a mention of him, or even a footnote. I understand that the cast and crew wanted to move on, but still…
As for potentially seeing the Dunder Mifflin crew watching themselves on the finished or near-finished documentary, it doesn’t have to be cinematic or otherwise out of the documentary format. You’d just have the documentary crew film their reaction as well.
Heck, they’ve been filming everything else, why not that?
Thanks for using my post as inspiration for a new topic! :-) [from tanster: thank YOU! it was awesome!]
I think something akin to lara’s suggestion is the more plausible ending. I have to admit that the ending that I thought of was very much How I Met Your Mother-inspired.
I think the show should end sort of like the british version, with the cameras following around the old boss all day (michael scott return, anyone?) before one last office party. I think that would be a sweet way to end:)
MuckMallard, do you write Office fanfiction? Because you totally should
It should end with them watching the documentary and realizing that the treasure was inside them all along.
#16 is an awesome idea. Teared up thinking about it. Would be perfect.
And if it turns out that Steve is trying to throw us off and actually returns, I will die from happiness.
It was all a dream. No, wait, better yet, the characters in the office are all the work of a mental patient with multiple identity disorder. And when are they going to introduce the tiny talking alien that only Andy can see?
An ending with Michael would be the best. Regardless of what else happens. Michael did ask the crew to let him know if the show ever airs [from tanster: very, very true!]. So even if Steve said he would never be back. It left it open for a chance of a small return.
In the end, it will all be too sad.
I don’t think this show necessarily made him – I think 40-year-old virgin was his first major success, and was the primary reason that NBC decided to give The Office a second season. So, if anything, the show should be grateful to Steve.
I love MuckMallard’s idea, except that NBC probably would say it’s too similar to how How I Met Your Mother (over at CBS) is expected to end or whatever.
Therefore, I prefer lara’s ending. We’ve been told we will see the characters watching the documentary and that “it’s surreal”, so lara’s ending makes sense as well. Preferably transition into the ending scene (with Michael present) by zooming out to show that the entire series has been presented to the characters in their conference room television, hence the “well, that was longer than I thought it would be”…
Nate wins!
I’ve always thought of it like this. It’s Jim and Pam’s last day at Dunder Mifflin. In the last scene everyone leaves the office for the weekend and Jim and Pam are the last to exit. Jim says “hold on,” or something and rushes back, pulls a stapler in Jell-O out of his desk and he puts it in Dwight’s desk. Pam laughs and Jim jogs back and holds Pam’s hand. They laugh, turn off the lights and walk out together.
Pam and Jim continue having marriage trouble long distance. To help them, the documentary crew is revealed, comes to life and helps Jim and Pam solve their difficulties (by reminding them of the high points in their relationship using film). But in doing so, this leads to the end of the filming (because Pam leaves DM to move to Philly for Jim), so they sacrifice the documentary for the sake of preserving the relationship.
David,
Nah, they would continuing filming them watching the documentary. Think of it as extras on a documentary…So it would work perfectly fine.
I’m hoping for a Dundies finale. Maybe they could find a nice way to bring Ryan and Kelly in. And maybe Andy gets a World’s Best Boss Award and Michael presents it.
It should end with Erin finding both her true love and her biological mom.
30 – if anything Andy should get the “World’s Worst Boss” award. He’s terrible.
I LOVE #16 and #27! Probably a combo of those would be my ideal ending! All Michael wanted was companionship and to be loved… Though he found that all in Holly, it would be fitting for him to have a kid and do the exact thing described. Jim and Pam could be the A plot and Michael the B plot, maybe appearing in the final 5 minute segment only? I’d be okay with that. This plot would be heavenly!
Everyone should tweet this article to steve carell
32 -I agree with your assessment. He was much better in his original role. But the fact that NBC has stuck with him as boss for this long makes one think they would never do it.
Correction: the show runners, not NBC.
I saw the on the carpet interview from a few years back where Steve Carell said he wouldn’t come back. Was there something more recent where he said that? I think he meant he wasn’t coming back to the show full time but I think with the closing of it, the right reason, he’s back to close it out.
