Time to say goodbye (for now)

Series Litigation Value: various harassment, discrimination, and bizarre workers’ compensation matters = astronomical; future employment matters due to Dwight taking over as Regional Manager = enough to keep Dunder Mifflin’s attorneys busy for many years to come; seeing the older, hopefully wiser, family man version of Michael in the final episode = priceless.

After years of breaking down Dunder Mifflin’s employment law issues, your loyal bloggers will each (in turn) bid a final goodbye to the series with a farewell post. But don’t get too teary–we’re only saying goodbye for now until our new EntertainHR blog begins in June. For my final farewell to The Office, I can’t help but look back on my favorite Dunder Mifflin moments and all that I will miss about this hilarious series.

1. The Infamous Kiss–What happens when Steve Carrell goes off script? Chaos (and smooches) ensue. That was exactly the case when Michael decided to demonstrate how tolerant he is by kissing Oscar in front of the entire office. A little clue that this was unscripted–check out the alarmed faces of the other cast members in the background trying desperately not to break character.

2. Deflated–One of the many things I will miss about the series is the chemistry between Dwight and Jim. Of the many pranks, I always laugh when Jim pops the new exercise ball Dwight has purchased to replace his desk chair. Yet another unscripted moment. Word has it that, in the other takes, the ball deflated much slower but Jim just happened to hit a seam in the take that made it in the episode. A little clue–you can see John Krasinski leaping out of the shot in surprise.

3. Everyone’s Favorite Cult Leader–Whether he is forgetting his long-time coworkers’ names, hinting at his former stint as a cult leader, or talking Michael into laying off someone else, Creed always entertains. He may not generally get as much air time as some other characters, but he certainly knows how to leave his mark. Let’s just hope that Creed does a better job with his quality control duties in the future. I don’t know that Dunder Mifflin could withstand another pornographic cartoon character watermark fiasco.

4. World’s Best Mom–My other favorite underrated character has got to be Meredith.  Whether she’s struggling with an angry bat, licking hand sanitizer for a buzz, shaving her head, or teaching her son the fine art of exotic dancing, Meredith is simply unforgettable as are her frighteningly poor driving skills.

5. Last But Not Least–PB&J. This last season full of marital strife made me long for the simpler times when Jim and Pam were partners in crime rather than by law. Although you all know we don’t encourage office romances on this blog, you have to love the earlier episodes when Jim and Pam were pranking Dwight while trying to navigate their awkward friendship. My favorite moment? The duo sending Dwight to the roof to await a CIA helicopter before instructing him to abort mission and destroy his phone.

Many thanks to all of you wonderful readers for making this blog such a joy to maintain. Feel free to tell us about your favorite Office moments in the comments below, and we hope to see you on our new blog beginning this summer.

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  Kristin Starnes Gray, FordHarrison
  Kristin Gray represents management in labor and employment matters in the courts, in arbitration, and before government agencies, including the EEOC, the U.S. Department of Labor, the South Carolina Department of Labor, the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, and other agencies at the federal, state and local level. She concentrates her practice on representing management in matters related to employment issues including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, and state law. Kristin also assists management with issues related to HIPAA compliance, employment policies, handbooks, the FMLA, contracts, separation agreements, wage and hour, and other workplace matters. Find her on LinkedIn here.