Entertainment

Sorry, But 'The Office' Revival Really Doesn't Need To Happen & Here's Why

by Sophy Ziss

'Twas a long and winding road that led fans of The Office to a place of contentment with the series. So please, if you're out there and you're in charge: Stop The Office revival from happening. Please. There's just no need for more. FYI, this comes from a deep well of love and affection for the series, so haters to the left. This is an impassioned plea from a fan who witnessed the finale with their own eyes and is baffled by the idea that there's any more to say.

The last season of The Office was divisive, but fans have to agree: It neatly wrapped up the series. They put a bow on it. It's done, and even in the Shakespearean tradition, where the comedies end with a wedding, the tragedies in death. There's nothing left to revisit, no questions left to ponder. The series finale of The Office made sure of that.

Still unsure? Here's what they managed to do in the last episode of the series (literally, last episode!): Dwight and Angela are married, and they're raising their son together. Pam and Jim are moving to Austin so Jim can pursue his dream job full-time. Michael and Holly are happy in Colorado with their kids. Nellie gets a baby. Amends are made between Dwight and Kevin. Andy has acquired a mild level of fame, and was invited to speak at his beloved alma mater, Cornell. Erin finds her birth parents. Kelly and Ryan run away together. People are kind to Toby. Dwight's in charge. What else needs to happen?

What could fans possibly stand to gain from more episodes of this show, in particular? The ending was happy and shiny and cozy, but also extremely real. It allowed the characters to offer insight into themselves, musing on time together and time passing — and in Pam's case, time spent in a self-imposed holding pattern. They reflected on the show, their lives, the release of the documentary. Jim and Dwight, the series' notorious Tom and Jerry, brokered peace between themselves. There does not need to be a revival of The Office. The Office reboot is unnecessary. There are only so many ways to say this, even as a fan who once set their outgoing voicemail message to the Dunder-Mifflin Fun Run announcement that ultimately confused their college advisor.

Sure, television appears to be in a golden era of nostalgia. Shows like Will & Grace and Roseanne are returning to their respective networks for full seasons, and a version of the '80s hit Dynasty has taken off at The CW. Just because you can revive an old fave, doesn't mean that you have to, network studios. There might be money in it for the studio in terms of advertising, and in the age of social media dominance, a new Office would essentially market itself. However, it was, and remains, a mockumentary. There was resolution. The documentary aired. The characters reacted to it. It all came full-circle. They can't even take a "Where are they now?" type of angle, because they already did that with the finale.

Also, Steve Carell exited before the end of Season 7. What would be their plan — reboot it without him? Actor John Krasinski is a full-on movie dude now, so what would the draw be for him to return, beyond confusing his character's graceful exit?

Fans finally accepted that The Office ended the way that it did. Don't tarnish it by reviving The Office after a mere five years, only to undo what Season 9 worked so hard for. Not to mention, most of the show's best behind-the-scenes folks have other commitments already. Between production companies, other television shows, book writing, book tours, other acting projects, directing, producing, etc., literally who would be left to make the show? Just trying to be realistic here.

So please, dear Reboot-Revival-Resurrected-For-A-Limited-Series Gods: Let The Office lie. Remember that Andy Bernard quote about knowing when the good ol' days were, before you leave them? The existing episodes of The Office are those good ol' days. Appreciate them for what they are, the way your fans do. And maybe text Angela and Creed once in a while; it's pretty obvious they miss you.