Ahhhh….ok……..I saw the newer interview with Carell……….however, “Oh yeah, I’m going to go back” doesn’t seem like a fun surprise. We don’t know but as fans we hope. If Diane can come back on Cheers, Steve coming back is possible. They can keep it hush and like he said in the interview he’d like to come back and say hi to everyone. Hi and maybe…..film something. Hopefully. As for how it ends….I’ll come back to that later.
Jim and Pam live in Philly, and Dwight gets the manager job from Andy. He looks around his new office lovingly until he notices his stapler on the desk encased in jello. Pull back to a profile of dunder mifflin as Dwight screams, “JIIIIIMMM!”
It should end with the reveal that the crew came to document the Office, however wanted to leave early on. MIchael convinced them to stay, by bringing up the Jim and Pam dynamic which the film crew found interesting. Michael being the man behind Threat Level Midnight, said it was the film he wanted to make his whole life but could not, and flipped the bill for the filming. They should show the documentary to the whole office over several episodes, all based on the perspective of Jim and Pam’s relationship with comedy inserted with the supporting characters. The documentary should end with the line on the screen, “A Michael Scott Film”.
Steve Carell has to let Michael come back for a visit — maybe he’s visiting his mom and pops into The Office, bringing photos of his pregnant wife, Holly. Of course Jim and Pam are thrilled as well as everyone in The Office — although they give Michael their usual snarky comments as they view the photo. Fade to black….:-) (I’d be crying buckets….)
I’ve been thinking long and hard about this (TWSS) and I feel like the ending scenes should involve everybody, not necessarily just focusing on Jim and Pam, or Michael and Holly (although I do love Nate’s idea, it made me teary.)
Two scenarios in my head:
I like the idea of it being the last day that the doc crew is there, and everyone takes off their mics as they leave for the day. The doc crew are the last ones there, the camera person is by the door and does one slow pan around the office, then turns the camera off.
Second involves the same thing with everyone taking off the mics and leaving, but then instead of turning the cameras off, the crew follows the employees down to the parking lot. There we see Dwight by his car, enraged because the inside of it is filled with jello. The camera pans to Jim and Pam smiling. (We then hear either the theme song start to play, or the peppy Dunder Mifflin jingle Darryl wrote.) Then the crew follows everyone to Poor Richards, where they are all smiling and laughing.
Jim is sitting at his desk listening to a voicemail on his phone. We see him tearing up and smiling as he keeps listening. He hangs up the phone, takes a deep breath, then yells, “Pam and I are new godparents!!” The next scene Jim and Pam are doing a talking head in the conference room. Both of them smiling and teary-eyed, Pam says, “Did you hear Jim and I are godparents now?”
I literally don’t know.
I just want to be crying when it’s done.
I’d like to see the series end with the company going under. It’s the last day of work and everyone is sad and saying goodbye. Jim and Pam prepare to move to Philly. The Documentary film crew decide to raise everyone’s spirits, that they’ll show them the documentary. The last scene is everyone gathered in the conference room, one last time, watching the pilot.
I hope Michael is involved somehow. What’s with all the people liking Jim and Pam? The way he’s acting, I hope she leaves him. That’ll teach him to miss his daughter’s recital. I don’t know, the past couple of seasons with Jim and Pam has been so annoying.
Andy was a dink to Erin the whole time, there’s no way they’ll end up together.
I hope something hilarious happens with Dwight. That’s all.
So here is what I think:
We definitely need to wrap up the documentary.
We need to know why they have been filming for 9 years.
They need to justify why we are only hearing and seeing the crew for the first time this season.
They need to have an episode that is a clip show of behind the scenes of the documentary (re-make old scenes)
They need to show everyone the documentary.
They need to have Jim do a jello prank.
They should end with everyone taking off their mikes and stuff.
They should have talking heads and voiceovers throughout the end scenes.
The final scene of the show should include something that will wrap up the whole series. They should end with the camera on the spot where everyone does their talking head. Just an empty chair…
Maybe they show everyone get out of their talking head and take off their mikes for the last time…
Then an empty chair.
