Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Join the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own articles.
"The Office" consistently provides viewers with mindlessly hilarious entertainment. However, with Season 7 being Steve Carell's last, viewers watch each episode intently as they try to figure out the events that will lead to Michael Scott's finale exit. That's because "The Office" viewers roll with human instinct. Because the truth is, no matter how much contemplating and analyzing, there's no possible way viewers will figure it out. That's what makes "The Office" so watchable -- the scenes are as unpredictable as the characters' quotes.
Exit Prediction by Episode
Episode 1 - We are reminded that Dwight bought the building, which makes you think there's the possibility he will have ultimate control ... until Michael hires his spoiled-punchy nephew, Luke. Viewers undoubtedly assume Luke will be Michael's predecessor. This was even before Michael gave Luke a good old-fashioned corporal punishment hand-spanking instead of firing him.
Episode 2 - When Toby and Michael sit down for a heart-to-heart, it leads viewers (for a few instances) to ponder if Toby will somehow be the rudimentary replacement for Michael ... until Pam shows brilliance when she ingeniously promotes herself to office administrator. Pam as boss, however, would be asking a lot of support from Jim. Then again, this setting has enormous potential for future episodes rich with biased executive decision-making.
Episode 3 - The writers gave viewers a break with pure soaking-sponge humor. The main story was the Dunder-Mifflin crew supporting Andy by attending a "Sweeney Todd" play that he was participating in. This left Pam and Jim trying to find a competent babysitter (not Erin), so they could attend.
Episode 4 - The only connection with Michael's final season and Episode 4 had to be the premise that he would be doing jail time for infecting past girlfriends with herpes "duplex." The Dunder-Mifflin office team diagnosed Michael with herpes after he acknowledged he had a cold sore on his lip. This prompted a rare conscious attempt by Michael to contact all the women he's been with to tell them they might want to get tested.
Episode 5 - Michael's brilliant theory to eliminate Dunder-Mifflin's primary sales competitor, Danny Cordray, by hiring him provokes the thought that it actually might work to Dunder-Mifflin's advantage instead of backfiring. That in mind, the scenarios are endless as Cordray is imagined as the new Scranton branch manager.
Episode 6 - Aside from amusing Halloween shenanigans, there's a hint that Darryl is polishing his business persona along with a résumé when he applies for the manager's position.
Episode 7 - The November 4 episode leaves us thinking that Michael's out will be an attempt to fill his spiritual meter by doing "good" in the world, never mind what he's truly capable of.
--
Sources: tvguide, nbc.com
