Did you guys know Steve Carell left The Office? Nobody told us! We are shocked. Shocked. Even a certain castmember can't seem to remember who won't be around for season eight.
Totally kidding, of course. Of course we know Steve is gone! Not only was Michael Scott's last episode one of our favorites ever (Still no Emmy? Get out of here, Academy!), but The Office's fate post-Carell is all anybody can talk about. Except this time, instead of only talking about what void Michael Scott will leave behind, the cast reveals what new castmember James Spader will bring in…
"Robert California brings out something new in each character," writer/actor/producer Paul Lieberstein says. "In Dwight (Rainn Wilson) he brings out a new challenge, someone he is defiant to. Jim (John Krasinski) struggles to be liked for the first time in his career."
Jim not being liked by the boss? That's something we haven't seen since the days of Charles Miner (Idris Elba). But the people playing the characters are all but swooning over Spader's performance. "He brings this great intensity, this energy. It is completely opposite of what Michael Scott was. Michael Scott wanted everyone to like him and Robert California, you don't know what he's about," Angela Kinsey says. "He's mysterious, and when you see James Spader as Robert California interact with Kevin Malone, like lock onto Kevin and be like, 'Who are you again?' It's just kind of electric."
Another reason we're definitely tuning into the new season of The Office is to find out who will be the new Regional Manager of Dunder-Mifflin/Sabre. "There were a bunch of choices that were interviewed by the search committee within the office to take over the manager position," Spader says. "It gives all the members of the cast a chance to really shine this year."
Or as Ed Helms perfectly puts it: "The question is freshly afoot!"
Who do you think is the new Regional Manager of Sabre? We picked our five most likely candidates, but we obviously welcome other choices if you think we forgot someone. Vote below or write your guess in the comments!