Mose wakes up from a long afternoon nap in the rocking chair on the front porch of Schrute Farms as Dwight returns from work. Mose runs to Dwight, asking if the documentary crew following him around at work was like, “everything he dreamed it would be”
I was thinking a “Truman Show”-type ending could work…. (for those who haven’t seen it..) There has been one character in particular that a film crew has followed around since their birth.. only to publicly broadcast as entertainment without their knowledge. I’m thinking Dwight (or perhaps Creed).
@47 Nate M.
Yes! I’m really loving your ideas. I don’t want some spectacular crazy ending, it should be like their everyday lives within the office and them going on with life. I think it would be awesome to recreate old behind the scenes episodes and see them watching themselves.
The branch shuts down, finally. If it doesn’t end with massive layoffs then what was the point to begin with?
What I DON’T want is what they gave us with Michael’s departure. Like, all of a sudden he starts maturing, there’s this big emotional send off, “you were the best boss ever” etc. The contrast between the American and UK versions of The Office has slowly grown into one of the great illustration of what’s wrong with American TV. Everything is dragged out until it literally dies standing, then it receives the most gauchely sentimental burial imaginable. Ugh.
There is/was potential with the doc crew storyline culminating with the characters watching the doc, but the “reveal” last week was not very promising and I’m thinking the only way it would work is if the nature of the doc ended up being something TOTALLY unexpected, like a real mind screw. But I’m having a hard time thinking of anything “totally unexpected” that wouldn’t also seem ludicrous given the huge amount of time and resources that would’ve had to go into making it. I dunno, we’ll see, I guess.
They should announce that they have finished the documentary and everyone will be excited to watch it in the conference room. The documentary should end up being like a 30 second commercial with barely any of the characters in it. Everybody then looks around with a “they’ve been here for 10 years and that’s all they made?”. Then everybody yells, forces them to leave, and they get back to work.
The last scene should be a knock at Michael’s door in Colorado, him opening it, and the documentary crew handing him a tape of the documentary all finished and thanking him for the initial tip to film it.
I think it’ll be very much like the end of Friends, when they leave the keys on the worktop and then it shows the weird thing on the door on their way out. Like the empty chair for the talking heads. Or maybe a shot of the empty Office on the way out as they close the door.
It should have ended when Michael left. But, this could work here, too. Andy is gone somehow. We get a TH from one of the cast about the new boss…same as the old boss.
Int. Bullpen. Day.
Everyone working at their desks. From off camera we hear a throat clear. The camera swings around to reveal DAVID BRENT. He seems intent on getting everyone’s attention.
DAVID:
Hello, everyone…conference room…right now. (He giggles and grabs something inappropriate from his office and heads to the conference room.)
Everyone in the bullpen gives each other a knowing look, perhaps a sigh, or a glance at the camera as they slowly rise and head to the conference room.
BLACKOUT. END OF SERIES.
Ryan and Kelly come back to DM as a married couple.
They announce their latest venture, a food trunk business, selling their delicious “Kapoor Kakes”.
Ryan negotiated a deal with David Wallace to have DM provide all their paper needs in exchange for hiring all the remaining DM Scranton employees.
The last scene shows a happy Jim and Pam getting ready for an event. As Jim and Pam walk up to a house and ring the doorbell, Jim turns around and says “Sorry, no cameras allowed”. As they enter and the door closes, you hear Michael Scott yell “Glad you guys can make it, now Holly and I can get married!”
Fade to black
I think the final scene will be Jim, Pam and Dwight giving the office one last look over just like Michael did. Dwight is leaving to go work on his farm, Jim and Pam getting ready to move to Philly. While all 3 are standing there, they see Pete and Clark in Jim and Dwight’s old desks. Clark working hard at his new salesman position that he worked so hard for, and Pete pulls a prank on Clark, Pete then looks to Erin sitting at reception and smirks at her. The very last seconds show Jim, Pam and Dwight walking out the door with Pam crying, Dwight making one of his stupid remarks, Jim then looks at the camera one last time with a huge smirk on his face and his eyes red from holding back crying. Cameras turn off and we hear the theme song one last time. During the credits we see the best moments from the documentary that the film crew selected as the best moments throughout the 9 years.
