5 Best The Office Episodes Without Michael Scott

For "The Office" fans, there's a clear divide from Michael Scott (Steve Carell) being a driving force on the sitcom to when he left, leaving behind a massive hole that just couldn't be filled. So to speak. And it's hard not to see how the show lost something special when Michael departed.

In addition to Michael's antics and his inability not to be cringe, "The Office" always had the will they/won't they romance between Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer). But eventually, the two of them got married and had kids. When Michael finally left in Season 7's "Goodbye Michael," it kind of felt like the show said everything it needed to say. Somehow, it persevered for two more seasons.

It's vital to remember that the best and worst episodes of "The Office" run the gamut throughout its run. There were plenty of bad episodes featuring Michael, but it felt like they became more pronounced after he left. Some fans may even stop watching the show after his departure, but there are still gems to be found. In fact, there are some great episodes of "The Office" without Michael Scott, proving that this show could thrive without him. If only every other episode without Michael knew how to utilize the rest of the cast.

With Michael Scott gone, there was one lingering question: Who would become the manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin? In a glorious payoff to years of build-up, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) assumes Michael's position and immediately becomes a dictator-like boss in one of the best Dwight episodes of "The Office" ever. But the dynamics change when Dwight accidentally fires a gun in the office next to Andy's (Ed Helms) ear, leading to everyone blackmailing him in exchange for their silence.

It's a great episode that mixes things up while still keeping the characters recognizable. It's great to see Dwight absolutely let the power go to his head. But before he has a chance to become too much of a Bond villain, the episode switches things up halfway through. At that point, we see Dwight on the defensive, which helps keep the premise fresh.

There's even some clever social commentary where Dunder-Mifflin runs just fine without a manager. Everyone comes in, does their work, and leaves. It would have been fascinating if the show explored that route and just didn't try to replace Michael. It could've opened the doors to give more secondary characters more screen time. Luckily, the show probably knew Dwight being the manager for longer than a single episode would've gotten cumbersome, so he stepped down. 

Season 7 ends with a celebrity-filled search to find Michael Scott's replacement. The show ultimately lands on Robert California (James Spader), who brings a very different dynamic into Dunder-Mifflin. Where Michael was the epitome of cringe and wanted everyone to like him, Robert is cool, calm, and maybe a little bit of a sociopath. 

Your mileage with Robert California will vary, and future episodes just didn't know how to use him well. But "The List" serves as a solid introduction and offers a great showcase of what he could do. Throughout "The List," Robert keeps a mysterious list where he divides employee names into two columns, changing people's positions as the story goes on. Everyone becomes frantic trying to figure out what it means, only for Robert to reveal that it's a list of "winners" and "losers."

Robert California is a bizarre character. It's no wonder some fans see him as the worst boss ever on "The Office." But "The List" shows how he could best be utilized, namely with characters trying to figure out his enigmatic nature while the story itself focuses on the core cast rather than California himself. "The Office" deserves points for going in a completely different direction by having California become such a prominent character rather than someone like Deangelo Vickers (Will Ferrell), who was basically a 2.0 copy of Michael Scott. A lot of other Season 8 episodes may have fallen flat, but the premiere was a worthwhile outing. 

Mixing things up was essential in Michael Scott's absence, and Season 8 has a notable storyline where some Dunder-Mifflin employees go to Florida for a special project. This divvies things up and allows the show to explore new angles. Of course, some things stay the same, like Jim pranking Dwight by staging a murder in his hotel room with all evidence pointing to Dwight as the culprit. 

Dwight suffers from appendicitis in Florida but powers through to show Nellie Bertram (Catherine Tate) he has what it takes to be her vice president. Back at Dunder-Mifflin, Andy assumes receptionist duties and discovers he loves it. This is where post-Michael Scott "The Office" thrives: Throwing in just enough fresh situations to keep us entertained while focusing on core character dynamics. Whether he's in Pennsylvania or Florida, Dwight is always going to find a way to be the best, no matter the cost.

If nothing else, "Tallahassee" deserves a spot on this list for introducing fans to Florida Stanley (Leslie David Baker). While some characters are the same as always, we see a new side to Stanley, and it's glorious. He's always acted curmudgeonly, but in Florida, he's effectively on vacation and enjoying every second away from Dunder-Mifflin and his family. Florida Stanley is a highlight of Season 8, and we're only upset we didn't see more of him. 

By Season 9, it was clear "The Office" was on its final legs. But there were still glimmers of what it once was, like with the hilarious episode "Work Bus." Jim tricks Dwight into evacuating the building so that he can take a vacation with Pam, who's been left out to dry what with Jim taking a new part-time job in Philadelphia. Rather than give everyone time off, Dwight rents a bus so that everyone can continue working while on the road.

Season 9 as a whole is rough on Jim and Pam's relationship. Jim's new job drives a wedge between them, which leads to a lot of tension throughout. But here, Jim's genuinely trying to do a nice thing by taking Pam out to get pies. It's a much more low-key episode, and honestly, by Season 9 standards, that's what we want. There are a ton of great gags here, with a highlight being that Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) revealing he can only do complex math equations if pie factors into the question. Plus, there's the bit where Creed (Creed Bratton) tries to ditch work only to get on the same bus Dwight rented.

And you probably never realized that "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston directed this episode. He has a real eye behind the camera and knows how to ramp up the tension when working on a bus becomes too unbearable for most of the employees. Cranston spent plenty of time filming inside of an RV, so filming inside of a bus probably was second nature to him. 

Michael Scott would return in "The Office" finale for Dwight's wedding, but fans were treated to a mini-finale before the proper one with the two-parter "A.A.R.M." It's here where we see many plot threads start getting wrapped up, like Dwight learning he's the biological father of Angela's (Angela Kinsey) child. Plus, "A.A.R.M." sees Jim finally give Pam the teapot he intended to give her in the Season 2 episode "Christmas Party," along with the note that was supposed to be inside. It's a beautiful payoff and a good way to get things back on track for a great finale. 

Season 9 mostly saw Jim and Pam's relationship in a state of flux after Jim pursued a new career. It really seemed like "The Office" may have been planning to break this couple up. But "A.A.R.M." reaffirms their love toward one another. We saw them flirt with one another, get together, get married, have children, venture into rocky territory, but realize there's no one else the two of them would rather be with. 

The final two seasons of "The Office" are tough. No one would blame most viewers for simply ignoring them and simply skipping to the finale. But these are characters we love, and they should be allowed to have a bad day every now and then. There are still good episodes of "The Office" without Michael Scott that show he was never the only thing about the sitcom that worked. The real power was the combined efforts of everyone involved.