Since it appears The Office has every intention of continuing post-Steve Carell, there’s been much speculation about what direction the show would then take. Will it go the Kirstie Alley route and cast about for a new boss among popular suggestions like Michael Emerson, Portia De Rossi, or David Cross? Or would it simply sew up its ranks and place a greater emphasis on the rest of the cast? For what it’s worth, writer/co-executive producer/co-star Mindy Kaling favors the “promote from within” strategy, and should she find her own secret desires to see Kelly Kapoor take over thwarted, she’d most like to put Rainn Wilson’s Dwight Schrute in Carell’s chair, telling Entertainment Weekly, “I’d love to see Rainn Wilson in that position. Dwight has become so nuanced—you actually care about him now. I think if [we did a good job laying the groundwork] this coming season, he would be a fantastic boss.” However, Kaling is quick to acknowledge, “But that’s my dream. It certainly hasn’t been approved by people that are more powerful than me and who make those kinds of decisions.” You mean Internet commenters?

Advertisement