When The Office writers rolled out their rogue’s gallery of potential regional manager replacements for Michael Scott in the season finale, the stunt cameo that generated the most buzz wasn’t Jim Carrey’s Finger Lakes Guy or Warren Buffet. Rather it was James Spader’s turn as the super confident Robert California. In a quick minute he managed to both mesmerize and confuse Toby, Jim, Gabe, and the viewing audience.
Well it’s good news today for the aging franchise and its patient viewers as NBC announced that James Spader will return in September as Robert California to fill the management duties of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch.
Showtracker got a statement from The Office executive producer, Paul Lieberstein, who teased California’s upcoming storyline by offering that "James will reprise his role as Robert California, this uber-salesman that has a power to convince and manipulate, like a high-class weirdo Jedi warrior. He'll have been hired over the summer as the new manager, but within hours, got himself promoted. Within days, he took over the company. James has an energy that is completely his own, and ‘The Office’ has no tools for dealing with this guy. We're thrilled he's joining our cast."
We think it’s a brilliant choice and will shake up the ensemble cast but also give this new office a fresh, odd tone and dynamic.
Do you agree?
The Office returns for its eighth season on NBC September 22, 2011.
