The Time Michael Scott Might Have Taught Me How To Fly

"They say on your deathbed you never wish you spent more time at the office. But I will. Got to be better than a deathbed." ~Michael Scott

“The Office” isn’t certainly the type of show that lends itself to poignant self-analysis or insightful evaluations of life paths. Shows that center on office pranks and bathroom humor just don’t really tend in that direction as a rule.

Yet this show was always so relatable to me that it became very personal over it’s seven seasons. Every Thursday, I would see reflections of my relationships and some of my predicaments, both inside and outside of work – to the point where, at one point in my life, it became a bit eerie.

So saying goodbye to Michael Scott in his series finale took on some measure of greater meaning for me. We have learned to take Steve Carell so much for granted that, at times, it takes an episode like this one to remind us of just what a gifted actor he truly is. He’s as capable of showing vulnerability as he is to deliver straight-faced lines; he can demonstrate unexpected self-awareness in the same breath as he delivers a well-crafted bit of physical humor; he can tug at your heart strings just as he tosses out a cringe-inducing scatalogical joke. In his last episode of “The Office,” his very best was on display, as he balanced on a tight rope between hilarity and emotion.

James Poniewozik of Time opined that “The Office” to this point has really been a character study on the evolution of Michael Scott, which is a great point. Poniewozik expounded in the following way:

Although the show didn't harp on it, the show was really about Michael's search for family: even more than he wanted to be a comedian or a movie director, Michael wanted to be a husband and a dad, but he had to go a long way to be ready for it.
And for a long time, the Scranton branch was the practice family that helped him learn—at the end of which, he was ready to walk down the hall of that airport terminal and, finally, fly.

Just as we were in tears (not me, man, but I’m just sayin’, a lot of people were) at the prospect of Michael Scott’s final walk toward a plane that would take him into a future that doesn’t involve Pam, Dwight, Jim or any of us, he takes off the mic and dead-pans to the crew, “Hey, will you guys let me know if this ever airs?” Again, it was that type of delicate balance and interplay of emotions that offered up the most appropriate farewell to one of the most memorable characters in comedic history.

Poniewozik also wrote that, for seven years, we were treated to Michael Scott’s “story of personal growth” (that’s what she said). And as his departure forces me to look back, I’m realizing that, all along, maybe it was mine as well.