#58 Scott: That is EXACTLY how I picture the ending happening…bravo! Perfection.
I think Andy will be fired and pursue his music career. This would tie loosely into the David Brent story from BBC Office and also explain Roseanne Barr’s talent agency character just introduced.
I think Jim will romantically give up on his dream of Athlead to take the Regional Manager position and save his marriage.
We all have our own vision of how the show should end. But I’m secure in knowing that the writers, who have been the first of any TV show in history to have a close linkage to their most devoted of fans (i.e. us), will end it on a great note, one of the great series finales in TV history and with great happiness. At the same time however I have to say that for me personally if they have David Brent involved in any way shape or form I will be so disappointed. Ricky Gervais was great on the original UK Office, but putting him on this show other than for those two previous silly cameos, would absolutely destroy the spirit of the US Office. There have been many UK shows that were adapted for US television (e.g. All in the Family; Three’s Company, etc…) but the two never crossed over. Each should be its own entity and linking them in any respect would be a colossal mistake … IMO.
They finally shut down the Scranton office. Michael Scott comes back (even though I don’t want him to) when he hears the news. They clean out the office and at the end of the day, all make their way down to the parking lot. Michael turns around and starts crying. Jim, Pam and Dwight are around him and comfort him. Michael says, “This was our Office”. He looks straight into the camera and says, “And we made paper”. Fade out.
Am I the only one here in denial? I don’t think it has actually hit me yet that The Office is ending..
It should end with all the characters watching the first episode. Michael and Dwight can be taking bets on whether Jim and Pam will get together.
They should make a spinoff called the Halperts, which stars Jim and Pam and their new life in Philly with an older Cece and Philip. Craig Robinson and others could guest star but mainly Darryl since he is working with Jim.
This new story line with Brian and Jim and Pam’s strugggles has rejuvenated the show (which really needed it). The last episode has to have Michael in it somehow. Once he left, there has been no mention of him at all.
I really hope they come up with some believable reason for this documentary. I mean, come on, the cost of a 10-year documentary, basically following these employees around 24-7, must be enormous. Director, sound-men, camera-men (often more than 1 shooting simultaneously). We’re talking big bucks. And who’s editing this thing? There’d be something like 20K+ hours of footage to weed through. So whoever is behind this thing has to have deep pockets, and as yet has not seen any return on his/her/their investment (since after 10 years nothing has aired yet).
I think a good ending would be six months later Pam and Jim are watching the Bio Channel in Philly.
Pam: So what’s on tongight
Jim: Some documentary about the average american workplace.
Pam: Snooze fest, what else
Jim: Come on Beesly give it a chance
The Office theme but different comes on and the first scene of the Pilot episode shows up.
A tear runs down Pam’s face as Jim gives her a kiss.
Jim’s last day at work. Last scene of the episode, Jim takes his coat from his chair and opens his desk drawer to find his cell phone in jello. Dwight grins (happy grin, not evil grin). Jim makes a Jim face. Hard cut to credits.
They all go scuba diving, because if they can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about? What are they working towards?
Combination idea: Nellie turns down Toby finally. He then reveals that he’s the scranton strangler. Jim and Pam move to Philly to pursue Athlead. On their last day, they look back and see clark and pete arguing, with erin playing along. Dwight goes to his car to find his car is filled with jello, but teary eyed hugs jim and pam. Cut shot to michael in season 4. “An office is a place where dreams come true.”
Reading through these made me start crying so hard. Numbers 58 & 71 really hit me hard though, both would be amazing endings to this incredible series. I have faith that the writers will create the perfect ending for us somehow some way.
