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Let’s put a power suit in “The Office”

Unless you have avoided all forms of TV-related news this week, you know that next season will be the last one for Steve Carell, a.k.a. Michael Scott, on The Office.

The announcement is a little sad, just because Michael is sort of the gooey center of The Office – messy and sweet, with no intention of hurting anyone. (Did you see how my metaphor crashed there? I had this whole image of chomping into the Tootsie Pop stick but then I realized that I was thinking of my childhood when the sticks were wood and actually hurt when you accidentally bit or, worse, licked them. Now you just get a bit of paper stuck on your tongue. A promising idea that just didn’t work – like most of Michael’s. You knew I’d get there.)

The Office will go on (cue Celine Dion), but it needs a boss. Obviously, nobody can replace Carell, but the goofiness should remain, I think. Having a competent boss would change the whole dynamic of the show.

Lots of names are being lobbed around, including some of the current Office players – Gabe (Zach Woodes), the assistant to Kathy Bates‘ Jo Bennett, will be a regular next season – and TheWrap.com reports that NBC has a plan in place for filling the void when Carell exits. A secret plan, that is.

Until the network spills, though, we have a duty to speculate. And to get us on the right track, we look to psychic friend Mindy Kaling (she plays Kelly Kapoor and writes for the show), who foresaw life after Michael in an interview with A.V.Club several years ago.

“My dream,” she said, “is that when Steve leaves the show, we could have Amy Poehler come on as the boss. I think Amy’s flawless. I have this fantasy that we’ll get this female boss, and at the beginning, she’ll seem totally normal and what a relief, and then we’ll find out that there’s lots of different horrible, crazy kinds of bosses.”

That was before Parks & Recreation came along, of course (but man, Poehler totally would be perfect). I love the idea of a woman boss, though. So let’s come up with some names, shall we?

The first person I thought of was Kristen Wiig – and I’m not alone.

Wiig could pull off the same scenario Kaling gave for Poehler: a seemingly normal and competent boss who is actually a total whacko.

AfterEllen.com writers have some suggestions, too. Blogger drummerdeeds suggests Jane Lynch, “… when she has a minute or two.” Exactly. But what a great excuse to post this picture:

Lesley Goldberg writes, “I hear Wanda Sykes is free.”

Wouldn’t you love to see Sykes go up against Dwight Schrute? Comedy gold.

Wanda made me think of another suddenly available comedian, Portia De Rossi.

Having a drop-dead gorgeous boss would certainly add a new twist. And Portia in a power suit is something TV should not be without.

Karman and Heather both think that Jan (Melora Hardin) should come back.

I have mixed feelings about that idea. Jan does have a history with the other characters and Hardin is very underrated as a comedian. But I’ve never quite forgiven Jan for toying with Michael.

What I really think will happen is this: Holly (Amy Ryan) and Michael will start a long distance relationship again and this time, it will work. Season 7 of The Office will build to a proposal, maybe even a wedding. And Michael, being Michael, will arrange a transfer to Nashua as a surprise to Holly, who will have arranged a transfer to Scranton, Gift of the Magi style. Michael exits and Holly is the new boss.

It’s an Office kind of ending, don’t you think?

Your turn: Do you think The Office should go on without Steve Carell? If so, who would make the hottest best female boss?

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