Despite numerous previous reports to the contrary, now comes news that Steve Carell will in fact appear in the series finale of The Office. In a conference call with reporters last week, executive producer Greg Daniels tried to silence discussion of a Carell comeback, referring to his previous statements that he and the actor agreed Michael Scott had already received his own proper goodbye back in 2011, but it appears he was choosing his words carefully.
“I think Steve felt, and I agree, that the ‘Goodbye, Michael’ episode was his goodbye and he didn’t want to overshadow the ending that all the other characters deserved," Daniels told the press last week. But now TVLine has learned from sources close to the show that the famed Dunder Mifflin boss will return, likely for a cameo instead of a full-on guest appearance.
An NBC spokesperson has declined to comment, and Carell’s own rep insists that The Office finale will not include an appearance. But on Saturday, Carell surprised thousands of Office fans when he joined his former co-stars at a huge “wrap party” held in the real Scranton, Penn.
UPDATED (5.7.13): NBC is extending the show's hour-long series finale by an additional 15 minutes. The final episode, which airs May 16, will now run from 9-10:15 p.m. EST, preceded by a retrospective hour with the cast and crew at 8 p.m. This means Hannibal will follow the finale, with a 45-minute, limited-commercial episode.