I think that ultimately, this is a show about Jim and Pam. So the ending should reflect that. I think Athlead will fail and Jim will return full time to DM, but Jim will have a sense of contentment in knowing that at least he had the courage to take a shot at his dream job instead of taking the easier route of simply remaining at DM for his whole career. Tim’s talking head at the end of the final episode of the original series was simply brilliant and touching, and I hope they do something similar with Jim near the end of the final episode. A fitting final scene for me would simply be a shot of the characters going about their business as filming of the documentary is ending. Stanley is dozing off, Angela is annoyed with Kevin, Dwight is finally in the Regional Manager’s office for good…Jim and Pam turn to the camera, give one final wave, and the cameras shut off for good.
A lot of these are great ideas! I especially love the one about Toby being the strangler (Michael would have loved this) and Jim becoming RM. Ever since they brought back David Wallace, I’ve thought “they fire Andy, David calls Michael with an offer he can’t refuse, Michael accepts and the last scene of the last episode is him looking at the office at the end of the day, being glad to be home, and then turning off the lights. Fade to black, credits and theme.” Whether this will happen or not is doubtful and frankly, I didn’t read all of the ideas so this may have already been thrown out there, but with Steve saying he wants to say “Hi” and whatnot – well, let’s just keep out fingers crossed and hope that the writers keep spinning the gold. Soooo glad to see they got away from that “New Coke” formula!
DM is going out of business. David Wallace calls Michael and Holly to let them know the news. The crew films the cast leaving the office one last time. Michael and Holly show up late to an empty office. Michael says one last classic line and turns around grabs Holly’s hand and cuts off the light switch for the last time.
The Office is the ONLY show I watch on a regular basis! However it ends will be very sad for me … ;-(
Breakthrough! I think I just realized WHY they’re filming the documentary! Season 2. Episode 8. Performance Review. Michael reads the suggestion of employees suffering from depression. Phyllis mentions the guy named Tom from accounting who killed himself about a year ago from the episode. That’s about when the crew came in! That must be WHY they came in! Oh my goodness.
It HAS TO BE the television release of the series, shown over time. Why? I think it would be very touching if Jim and Pam- at a group viewing party- were watching film from the Booze Cruise, a tear running down Pam’s face as Michael looks at Jim and tells him “B.F.D. Engaged isn’t married. Don’t ever give up.” Jim wipes Pam’s tear and says, “Sage wisdom from Michael Scott. Who’d have known, Beasley?” Pam replies, “Honestly, I miss Michael. I realize he wasn’t exactly the most well-reasoned man, but you could always count on him. C’mon, how difficult it had to have been…managing all of these nuts!” Then, from behind the couch entering the room, Michael Scott respond, “That’s what she aaid!”
First, I don’t agree that Michael needs to come back to the office. I think in the opening of the last episode we should see a short clip of Michael and Holly at home in Colorado with their toddler son/daughter. Like how this season opened, showing short clips of the latest goings on.
I believe Dwight will become Regional Manager. Jim’s company takes off big time, Pam is doing what she loves, and they buy a house WITH A TERRACE! Just like Pam always wanted.
We see bits of the cast watching the documentary and getting on with their lives. Lastly is J and P watching it, then smiling to each other. Last clip of the show is a shot of Pam sitting on her terrace, Jim by her side or walking out and leaning down for a kiss.
#58 is perfect.
I’ve always pictured the final episode being Holly and Michael’s wedding. At this point it would be a rather long engagement, but to think it already happened is absurd because there is no way Michael would get married without inviting Jim and Pam and Dwight
I notice that a lot of you think that Michael and Holly will be in the finale…
I feel like that doesn’t make sense… Michael and Holly have pretty much nothing to do with the last two seasons.
They are out of the picture. Sure, Michael might show up, but Michael and Holly were not the center of the show. Michael lost that opportunity when he left.
The show has always had heart, no doubt, but it is still a comedy. I really hope it’s not something weepy, designed to make people cry.
I feel like Jim and Pam have to leave DM. The whole “life goes on, nothing changes” motif hasn’t applied to the American version since the VERY early seasons. I think we’ll get a few episodes where they are essentially estranged, but will obviously get back together, and that will probably tie into the documentary somehow.
