finale episode american comedy television series office serves 24th 25th episodes ninth season episodes series overall episode written series developer executive producer directed directed series pilot episode originally aired nbc preceded hour long series retrospective series presented real documentary depicts everyday lives office employees scranton pennsylvania branch fictional dunder mifflin_paper_company episode takes place year previous episode present past employees dunder mifflin gather wedding dwight rainn_wilson angela_kinsey addition jenna_fischer jim finally decide pursue jim dream working sports marketing finally comes final round interviews initial idea finale involving thought daniels production season episode features return recurring characters return kept secret months members crew episode writer daniels cameos episode background characters founder largest office appears episode fictional version asking members office questions episode viewed estimated million viewers received rating adults ages making highest rated episode series eighth season entry pool party finale received critical acclaim critics fans critics complimenting writers wrapping storylines ensemble cast critics gave praise cameo episode arguing perfectly executed episode received primetime emmy award nominations primetime emmy awards won outstanding single camera picture editing comedy series plot year documentary aired crew returned gain footage dvd bonus features dwight_schrute rainn_wilson angela_kinsey married andy_bernard ed_helms talent audition tape going viral internet found job alma mater helped expand named opening branch austin texas enjoying retirement florida tries stanley replacement fat look like stanley fired dwight bought bar started career author new_york moved poland creed faked death revealed wanted fugitive dwight replaced employee preparing run state senate seat godfather andy toby return scranton wedding panel documentary jim_halpert john_krasinski appointed best man wedding proceeds plan series good surprises dwight bachelor party consists current male employees bachelor party group dwight fire receive lap dance elizabeth dwight thinks remains oblivious party current female employees plus angela sister group shocked hired entertainment kate son jake angela kidnapped dwight cousin hearing angela kidnapping dwight male employees visit bar kevin owns dwight jim insistence bury forced apologize kevin confirm firing based job performance cheers decide leads dwight jim car angela stuck trunk finally let following day panel held office audience members ask questions dunder mifflin ceo openly states documentary jenna_fischer pressed questions allow jim follow dream paid romantic gestures jim attempts repeatedly disperse resulting tension ellie finally meets birth parents adoption wedding arrives husband ryan_howard surprises baby son drake girlfriend abandoned jim tells dwight tradition allowed best man younger jim surprises arrival michael_scott steve_carell wedding proceeds tradition michael dwight new best man reception michael shows pam pictures kids pam notes paying phones hold pictures ryan deliberately gives drake reaction attend ryan steal kelly away kevin tells ryan wanted drake ryan kelly start new life gives kevin baby leaving wanting child takes drake instead jim pam briefly return home jim surprised find showing house couple pam comes clean admits showing house months wants repay jim romantic gestures says wants austin point couple seeing house offer jim pam party warehouse inform plans jim able rejoin company change pam new painted mural featuring history branch final picture taken employees camera crew employees office final jim pam tell dwight dwight fires instead packages gesture friendship employees surprised find creed living ryan old closet death office creed sings song guitar office arrested employees round interviews leaving pam taking office building michael bought season episode business school production writing filming finale written series developer showrunner making second writing credit year season debut new guys 12th writing credit overall episode directed originally directed series pilot episode daniels joked country come directorial credit series prior finale fifth season episode company picnic initial idea finale thought daniels production season described reunion fashion post competition cast familiar reality shows like survivor daniels point approached host survivor appear finale fictional reunion declined initial table read episode took place march filming commenced march according jenna_fischer episode took days film cast hours day episode finale described ambitious featuring multiple location shoots including stood filming episode series came end march wilson later tweeted picture set filming finished originally episode supposed 23rd 24th episodes season meant series aired exactly episodes series penultimate episode elongated separate episodes resulting finale 24th 25th episodes season meant finale series episode filming finished daniels interview expressed hope expand episode stating excited footage got big going nbc super size extend daniels later commented editors cut act minutes long longer normal act hour long episode television response largest fan site series started online petition finale similar petition expand second season finale casino night petition received signatures announced nbc extended episode minutes meaning episode air minute time slot episode approximately minutes length casting series finale guest stars episode features return series actors actresses including series writers stars minor recurring characters appearances played recurring role michael real estate agent short time girlfriend appeared season episode angry andy appeared earlier ninth season episode junior salesman appeared fifth season episode company picnic elizabeth appeared season episode ben franklin devon dunder mifflin employee fired second season episode halloween played meredith son second season episode daughter work day episode features playing members crew cameos episode documentary voice speaks dwight played camera operator boy andy restaurant assistant script editor series wife stood couple buying jim pam house series writer director makes appearance dwight wedding episode sheet listed character producer writer makes cameo group wedding individuals asked questions writers asked seeing lives asked question jim giving asked camera changed