| "Goodbye, Michael" | |
|---|---|
| The Office episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 22 |
| Directed by | Paul Feig |
| Written by | Greg Daniels |
| Featured music | "Kind & Generous" by Natalie Merchant |
| Cinematography by | Matt Sohn |
| Editing by | David Rogers |
| Production code | 7022 |
| Original air date | April 28, 2011 |
| Running time | 36 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
"Goodbye, Michael" is the twenty-second[a] episode of the seventh season of the American comedy series The Office and the show's 148th episode overall. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 28, 2011. In the episode, Michael prepares to leave for Colorado with Holly and spends his last day in the office saying goodbye to everyone individually, wanting no drama to ensue. Meanwhile, new manager Deangelo and Andy try to keep Michael's biggest clients.
The episode was written by series developer and executive producer Greg Daniels and was directed by Paul Feig, marking his fifteenth and final directing credit on the show. It marks the final appearance of Steve Carell as a series regular, having announced he was leaving the series near the end of the sixth season. Additionally, it is also Amy Ryan’s final appearance on the show, although she only provided her voice for the episode. The episode aired in an extended 50-minute timeslot, having originally been meant to be a two-parter combined with the previous episode, "Michael's Last Dundies".[1] The episode featured guest appearances from Will Ferrell and Jack Coleman, and Andy Buckley appeared in a deleted scene.[b]
"Goodbye, Michael" was met with critical acclaim from critics and fans and is considered one of the best episodes of The Office. The later seasons that followed this airing, especially the eighth season, as well as the last few episodes of the seventh season, received criticism for a decline in quality, and multiple critics believed that the episode could have served as a potential series finale. In a poll conducted by fansite OfficeTally, the episode was named the best episode of the seventh season. The episode was viewed by 8.416 million viewers and received a 4.2 rating/11% share in the 18–49 demographic, making it the third-highest-rated episode of the season among adults between ages 18 and 49. It later received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Carell and Daniels' work on the episode.
KUAM in Guam aired the episode on Sunday, May 1, 2011, due to the Royal Wedding, which aired the next morning on most NBC Stations, preempting the episode.[2]
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