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Last updated: May 16, 2011

This post contains spoilers and news about The Office Season 7.

Number of half-hours planned: 26 (subject to change)

Guest stars confirmed: Will Arnett, Kathy Bates, Andy Buckley, Warren Buffett, Nancy Carell, Jack Coleman, David Denman, Will Ferrell, Ricky Gervais, Melora Hardin, Cody Horn, Rashida Jones, David Koechner, Timothy Olyphant, Evan Peters (“Luke”), Amy Pietz, Mark Proksch (“Nate”), Linda Purl, Ray Romano, Amy Ryan, Michael Schur, James Spader, Catherine Tate

May 16, 2011

My sources tell me that Michael Scott’s replacement as regional branch manager will not be revealed in the Season 7 finale.

In an interview with Rainn Wilson, Rainn reveals that for the season 7 finale, he got to work with James Spader: “That was really, really cool. It’s a crazy episode.” Rainn also saw Ray Romano and Will Arnett, but didn’t see Jim Carrey or Catherine Tate. He also mentions “Dwight’s fighting to be manager and he takes that fight very, very seriously.”

May 10, 2011: NBC

Summary for the Season 7 finale, Search Committee:

THE SEARCH BEGINS FOR A NEW MANAGER – JIM CARREY, WILL ARNETT, RICKY GERVAIS, CATHERINE TATE, JAMES SPADER, RAY ROMANO, AND KATHY BATES GUEST STAR. Jim (John Krasinski) heads a search committee that interviews candidates, including Andy (Ed Helms) and Darryl (Craig Robinson). Dwight (Rainn Wilson) tries to get back in the race. Jenna Fischer, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper and Zach Woods also star.

May 9, 2011: Variety

Variety reports that Warren Buffett will appear on The Office Season 7 finale:

NBC confirmed the billionaire investor will make a cameo in Thursday’s episode, interviewing for the job as a replacement to Michael Scott… Buffett enlisted the “Office” cast for a skit shown in April at the annual shareholders meeting for his company, Berkshire Hathaway. Carell appeared in the skit, in which Buffett pretends to take over for Michael Scott as the head of the Scranton branch of fictional “Office” company Dunder Mifflin.

In an interview with Rainn Wilson re: the episode ‘Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager’:

Dwight fans will get a taste of what a Wilson-starring “The Office” might be like. “There’s an episode coming up very soon called ‘Dwight K. Schrute, Acting Manager,’” Wilson said at his press junket for the movie Hesher. “For one episode, Dwight gets to be manager and it’s very funny. He does have a pet piranha in his office.” Wilson said he shot scenes with guest star James Spader, but was not involved with any of Jim Carrey’s scenes.

May 3, 2011: NBC

Summary for the May 12, episode, ‘Dwight K. Schrute, (Acting) Manager’:

DWIGHT TAKES OVER–KATHY BATES (“HARRY’S LAW”) GUEST STARS. Dwight (Rainn Wilson) takes over as acting manager and applies draconian tactics to the office. Meanwhile, Gabe (Zach Woods) tries to win Erin (Ellie Kemper) back. John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, B.J. Novak, and Creed Bratton also star.

In an interview with Rainn Wilson:

“Dwight gets to be in charge for one episode before the end of this season.” When we asked if he would again paint Michael’s (former) office black, Wilson said “No, but very close.”

April 29, 2011: The Office

I received an email from The Office production staff, who say that The Office Season 7 finale episode is titled “Search Committee.” (As always, subject to change without notice.)

Question: Any intel on Steve Carell’s final Office episode this week? —Jerry Ausiello: Just that there’s no need to worry about special guest star Will Ferrell stealing the spotlight, which some have suggested he’s been doing in the episodes leading up to Thursday’s swan song. According to director Paul Feig, Ferrell’s alter ego is “busy with his own stuff” in the episode, which “helped clear the path for Michael’s last day to be his own.” Feig adds that the final scene of the special hour is “the perfect sendoff” for Michael given “the style of the show and for the type of show [The Office] portends to be. It’s very satisfying.”

Andy Buckley’s tenure on “The Office” ended a while ago. But he was more than happy to come back to bid farewell to an old friend. Mr. Buckley’s character, who was let go when the printer company Sabre bought Dunder Mifflin halfway through the sixth season, was brought back by the writers to share a scene with departing Scranton branch manager Michael Scott (Mr. Carell).

Tipster: Matt

The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Jim Carrey will be appearing on The Office Season 7 finale. I am trying to confirm that with NBC…

April 21, 2011: NBC

Summary of the May 5 episode, The Inner Circle:

DEANGELO PLAYS FAVORITES BY CREATING HIS OWN “INNER CIRCLE” — WILL FERRELL AND CODY HORN GUEST STAR–Deangelo’s (Guest star Will Ferrell) true management style is finally revealed. Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper and Zach Woods also star.