Although, I would find it great if the documentary aired, and the focus was on Creed or something, with the filmmakers saying “Hey, the network made us re-cut it to focus on him.”
I agree. #58 is perfect. Wow. ::wipes away tears::
I agree with #80: #58 is perfect! That would give us a feeling of finality, but at the same time we’d know that the office will carry on. I don’t think our opinions make any difference though…I’m sure it’s all planned out already. I do think it’s weird that nobody ‘went’ to Michael’s wedding though.
I think it will be revealed that the last decade was actually filmed in purgatory. Oh, and Dwight is the Smoke Monster.
Maybe this has been said but here it goes:
Andy leaves the office for Broadway leaving the branch manager less. Jim and Pam have been having more problems with each other where they really don’t want to talk to each other.
The new manager is supposed to show up and everyone is on edge because David Wallace is keeping it a secret. We see multiple headshots of the office talking and speculating. Finally, we hear the door open and Erin get a smile on her face, showing that it’s someone the office knows. In comes Jim. Pam looks shocked. She asks about his company, and Jim says nothing is more important than his wife. Dwight runs up to him and hugs him as the office congratulates him. Fade to black.
Dwight should marry Annabella so that Jim and Pam are stuck with him for life. The final scene should be two years later. With Dwight holding a toddler with a giant forehead and beet stained teeth. Dwight invents fireproof paper containing tons of deat. Gets super rich. Just enough Jim and Pam. Barf!
Michael returns to Scranton to testify at Toby’s “Scranton Strangler” trial. His last item of business is to tell Pam she needs to go to Philly to be with Jim. She arrives in Philly to her new home with an art studio and a terrace.
Dwight buys DM and becomes RM with Angela as “Assistant to..”.
Erin goes back to Andy – the dead beat boyfriend – and Pete visits her desk often, joking around, waiting for the day when she will be his wife, etc.
And so the story continues…
Andy ends up dating the former Mrs. California.
Erin and Pete stay together.
Dwight leaves seeing no future with the company. Angela leaves the Senator and goes with him. Turns out, the previous dna test was another baby’s diaper. The baby was Dwight’s all along.
Pam and Jim stay together after watching The Office showing how they fell in love. Later, they go to Colorado for the birth of Michael J(Jimothy) Scott.
After tying up all the season nine stories and essentially ending the story of “The Office” (Jim/Pam, Erin/Pete, Dwight/Angela) with no appearance or hint of Michael Scott, this was always my vision for the last scene.
It shows Michael Scott walking through Rockefeller Plaza to the NBC Studio to pitch a sitcom that he’s spent most of his adult life planning. He’s had the meeting scheduled for years. He pitches a show about the lives of office workers at a small-town branch of a paper company with him as the lead, and is told the ridiculous idea would never work.
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David Wallace walks into the office. He announces that DM had been doing so well that he’d decided to relocate to a larger location in Philadelphia. Camera pans to the stunned reactions of everyone else. Everyone slowly realizes that many of them will be parting ways. Dwight, who owns the building, quits DM and begins his own paper company start-up in the newly vacated office. He employs Clark full time while Pete follows Erin and Andy to Philly. Pam, ecstatic that the office relocation solved all of her problems,, bumps into Jim in the parking lot. She excitedly tells him that everything worked perfectly when Jim, who is devastated, tells her that Athlead went under. They decide to stay in Scranton, and begin again with Dwight as boss. Camera zooms in on a dejected Jim, working. Pam, secretly happy that their lives had resumed, notices Jim’s sadness. She stands up and places her hand on Jim’s shoulder. In the background, the camera focuses on Dwight working in the background. Pam leans in and whispers, “Hey, you wanna play a prank on Dwight?” Camera zooms in on Jim’s expressionless face. Slowly, he smiles.
@Eric Wow that was surprisingly awesome!
It should end with the words “Athlead, this is Pam.”
Very last scene: Pam is going to pick up Jim at Athlead w/ the kids. She’s wearing old clothes w/ paint stains, coming straight from her own little studio. Just as Jim wants to leave a messenger arrives with a package. It’s from Michael. Jim opens it and inside is a jug ‘World’s Best Boss’, put in Jell-o.
