Scranton, Pennsylvania and the offices of Dunder-Mifflin are about to get a lot less cool. EW has word that James Spader, who has been playing the perplexing and intimidating Robert California, will be leaving The Office after becoming a series regular for just one season. Spader himself decided to leave the show, and I can’t say that I blame him. This season has been wholly unremarkable despite Spader’s best efforts and mostly entertaining appearances, but the NBC comedy series just doesn’t have the heart or comedy that Steve Carell brought every week. Of course, even in the later seasons with Carell still on board, the show was beginning to lose its flare. More after the jump.
Executive producer Paul Lieberstein, or Toby as fans will know him, says, “James came to The Office to play a role that was two scenes long in the season 7 finale. He instantly brought so much life and intrigue to the part that those two scenes became a season. James always wanted this to be a one year arc, and he now leaves us having created one of the most enigmatic and dynamic characters in television. He’s been a great friend to me and the show, helping us successfully transition into the post-Michael Scott years, and I’m grateful for that. I’m already looking for ways to work with him again.”
Honestly, it’s about time for The Office to go out of business. If House M.D. knows it’s time to call it quits after losing an integral series regular in Lisa Edelstein and only one season without her, maybe the writers and NBC need to start thinking about closing down Dunder-Mifflin. After all, the series seems to be suffering the same pains as the paper industry with other comedies like Parks & Recreation, Community and Modern Family seemingly bringing the laughs much harder and better.
New IRON MAN 3 Toys Show Off Iron Man, Iron Patriot, War Machine and Interchangeable Armor
THIS IS 40 Bloopers Show Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Megan Fox and More Cracking Up
13 Images from CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2 Reveal Food-imals Such as the Hippotatomus, Bananostrich and Fruit Cockatiel
First Trailer and Poster for RED 2 Starring Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich
16 New Images from A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD Featuring Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney and Yuliya Snigir
Thank. God. He ruined every episode he was part of with his awkward and jerky behavior.
Man, that sucks. James Spader is the best part of the show right now. Not sure if I’ll keep watching next season. They need to just kill the show already.
He wasn’t any good.. though he was very funny in the episode where he didn’t want his wife working at Dunder Mifflin (or did he?).
I’m not as enamored with him as Ethan seems to be, but I agree with nope – the wife episode was pretty damn funny. The Office has actually had a few good parts to it, the last ep. was thoroughly enjoyable with Jim trying to fend off a husband chaser, and Dwight up to his usual antics again. I just wish they’d go back to the good old days when it was Jim & Pam having fun with Dwight, and side characters participating in plot development now and again. Writing Jim & Pam nearly out of the show is what has killed it, not Michael Scott leaving (who honestly was always the weakest central character of the show).
The weakest central character? I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you on that. Michael Scott made The Office the hit show that it was. Sure, Jim, Pam, and Dwight were great characters, but without Michael, the show wouldn’t have had nearly the level of appeal that it had. I would flip flop your comment and say he was THE central character. He was the show. After he left, it just wasn’t the same. (even though the show had already started to go down hill before he left. I have to admit that)
You don’t have much of a social life, do you?
And um who are you to just comment on this guy who knows what he’s talking about? Trolling on the internet is the worst waste of a social life. So knock it off boy
I’m making a *sad face* right now.
Have to agree with “excpired,” the show has been better the last two weeks… the two weeks without him. I thought Robert California was funny in the season finale, but that was mostly due to his back-and-forth with Jim. That back and forth hasn’t existed this season, and they’ve tried to make a David Wallace/Jan Levinson-Michael Scott relationship between him and Andy and it doesn’t work.
I’m excited to see what this means for the Office. I hope they continue in the same vein as the last couple of episodes, because it’s been their best work all season. They should’ve nabbed up Will Arnett when they had the chance… their loss.
Spader was great in the episodes where they actually focused on Robert’s character development: Mrs. California and Pool Party. I will miss him a lot because of these types of episodes. The episodes where he was only a device to move the plot was a total waste of Spader’s talent, so in that realm I am glad he is leaving so hopefully he can do more artistically rewarding projects.
I hope now they are going to bring on Harvey Keitel as Michael Scott’s real replacement. Even if it’s for one last hurrah.
This is the funniest season of the Office. Michael Scott was just okay and I don’t know why so many people feel that he held the show together. There are so many awesome characters and now they get more camera time. It would suck tremendously if the show ended after this season, it is finally really funny.
IMO James Spader killed The Office, he was not funny, too bizarre and glad he is going.
(kinda wish that Ray Romano would have been the boss)