EW.com: Will Ferrell Hired as NBC's Office Temp (Not next season...4 episode arc THIS season)

[Conn]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/01/26/will-ferrell-the-office/

With Steve Carell stepping out of NBC’s The Office, producers have enlisted Will Ferrell to help boost the show’s numbers during the season’s home stretch.

Ferrell will reunite with his Anchorman co-star in a four-episode arc later this season. He’ll play a branch manager who arrives from the home office and proves to be just as inept as Michael Scott.

“We found Steve Carell when he was nothing but a movie star and we turned him into a television star,” says executive producer Paul Lieberstein. “We are proud to continue The Office‘s tradition of discovering famous talent, and we hope that once America gets a good look at Will, they’ll see what we see: tremendous raw sexuality.”

Three episodes will feature Carell and Ferrell together (they’re not co-workers, they’re co-people), then Ferrell will have one episode working with the Office gang solo after Carell departs (he’s leaving the show four episodes before the season finale, you’ll recall).

What do you think? Seems like a great story. Compelling, and rich.

Two things about this.

1. I'm not sure how I feel about it, really. They had better do it right, and not have Ferrell be another Todd Packer.

2. I had no idea Steve Carell was going to be done for good FOUR episodes before the season finale...I figured he'd stay till the end. Weird.

[NeueRedskinWelle]

I heard he was supposed to stay all season, but decided to leave early? There's no fact checking in that, just hearsay. And I agree that on paper brining Will Ferrel in should be an instant hit, but they could just as easily screw it up.

[bcl05]

The cameo by Ricky Gervais on this week's show made me think that maybe they were going to work him into a bigger role. I loved that show for the first few seasons, but it really needs a shot in the arm now...

[dg28daman]

Ugh.

So more of Will Ferrell playing Ron Burgendy-esque inept characters. Not unlike well...EVERY CHARACTER HE'S EVER PLAYED. I don't get why Will Ferrell is considered funny.

The Office is one of my favorite shows ever, but the more I keep watching it, the more I think it's jumped the shark. The characters have become caricatures of themselves for the most part, save Jim and Pam who have just become unlikeable and unfunny. Of course I'll watch, but I'll continue to be disappointed.

[TimmySmith]

The show is so different from the days that it was good that it's hard to call it the same show. Since most of the lead characters in the show are also doing bigger and better things, I am surprised it's still going at all.

[Dallascrushers]

The cameo by Ricky Gervais on this week's show made me think that maybe they were going to work him into a bigger role. I loved that show for the first few seasons, but it really needs a shot in the arm now...

Yea...I think you hit it right on the head with this comment.....his comment about any job openings let me know.....

[No Excuses]

I've really liked season 7 so far and I loved the opening with Gervais and Carrel last week.

I thought season 6 was the worst but they've done a good job so far with 7.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ7QM71P5vw

[mikered30]

The last episode of the office was poor. I hardly laughed.

[aamiha73]

I'm kinda done with Will Ferrell's whole shtick. He was very good in Stranger than Fiction. He played a very low-key, quiet and detached IRS auditor. Pretty much the opposite of the shtick. If his character in The Office goes more this route I think it could be very good. Otherwise I'll pass. I do think it would be cool if they rotated guest star bosses on the show with Steve Carell's departure. That would be something...

I'd love to see David Brent in there for a few episodes...

[Stophovr6]

Is Paul Liberstein a real person as does he hear himself talking?