(ALL TIMES ET)

9PM | NBC
The Office – It takes a super-sized episode to bid adieu to Michael Scott, not the World’s Best Boss (despite the mug he purchased for himself), but definitely one of TV land’s all-time greatest characters. Steve Carell leaves the show in time for the rest of the season to play out as the search for Michael’s replacement, but he gets plenty of love tonight as his co-workers all pay their respects and realize how much they’re going to miss his crazy ways.

8PM | FOX
American Idol – Bruno Mars and Crystal Bowersox perform as the Top 6 becomes the Top 5.

8PM | CBS
Big Bang Theory – When Priya dissects Sheldon’s roommate agreement, he’s so distressed that the women take him out dancing.

8PM | NBC
Community – It’s baby time, as Shirley goes into labor during an anthropology exam, pushing Papa Chang into action.

9:52PM | NBC
Parks & Recreation – While Jerry’s busy getting the attention of the local art world (can’t wait to see what comprises the Pawnee art world), Leslie decides she’s had it with Chris’ rules on office romance.

10PM | CBS
The Mentalist – Donny Culpepper, the guy Jane hired to break into LaRoche’s home, comes back to haunt him tonight.

10PM | BRAVO
Real Housewives of New York City – Ramona throws a hissy fit when her wine isn’t available at Cindy’s birthday soiree.

10:30PM | NBC
30 Rock – Liz Lemon decides to give her apartment a makeover, while Tracy realizes the office underwent a makeover while he was gone, meaning Kenneth, Grizz and Dot Com are tighter than ever, but sans Tracy.

11PM | BRAVO
Watch What Happens Live: Royal Wedding Spectacular – Countess LuAnn joins Andy Cohen in counting down to the big Prince William/Kate Middleton nuptials.

Worth flipping to during commercials:
– 20/20 (8PM, ABC) gives us another preview of tomorrow’s royal wedding;
– Stefan and Elena fear the romantic day they have planned will be their last thanks to Klaus’ plan on The Vampire Diaries (8PM, The CW);
– Jeff sees an old photo of himself that sends him reeling on Rules of Engagement (8:30PM, CBS);
– The team wonders if honesty is the best policy when they follow the behavior of the honest, but now dead, victim they’re investigating on Bones (9PM, Fox);
– He’s baaaack. Nate Haskell returns to terrorize a woman, via her father, on CSI (9PM, CBS);
– Teddy is happy that Andrew Perkins (James Tupper) returns on Grey’s Anatomy (9PM, ABC);
– Alex and Jaden put Nathan in the middle of a government argument on Nikita (9PM, The CW);
– It’s Southern comfort chow vs. Jersey diner nosh on 24-Hour Restaurant Battle (10PM, Food Network);
– Season two of Break It Down (10PM, NGC) kicks off with the demolition of the old Yankee Stadium;
– Cooper worries Violet isn’t over her ex on Private Practice (10PM, ABC).

And the late-night line-up:
– Conan (11PM, TBS): Seth Rogen (REPEAT);
– The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (11PM, Comedy Central): William Cohan;
– The Colbert Report (11:30PM, Comedy Central): Wade Graham;
– The Late Show with David Letterman (11:35PM, CBS): Chris Hemsworth and Dr. Phil;
– The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35PM, NBC): Judd Apatow;
– Lopez Tonight (Midnight, TBS): Mike Tyson (REPEAT);
– Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05AM, ABC): Sofia Vergara;
– Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (12:35AM, NBC): Tim McGraw and Ice-T;
– The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:37AM, CBS): Tom Selleck;
– Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35AM, NBC): Mark Burnett.

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• Filed in 30 Rock, American Idol, Late Night, Real Housewives, The Office, TV Picks
• Tags: 30 Rock, American Idol, Big Bang Theory, Community, Michael Scott, Parks & Recreation, Real Housewives of New York City, Steve Carell last episode, The Mentalist, The Office

Was last night’s installment of The Office, as Comic Book Guy would say, the worst. episode. ever? I’d argue yes. As The Star-Ledger‘s Alan Sepinwall points out, Michael’s done some crappy things, but lying about sending a whole class of students to college, and then avoiding telling them about it until the last possible minute was so icky that it was difficult to find any laughs in the storyline.

And the evil Dwight plot to destroy Jim (and now adding evil Ryan to the mix): also unfunny. It’s well established that both Dwight and Ryan are weasels, but why are they going after Jim now, now that he and Pam are expecting a child? What do they hope to gain? Jim’s job? Not likely, since David Wallace doesn’t like either of them, and has always been fond of Jim (and, as we learned in last night’s ep, even has a social relationship with Jim). Besides, given Dunder-Mifflin’s precarious standing as a company, shouldn’t both Dwight and Ryan (particularly Ryan, with his job history) be more concerned about keeping their own jobs and boosting the company, instead of focusing on Jim Halpert?

One of the main reasons the show has made us laugh so much through the seasons is because there’s been a certain amount of reality, even in the most over-the-top behavior, by the Dunder-Mifflin gang. How many times have you thought to yourself that you know someone just like grumpy Stanley in your office? Or someone kinda mealy-mouthed like Toby? Or someone uptight and uber-judgmental like Angela?

But Michael’s fraud with the high school kids (and the lack of outrage by those around him – Pam pushed him to tell the kids the truth, but how would anyone possibly be able to hang with Michael after hearing he’d done this? Let alone try to console him, like receptionist Erin did!) takes his selfish behavior, his obliviousness to a new level. A new, totally unfunny one.

So I ask … did The Office jump the shark with the “Scott’s Tots” episode? Or, at the very least, did Michael Scott jump the shark in the land of TV characters?

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• Filed in Comedy, Review - TV, The Office
• Tags: Michael Scott, Scott's Tots, The Office, The Office Jump the Shark