Excerpts from an interview with Paul Lieberstein:

So who do [the finale guest stars] play?

Will Arnett plays an ex-Navy meteorologist who recently broke into the paper world. Catherine Tate — we don’t reveal much about her backstory. She appears to be a person struggling for a vision of how to manage. Yet she’s bizarrely confident. And Ray Romano, he’s not too far away from the Ray that we’ve come to love. What are the big themes of the remaining episodes this season?

The next three are really about Michael’s exit, and Deangelo [Will Ferrell’s character] coming in to replace him. And then we get to the next level of shows, which is really about the struggles of an office under a new manager [and] managers who don’t work out. It’s about life in the office with an uncertain management. Dwight, to no one’s surprise, will be going after the job with everything he has. And it’s probably not surprising that Darryl will be as well. Throughout the year, he’s shown great ambition and desire for more. And Andy is going to throw his hat into the ring. He’s got the résumé. He just doesn’t have anything else. What about Kelly and Ryan?

She’s going to make a little run at it. It’s not received with great respect. Ryan’s had the job above it once. But it’s not even clear he works at the office. I don’t know if he stayed under a temp agreement or how things worked out. Where’s Toby right now? And how will he and Michael say good-bye?

Toby’s been on jury duty. He’ll make his return on April 28. Michael struggles to leave on a positive note with people. It’s been a struggle with Toby. What sorts of smaller story lines should we expect in addition to all the big drama ahead in the coming weeks?

Andy and Erin and Gabe continue to work through their low-level triangle. There’s movement. There’s some juggling. If I were to tell you, then you’d know all of it. We’ll do some more with Angela and her gay senator boyfriend.

April 14, 2011: Brian Baumgartner

Brian tweets: “Today is our last day of shooting The Office for Season 7.”

April 12, 2011: Mindy Kaling

Mindy tweets:

I’ve been authorized by Paul Lieberstein (my boss/Toby (weird, right?)) to reveal all the guest stars glorious and ridiculous names today! William Arnett plays “Fred Henry”, Raymond Romano plays “Merv Bronte”, and James Spader plays “Robert California”. These are real, guys. I pitched “Bronte” as a last name and @dannychun pitched “Merv”. It’s one of our greatest collaborations. Catherine “The Great” Tate is Nellie Bertrum. (Again, real.)

Tipster: Matt

April 8, 2011: NBC

Summary for the episode Goodbye, Michael airing April 28:

MICHAEL SAYS HIS FINAL GOODBYES TO THE OFFICE. –WILL FERRELL and AMY RYAN GUEST STAR– Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell), about to leave for Colorado, wants a day without drama to say his goodbyes to each co-worker. Deangelo (Will Ferrell) and Andy (Ed Helms) scramble to keep Michael’s biggest clients. Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Craig Robinson, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper and Zach Woods also star.

April 7, 2011: NBC

Summary for the episode Michael’s Last Dundies airing April 21:

MICHAEL PASSES THE BATON TO DEANGELO FOR HIS FIRST OFFICIAL TASK– HOSTING THE DUNDIE AWARDS. —WILL FERRELL GUEST STARS—Michael (Golden Globe Winner Steve Carell) trains Deangelo (guest star Will Ferrell) to take over the job of hosting the Dundie Awards. Erin (Ellie Kemper) struggles with her dislike of her boyfriend, Gabe (Zach Woods). Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski, Craig Robinson, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Paul Lieberstein, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery and Creed Bratton also star.

Various spoilerish tidbits from an interview with Will Ferrell:

Me and Michael Scott, we hit it off immediately. We’re birds of the same feather. And then, in a very Michael Scott way, he slowly starts to resent me because everyone’s just kissing up to me. Slowly, you see in my character that I’m maybe not as good as Michael Scott and am pretty much a weirdo. Everyone’s looking at each other, going, “Oh, no. We had it so good.” [laughs] “We didn’t even know it. We knew we had a friend in Michael Scott, but we didn’t realize, in his backwards way, what a good manager he was.” He was brought in by Jo Bennett, so I guess he’s from Sabre. He loves the desert Southwest. When Steve introduces me to the staff, my first speech to the group is, “Let me tell you a little bit about myself.” And I basically go through a list of information that is neither helpful to them nor that interesting. It’s just this bizarre list, with a cadence of, like, “What else, what else?” “Ummm. I’ve never ridden a motorcycle. I’ve never cared to. That’s just me.” Like, O.K., how’s that going to help us? The first episode I get in there and take over, and [Michael Scott] kind of bounces back in the second one.

