Web Exclusive: "Office" says Goodbye to Another Character

tailgate365.com

After saying goodbye to Steve Carrell's Michael Scott last week, I asked where "The Office" would go in the immediate future. Last night's episode offered no answers. It was limbo-like, decisively wrapping up Deangelo Vickers' storyline but leaving the rest of the cast scratching their heads. Someone even asks, "What now?"

From new the opening credits to Deangelo's super-aggressive vibe, "The Office" is a different place without Michael Scott. Deangelo creates an "inner circle" of Jim, Kevin, Oscar, Darryl, and Gabe. He keeps trying to bring Dwight in but Mr. Schrute is not easily swayed. Dwight even throws out the cup of coffee Deangelo brings him one morning. Not only does the inner circle elevate workers Michael made fun of, it claims it does not exist.

Through the inner circle and yelling at his employees—"I'm not here to be your friend!"—Deangelo is trying to create an environment in which no one can "figure him out." That doesn't stop anyone from trying to do so and sucking up big time. However, Deangelo, despite the big game he talks, doesn't seem to be able to do any of the things he says he can. Andy offers Deangelo some juggling balls for a demonstration, but he rejects them in favor of fake-juggling five balls. He does this in time with Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" in the context of a motivational speech. Classic power move.

Deangelo was surely laughable this week but after 15 minutes, the episode seems to be going nowhere. Angela accuses Deangelo of being sexist by not inviting women into his inner circle or giving them respect as department heads in the office. I briefly wondered if this could be his undoing somehow, but that really went nowhere, too. All it did was lose Jim his spot in the inner circle to Andy—though, at Cornell he took a "crap-load" of women's studies classes and was so appalled at Deangelo's behavior when Angela pointed it out.

All of this inner circle brown-nosing and person rotation would make for some interesting competition around the office. But, Deangelo was gone too soon. He boasts that he can dunk from the free throw line and Jim makes him go down to the warehouse to show off the move. Of course, he's no Blake Griffin, so he does a sort of overzealous layup instead. He hangs on the hoop just long enough to topple it, and himself, to the ground.  

Will Ferrell's last moments on "The Office" are filled with gibberish and a hospital gown. And no resolution for Dunder Mifflin or the viewers.