I grew up in the age of syndication. 'Seinfeld' went off the air when I was 8 years old. 'Friends' lasted until I was in middle school, but the show was running on fumes by the time the series finale aired in 2004. Since then, reruns of "the good episodes" have aired on countless channels anytime after 8:00pm on weeknights. Not to mention the popularity of Nickelodeon's specialty nighttime programming, Nick At Nite, and the cable network, TV Land, both of which, air old, popular television sitcoms.

In 2005, NBC took a chance and ordered six episodes of 'The Office', an American adaptation of the highly praised British sitcom starring Ricky Gervais. I remember watching the pilot and wondering what was going on on my televisions screen. A single-camera sitcom laid out as a mockumentary? It was a change of pace from the sitcoms I was used to seeing. There wasn't even a laugh track. I thought every comedy had to have a laugh track.

'The Office' struggled to find a core audience in the beginning. There was even a short time when NBC considered dropping it before the second season. It gained its momentum, thanks in large part to the lovable idiot, Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell. The world's best boss lasted seven seasons.

Like most sitcoms, the series had lost its flare after this long of a stretch. What made it continue to work, however, was it's deep cast of characters. When Michael Scott was running out of ways to distract his employees, or when Jim and Pam's relationship crossed the line from heartwarming to annoying, you could rely on Kelly in customer service, or Oscar, Angela, and Kevin in Accounting to give you a reason to watch.

After Steve Carell's departure, 'The Office' continued for two more seasons. A large amount of viewers had left, but I decided to stay. The storylines were stale and the jokes were far less funny, but I had to see how it all came together. For someone who grew up in the age of syndication, 'The Office' was the first sitcom I could call my own. It only feels right that I see it through to the end.

If you were a fan who left, and have any interest in watching the finale tonight, allow me to catch you up. Warning: Spoilers.

  • Jim and Pam had marriage troubles when Jim tried to start a sports management company with Darryl in Philadelphia. They have since rekindled in time for the finale.
  • Dwight Shrute is the manager, replacing Andy who went on to pursue a career in Hollywood.
  • Dwight and Angela are getting married.

You can view the promo for tonight's finale below.

What is your favorite episode of 'The Office'? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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