{alltv} 'Office' preps for Carell exit

PASADENA, Calif. -- With Steve Carell gearing up to go, John Krasinski is preparing himself for "double reactions" on the set of The Office.

"I'm quite sure none of us are going to know what to do when Steve actually leaves," said Krasinski, who plays Jim Halpert. "I think it will be an incredibly emotional day.

"The truth is, there's absolutely nobody who could bring the same ingredients that he brings to the show. And there's no way we could replace the person. He's our good friend and our bona fide leader.

"But also, it will be really interesting to see how the characters themselves react to losing Michael Scott (Carell's character). People think we're just going to replace him and keep going. But there definitely is going to be that sense of loss for the characters, too, which is really cool and honest."

If you're a fan of The Office, which airs Thursdays on NBC and Global, assuredly you already know this is Carell's last season on the show.

Carell simply felt it was time to move on, by his own volition.

His departure puts the show -- which currently is in the middle of its seventh season -- in either a precarious or an exciting position, depending upon your point of view.

"We don't have any idea how (Michael Scott) is going to be leaving, they're actually keeping it pretty tight-lipped," Krasinski said. "But I know they have a lot of really cool surprises. And the best part is, leading up to Steve leaving, we probably have some of the most exciting episodes we've ever had.

"All these years we've been developing these amazing characters in the background -- everybody from Jim, Pam, Dwight and Andy to the accounting office (Oscar, Angela and Kevin), even Creed and Phyllis and Meredith and Stanley, they're such great characters.

"The terrible thing would be if Steve left and we hadn't developed all these people. That would be a real bummer. Instead, we have the most talented group around. It's so much fun to pass the ball and see everybody run with it."

Recent reports have indicated Michael Scott will exit several episodes before this current season ends, likely to make sure the final episode of this season doesn't feel like a "series finale."

Nonetheless, Carell will be missed, not only by viewers but by the people who worked with him most closely.

"What a lot of people don't know is the duality (Carell) lives in two very positive aspects, in that he's incredibly funny but he's not a jokester," Krasinski said. "He's a very reserved, very gentleman-like guy. He's very soft spoken.

"But he's the truest professional. He leads by example. When days are long, and little things, like the temperature in the room, could get to somebody, he never let's anybody see him sweat. So because of that, we all stay together and we band together.

"As a fan and as a friend, it has been the most wonderful experience working with him."