Cut to a nice suburban home somewhere between Philly and Scranton. Pam and Jim are busy preparing for a housewarming party for all their co-workers at Dunder- Mifflin. Barbeques are ready; guests are arriving,carrying food and complaining how they had trouble finding the house in typical Office bickering-style. The party is nicely underway when two familiar people wander in, carrying a baby. Of course it’s Michael and Holly. Everyone cheers and is so happy to see them. Camera moves away from yard, party, house, and fades the scene while everyone is talking and having fun as the party continues. The end, except in my imagination, life in The Office goes on……
I love idea #58, however I just don’t think that it would be complete without Michael and Holly coming back one last time.
I know he won’t appear, but I would love the idea of Michael just in the series finale. The final shot should be Jim talking to him on the phone at the office, but the audience doesn’t know, and they’re talking about Jim’s new company and how the Halperts have to move to Philly. Jim will be like “Yeah, it’ll be pretty hard”, and then he’ll chuckle a little and be like “Yes, Michael, that’s what she said” in a happy voice. He’ll then hang up and Pam will walk out of the break room, lightly putting her hand on Jim’s shoulder, and like “Ready to go?” He’ll nod and get his stuff, and they’ll walk out of the office together. Dwight will stand up and salute and follow after, as it’s the end of the day. It’ll do somewhat of a time jump and show all the employees in their cars and driving away, and then do one final scan of the exterior of the building before cutting to black.
I’m hoping for a happily ever after for Oscar/The Senator
Not saying this will happen but it’s my perfect ending for The Office. For the final scene (the last little clip at the very end) we open on a house in Colorado. Cut to the documentary airing on a TV. It ends and the camera pans over to a disgruntled Michael Scott and Holly (holding a screaming baby). After a long, uncomfortable pause Michael yells, “What was that @$%&*”. Cut to black. The end.
#58 describes it best, but have Dwight make his grand exit first, and instead of Pam crying, have Jim and Pam turn and take one last look at the office, smile big at each other and share a sweet kiss before walking out to their future. I do hope we get to see Cece and Philip during the finale, and Philip must be a mischievous mini- Jim! Before the show ends, Jim simply has to show Pam her new house in Philly – with a terrace!
It is very hard to let go. I love every one of these characters, esp. Pam and Jim. They may be ‘fictional,’ but they’re family to me.
I think they all start watching the documentary and the cast enjoys immediate success. They become local celebrities. Andy is given a chance to go pursue his dreams in the theater so he leaves the office. Jim and Pam see their lives together and they stop fighting and they move to Philly with Pam’s dream house. It turns out Philip is Dwight’s baby and he and Angela move to the farm and reopen Dwight’s B&B. Pete and Clark become the new Jim and Dwight with Erin as the new Pam. If Michael Scott does not come back then it should end with Holly with baby walking to the mailbox and seeing a package from Scranton and it is the documentary for them. She looks at the camera and smiles. Hopefully Michael Scott is back so Holly could go inside to Michael sitting on a chair with their baby and she can hand him the documentary and say something like, “wow this is huge” and he can say “that’s what she said!” They laugh and pop in the tape.
I would love it if the final episode was their reaction after seeing the whole documentary. Like maybe make the episode before that them watching it and filming how they respond to it. Just so we can get that out of the way. If that makes sense.
Either way though I want Michael back. Even if it’s just a 30 second scene, Michael needs to make an appearance.
Athlead doesn’t work out, Jim heads back to Dunder mifflin full time. Last episode – Erin is sick, so Pam is sitting back at her old spot at reception. Everyone is working away when suddenly Michael comes in. All he says is “Conference room. Five minutes.” End of series.
As much as I adore that ending #105 Chuttle26: I have to say the best ending would be everyone leaving getting up from their chairs and clearing out the office, then the camera zooms in on an instant message on one of the computers saying, “Sike, we’ll see you next year!” Obviously I’m pulling at impossible straws, but it’s nice to dream.
