It’s unfair but not completely wrong when people suggest that season six was the beginning of the end for the show, a decline that season seven, while still funny, did nothing to prevent. Erin and Gabe begin a relationship (first seen onscreen in season opener “Nepotism”) after Andy’s failure to disclose his engagement to Angela, Ryan started a new social media website (“Wuphf.com”) from his office in the closet, with Michael’s approval (and money), Todd Packer (David Koechner), a minor character from the earlier seasons, potentially might get a salesman’s job (“Todd Packer”), and in “Classy Christmas” Toby goes on jury duty, allowing Holly to take his place, much to Michael’s delight. They begin dating in “PDA,” and he decides to propose in “Garage Sale,” in a beautiful scene taking place in the annex of the office.
The highlight here is definitely “Threat Level Midnight,” a balls-out action episode in which the team create a movie based on Michael Scott’s screenplay. It is completely brilliant, even if it is out-of-step with the rest of the episodes. Michael leaves the show in “Goodbye Michael,” moving to Colorado with Holly, and his replacement Deangelo (Will Ferrel), whom he has been training since “Training Day,” takes over, with limited success. Dwight ends the season as acting office manager, eventually buying the building in finale “Search Committee,” during which Jim looks for the next office manager (with bonus cameos from Ricky Gervais, Ray Romano, Warren Buffett, Jim Carrey, James Spader, and Catherine Tate, the latter two going on to join the main cast).
At the beginning of season eight, Andy is made office manager. New CEO Robert California (James Spader) makes a big impact on this season, with his unpredictable management style and his no-nonsense attitude putting a few noses out of joint. New characters include Nellie Bertram (Cathertine Tate), and Cathy Simms (Lindsay Broad), the latter of whom has amorous designs on Jim, which ultimately comes to nothing. Angela discovers that she is pregnant and in a relationship with Senator Robert Lipton (Jack Coleman), but the baby might possibly be Dwight’s. To impress his staff, Andy gets a tattoo (“The Incentive”), takes the office on a field trip to Gettysburg (“Gettsyburg”), and eventually ends up driving to Florida to get Erin back from a business trip she took with a few other members of staff, during which she decided to stay in Tallahassee. Jim and Pam discover they are having another baby, to coincide with Jenna Fischer’s real-life pregnancy, and returned to work in the episode “Jury Duty.”
While Andy is away, Nellie assumes the role of office manager (“Get The Girl”), which doesn’t sit well with him when he returns in “Angry Andy.” He is then fired when he angrily punches a hole in the wall. After some management training, he returns in the season finale. Robert California leaves after former Dunder Mifflin CEO David Wallace (Andy Buckley) buys back the company and fires him. Season finale “Free Family Portrait Studio” is something of a damp squib, with Andy retaking managership and making Nellie the office Special Projects Manager. Oscar and Robert get a little closer too after some signs of affection at a fundraiser held earlier on in the season (“Fundraiser”), but will an affair begin?