characters behavior asked life meaning statement jim attractive asked daniels wife daniels appeared documentary party executive producer editors script supervisor assistant director prop master casting director remaining extras scene members crew office founder largest office appears episode fictional version asking members office questions initially daniels asking appear background scenes hired day actor wrote seven lines filming daniels wrote tan line pointed tan called experience surreal playing talking jim pam fischer early production season wilson noted cast crew hoping return lead actor mid december later revealed optimistic return interview said producers supposedly trying figure schedule finale wouldn nbc chairman later admitted interview hopeful think return noted satisfied character exit want january daniels revealed appear finale capacity decision later reiterated months later producers office mounted 11th hour effort cameo final episode according according article confirming final diplomatic push proved successful denying personal representative confirmed set final episode film scenes anonymous source close said don rule later reported appear cameo nbc declined comment representatives continued deny reports month episode aired explained interview lied months press noted felt terribly cast executive producer lied hand explained thrilling flat lied things vowed protect initial table read script appearance revealed fact line included read second scripted delivered deleted scenes season dvd contains number deleted scenes episode notable cut scenes include scenes panel pete discussing learned working dunder mifflin angela sister andy giving wedding scenes erin biological parents shots office members shared memories office taking plants outside planting actual soil episode originally scripted begin different cold open entailed prank dwight jim dwight led believe actually living matrix computer simulation eponymous film scene filmed cut episode included deleted scenes table read rest episode included bonus feature ninth season dvd cultural references episode makes reference creed member rock band fact portrays fictionalized version actually play band song performs near end titled faces wrote andy mentions double rainbow guy star wars kid reached help viral video appear fictional saturday sketch involving andy viral fame pam compares jim relationship great book ends tan character asks comparable harry potter series dwight claims actually united_states government government countries episode features references previous episodes oscar saying serves reference scene pilot michael dwight jim jim description final talking head job direct quote talking head pilot dwight hires devon creed reference halloween creed convinced michael fire devon pam sits reception final time answers phone saying pam reference pam role office common phrase said early seasons pam painting office building introduced business school plays prominent role final scene reception ratings finale originally aired nbc minute timeslot preceded hour retrospective retrospective viewed million viewers received rating adults ages finale viewed million viewers received rating share adults ages means seen percent year olds percent year olds watching television time broadcast marked significant increase million viewers ratings previous episode ranks highest rated episode season highest rated episode series eighth season entry pool party viewed million viewers received share episode ranked second timeslot beaten abc medical drama series grey anatomy nbc increased usual price percent finale asking commercial largely anticipated increase viewership finale bring viewing episode watched additional million viewers added rating bringing total million viewers rating reviews finale met acclaim television critics alan_sepinwall hitfix gave episode highly positive review called satisfying conclusion laughter cry smile sepinwall noted despite seasons world rich fuel lovely minute trip past present future office ultimately noted biggest emotional moments belonged jim pam final talking heads ign awarded episode denoting amazing episode highly pleased final minutes noting final moments series hit note wanted concluded strong hour television finale delivered promise entertainment_weekly praised entry writing stuck office thick thin night minute long finale pretty perfect wrote finale shortage inducing moments positively applauded characters happy endings wrote episode right series highlighted fact ending fact took journey characters wrote character emotion appeared slightly contrived ultimately concluded felt okay goodbye right atmosphere wrote finale touching sweet funny little manipulative end worked found stuff like seasons office andy dwight antics right stuff recalled sweep series wonderful slightly critical pam jim story noting grand scheme successful makes slightly sense examines closely felt details don add emotions concluded episode worked epilogue allowed cast series final moments variety positively wrote finale ignored seasons warmth inside gags concluded deserved finish scenes dwight wedding little bit resulting product successful vulture awarded episode stars wrote episode able provide solid conclusions characters club awarded episode wrote quality series finale found way functions right devoted hours lives aspects episode fall flat hits hits ultimately found finale great piece television finale office needed right point jump circular track series idea thematic people magazine gave episode negative review wrote episode poorly conceived structured wasn worthy years humor gone steve_carell cameo received glowing reviews critics campbell noted glad return uncertain episode aired reveal sepinwall noted return managed stories people remained left sense characters end series adams noted doesn lot chance goodbye makes lines count felt cameo perfect michael particular episode described way best possible walked line steve_carell cameo called perfectly orchestrated cameo basis wrote appearance pretty great notion michael finally getting family wanted melt heart fan accolades episode received primetime emmy award nominations primetime emmy awards nominated comedy series nominated outstanding sound mixing comedy drama series half hour animation won outstanding single camera picture editing comedy series marking fifth win overall series win rogers won ace eddie award best edited half hour series television
Finale (The Office)