Various spoilerish tidbits from an interview with Will Ferrell:

A familiar desk had been redecorated with miniature totem poles and other Southwestern-style tchotchkes. A dream catcher now hung on a wall. His blue eyes possessed a certain placidness, but right now they were imperiously staring down Jim, who needed only to be asked, “Can I help you with something?” before he exited the room in stunned silence. Filming a scene from his last episode, Mr. Ferrell stood at the reception desk of Dunder Mifflin, delivering to the staff a passionate speech meant to convince them that he is not sexist (while introducing the svelte but inexperienced female assistant he has just hired)… “Raise your hand if you have a vagina,” he said. “Raise your hand if someone you love has a vagina.” He paused for emphasis and looked around the room. For some reason both of his hands were raised.

Michael Ausiello reports that three more stars will be appearing in The Office Season 7 finale: Ray Romano, James Spader and Catherine Tate.

Tipster: Shane

April 5: Mindy Kaling

Mindy tweeted: “[Will] Arnett’s playing the Scranton Strangler and [James] Spader’s his public defender.” Could this be true? Or was she kidding?

March 25, 2011: NBC

Summary for The Office April 14 episode, Training Day:

MICHAEL TRAINS HIS REPLACEMENT—WILL FERRELL GUEST STARS—The new manager, Deangelo Vickers (guest star Will Ferrell), has everyone hoping to make good first impressions: Andy (Ed Helms) finds himself awkwardly typecast while Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) worry that they’ve come on too strong. Only Dwight (Rainn Wilson) is apathetic about the new leader. Craig Robinson, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper, and Zach Woods also star.

Tidbits from an interview with Ricky Gervais:

Comedy star Gervais let slip the ‘top secret’ news after admitting he was growing a beard so he could shape it back into bumbling boss from hell Brent’s dodgy goatee. A spokesperson for NBC said: ‘Ricky is back as David Brent for the last episode of the series where he will be vying for the manager’s job. But in typical David Brent style he won’t make it easy for them to hire him.’

Tipster: Chad

From an interview with Rainn Wilson on Michael Scott’s departure:

Dwight is sad. He’s losing his best buddy and his office hero. Actually all the characters are sad to see him go…

EW reports that Ricky Gervais and Will Arnett will appear in the finale, and “that there will be other notable guest stars as well.”

Tipster: Shane

From an interview with Paul Lieberstein about the episode Garage Sale:

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) gets some much-needed advice from co-workers on how to pop the big question. “He’s paralyzed by wanting it to be the perfect proposal — and perfect in a ‘Michael Scott’ way,” executive producer Paul Lieberstein tells TV Guide Magazine. “Pam catches him in one of his early attempts, which is to spell out ‘Will you marry me?” in gasoline in the parking lot — which he plans to light on fire!”

In an interview with Amy Ryan:

Are you done filming The Office? I’m done [with] The Office for good now and I don’t know what I’m going to do next.

Despite buzz to the contrary, Amy Ryan will play a role in the April 28 swan song. “All I’ll say is she actually is in the episode in a way,” teases Paul Feig, who directed the highly anticipated half-hour. “[Holly] is involved.”

March 10, 2011: Brian Baumgartner

Brian tweeted “Big stunt at work today with me and Will Ferrell. Can’t wait for you guys to see his episodes. He is absolutely hilarious.” and “To answer questions: next few episode is in 2 weeks. And it will be epic one! Will Ferrell’s episodes begin the one after that.”

March 8, 2011: NBC

Summary of the March 24 episode, ‘Garage Sale’:

THE OFFICE HOLDS ITS FIRST GARAGE SALE IN THE WAREHOUSE, WHILE MICHAEL FINALLY POPS THE QUESTION TO HOLLY – AMY RYAN (“Gone Baby Gone”) GUEST STARS — Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) decides to propose to Holly (guest star Amy Ryan). Holly makes her final appearance. John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms,Craig Robinson, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Kate Flannery, Mindy Kaling, Angela Kinsey, Phyllis Smith, Creed Bratton, Ellie Kemper, and Zach Woods also star.

In an interview with Amy Ryan:

I heard that this is Steve’s last week. Today’s Monday? Yeah, Friday [today] will be his last day at work. I’m involved in the episode, but it’s just a phone call. I did a conference call table read last week, and it was very emotional well after it was done just to hear the room, and it was not easy. There was a lot of high emotion going on. People are going to be very sad to see him go.

March 1, 2011: Brian Baumgartner

Brian tweeted “This is Steve’s last week on set. About to film his final scene in Accounting area with Oscar, Angela, and I.” and “Long day at work today. Happy. Sad. Laughs. Tears.”