Jim had long dreamed of being with Pam. Then ‘Casino Night’ happened. The profession of his love. The kiss. Her turning him down. And Season 2 came to a close. The show should end back in Stamford, in the late summer of 2006, with Jim sitting at his desk in front of Karen and behind Andy – everything after the end of Season 2 only a fantasy in his mind. No season 3. No merger. No season 4. No Ryan as VP. No Fun Run. No Michael driving his car into a lake. No proposal. No marriage. No season 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. No Cece. No Erin. No Gabe. No Nate. No Deangelo Vickers. No Plop. No warehouse winning the lottery. No Dinner Party. No Holly. No documentary crew after Jim left Scranton, except as one final interview with him, way back in 2006…with endless possibilities for the future…
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I think it would be fantastic if Dunder Mifflin went under, and at the same time Jim is having a rough time with Athlead with only him and Darryl being the only employees left. They both return to Scranton when they find out that DM is over and then it fades into the Athlead offices with everyone from DM in new positions at Athlead.
Hang on, I just had an interesting (maybe a little dumb) question. Is the documentary actually what we as an audience have been watching for nine years? If so, then I wonder how ‘The Office’ as seen on Oscar’s computer screen is going to be handled.
@Joe Yeah, I’m 98% positive that the documentary is exactly what we’ve been watching for the past 9 years. They could end up editing it all into a 2 hour movie on the show or something. But I doubt it. Then again. If it is the entire series, does that mean we’ll have to cut to 9 years later to see their reactions? If we even do see them. That’d be a little bit jarring I think. At least it made sense on the British series in that aspect. It was only on for 2 seasons.
I think that Threat Level Midnight should make it big and be in theaters, and all of the office workers should be invited to the viewing party. And Michael Scott should obviously be there and end it with giving them their share of the money made by the movie since they were all in it.
All story lines are complete, and as we leave the office for the last time, the camera goes up, until we see the entire world. A voice comes over – “This is one, of many, office stories. From Pakistan to Bermuda, from China to California, each office has love, hope, and laughter. This office wasn’t special, it’s merely one of many. It’s the people who make them special, and the people who find pleasure in tough positions.”
Cut to Michael Scott – tearing up, after the last episode, he turns to the camera and says “That’s what she said.”
Cue music.
They may have dropped a clue in “Couples Discount”:
When Brian told Pam and Jim about his break-up with Alyssa, he, without any supporting context, explained that “We were telling two different versions of the same story, and then it just went numb.”
Though we’ve been led to believe that Brian is the key to the finale, I’ve got my money on Alyssa (who hasn’t appeared on camera yet). She too is probably a member of one of the crew.
The Series Finale could end with the final talking heads for both Jim and Michael, switching off between the two.
Camera Crew 1: What are you going to miss most about Scranton? [To Jim]
Camera Crew 2: Is that it? [To Michael]
Jim: The connections, the environment, the experience…
Michael: Um, hmm, the office, the american workplace will never truly be over. People carry on these experiences with them for the rest of their lives…
Jim: I mean, I found my soul mate in the office…
Michael: It’s where I fell in love…
Jim: She was just a receptionist, and I was just a salesman. We were just a couple of people, selling paper…
Michael: So am I sad it’s over? No, of course not. It’s not over, because life goes on.
Jim: If you turn the cameras off, it’s not an ending. I’m still here. We’re all still here.
Michael: I think that, pretty much sums it up.
The documentary airs and all the characters reunite. Except Michael. Everybody is wondering where he is. Afterwards the main characters go back to the bar in Phildelphia where Oscar invited them for trivia night back in Season 8, and they’re all wearing their ‘DM does GB’ hats. This time the trivia night is about the documentary itself. One of the trivia questions is ‘where is Michael Scott?.’ The only team that gets it right is the Queerenstein Bears. The bearded team member stands up and removes his beard which turns out to be a fake beard. Everybody screams “Michael!” when they realize who he is. “That’s what she said” Michael replies.
The Office began in a creative way and will end in a creative way.
Wow, teared up reading this :’)