10 Actors Who Left Hit TV Shows And Then Came Back
4. Steve Carell (The Office)
The cast of The Office was incredible from the get-go. But among the many scene-stealers, the most impressive was always Steve Carell's Michael Scott.
Acting as the Regional Manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Inc., Carell's zany yet heartfelt performance wormed its way into the hearts of both viewers and critics, earning him an Emmy nomination for Lead Actor.
But as the show wore on, Carell's star in Hollywood continued to rise. All throughout his six years on the show, Carell was balancing a growing film career alongside it. Finally in 2011, at the end of the seventh season, Carell bid a fond farewell to the show. Michael Scott was written out as having to leave the branch, leading to the majority of season eight being a fairly meta-take on trying to replace him.
The show would carry on for two more seasons before ending. During the finale, Carell would return one last time to utter one more "that's what she said" during Dwight's wedding.