The Office | featured news

Big life celebrations scored in the ratings last night. The Liz Lemon wedding episode of NBC’s departing 30 Rock drew a 1.3/4 in adults 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers. That was up 8% from its last original two weeks ago and the comedy’s best demo rating since Oct. 11 and largest viewership this season. Meanwhile, ABC’s sophomore drama Scandal (2.2/6) popped 10% from its last episode two weeks ago to hit a season high. (In adults 18-34, it hit a series high). That is with Scandal‘s lead-in, Grey’s Anatomy (3.0/8), dipping 6% from two weeks ago to tie its season low. No dead cat bounce for ABC’s Last Resort. In its first airing post cancellation news, the freshman drama (1.0/3) fell 17% from two weeks ago to a series low.

"The Office" will be closing next year. Producer Greg Daniels says the NBC comedy will conclude business at Dunder Mifflin after the upcoming ninth season. He said Tuesday that the final year will be exciting and memorable and will take creative chances. And it will reveal who's been making the mock documentary that has provided the show with its format.

Steve Carell said goodbye to The Office earlier this year, but he’ll be back in prime time next year to lend his voice to an episode of The Simpsons, EW has learned exclusively. Carell will play Dan Gillick, a tightly wound accountant for Fat Tony (returning guest Joe Mantegna), who may go from crunching numbers to crunching skulls when he’s put in charge of the mob by Fat Tony while the big boss serves jury duty.

History is against the Emmy-winner as he attempts to fill Steve Carell's shoes.

SPOILER ALERT! Who will inherit Michael Scott's office for the final two episodes this season? It's...

Apologies for not filing a rating story earlier, it was a pretty big busy morning in TV news today. With the final ratings for last night in, here are the biggest highlights:
NBC's The Office (3.5/10 in 18-49) was down 17% from last week's episode, which marked the departure of star Steve Carell.

Scranton regional manager Michael Scott has left "The Office," as long promised, in a fond farewell for the actor who played him, series star Steve Carell....

Both episodes were low-rated... I understand that NBC's new brass was "reluctant" but felt the network "had to replace" Reiser with The Office repeats.

It’s finally happening — Michael Scott (Steve Carell) begins his departure from “The Office” (NBC at 9), but he needs a replacement first. Cue guest star Will Ferrell, who plays the new manager that everyone tries to impress . . . except Dwight, naturally.

NBC will extend Steve Carell’s final episode of The Office to 50 minutes.