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'The Office' Season 7: Holly's back ... in a big way

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July 15, 2010 10:10 PM ET

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amy-ryan2-the-office-320.jpgWith this being Steve Carell's last season on "The Office," the show couldn't very well get away with not bringing back Michael Scott's true love, Holly Flax.

NBC confirmed on Thursday (July 15) that Amy Ryan will return this season as Holly -- and writer/executive producer/cast member Paul Lieberstein says she'll be making much more than just a token appearance.

Lieberstein tells Zap2it that Ryan will appear in a whopping eight episodes. That's right: you'll get to see the Holly-Michael magic for a full third of the season.

Read on for more from Lieberstein about Holly's return, Andy's Scranton stage debut, Dwight Schrute, landlord and more (spoilers ahoy!).

The groundwork for Holly's return was laid in last season's finale, when Michael asked Sabre CEO Jo (Kathy Bates) if she could bring Holly back. The show was preparing for it behind the scenes as well; Lieberstein says the producers were already talking to Ryan when they were writing the finale.

Season 7 will find Jo making good on her promise to Michael, but "Holly is not happy at all about coming back to Scranton." She's built a pretty good life with boyfriend A.J. (Rob Huebel -- Lieberstein isn't sure yet if he'll return as well) and doesn't want to leave it.

As for Michael's departure from Dunder Mifflin, Lieberstein says he doesn't want Carell to leave the show, but at the same time he thinks it presents a chance for "The Office" to refresh itself. "To actually get to write someone out who's a main character, it's a cool opportunity. Not that I want Steve to leave, but in the long run" it could benefit the series, he says.

"No one wants to see him go. We still hope he changes his mind," Lieberstein says of Carell. "But we are forced to imagine 'The Office' without him."

Lieberstein also teased a few stories from the first half of the season. Among them:

- Dwight's (Rainn Wilson) efforts to buy the building that houses Dunder Mifflin were successful, which Lieberstein says will result in the salesman/beet farmer becoming overworked and open up new avenues for Jim (John Krasinski) to pull pranks.

- Bates will return as Jo in the season premiere, but she's also starring in NBC's midseason series "Harry's Law," so Lieberstein isn't sure if she'll be able to do more than that.

- Jo's son (who hasn't been cast yet) will come to Dunder Mifflin as part of a series of "low-level" jobs he's doing at various units of Sabre.

- Andy (Ed Helms) will perform in a community theater production. "We think it will be 'Sweeney Todd,'" Lieberstein says.

- We'll let Lieberstein describe the last one himself: "Michael gets a cold sore, and he finds out that's [a form of] herpes, so he feels the need to call every woman he's ever been with and inform them."

"The Office" season premiere is scheduled for Sept. 23.

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Photo credit: NBC

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 |  Comments (32)

Cancel the show already.

Ethan | July 15, 2010 10:59 PM

RE: Ethan...

Why should they cancel this show? It's still as awesome as ever.

Steven Anderson | July 15, 2010 11:59 PM

Re: Steven A...

Awesome as ever? Are you kidding me? Last season was weak, the story lines weren't any good. They're making the characters dumber aside from Pam and Jim. Carell is already bailing on a sinking ship; the next person to take over the office will be filler. The character Ryan is pointless, BJ just seems to write himself in for a pay check. The Kapour Indian... pointless as well; she's doing the same thing as BJ. There is never enough Creed. Compare Michael's character from the first season to this current, he's gone soft. The list goes on and on. I already jumped ship you should to. why waste your time?

Ethan | July 16, 2010 12:06 AM

Why are you reading about the show when you've stopped watching it! Or are you here just to be a jackass?

Shawn O | July 16, 2010 12:13 AM

why waste my time? why don't you like my butthole!

jimmy james | July 16, 2010 12:37 AM

The Office still rocks.

huh? | July 16, 2010 2:33 AM

I did think season 6 of The Office was disappointing, but all of this info about next season sounds great. 8 episodes with Holly is great,and the cold sore story line sounds hilarious.

Gob | July 16, 2010 6:26 AM

This show is GREAT! All the characters are necessary--they fill in the little details. Yes, this includes Mindy & B.J. They're writing and directing. Ethan, if you don't like the show, don't read about or watch it disparage it to people who really DO like the show. Your comments weren't worthy.

U.P. Barb | July 16, 2010 9:19 AM

I completely agree with Shawn O. Why would someone care if a show they don't watch is cancelled or not? The Office is like any other quality show. It has great, good, not so good and bad episodes. It's still better than most of the other sitcoms the networks offer. I say let it continue with or without Michael Scott.

Indysteve1227 | July 16, 2010 9:20 AM

Ethan is correct. The "Sabre Season" of The Office was an absolute disaster. Mindy isn't talented as an actress nor a writer. Even Steve Carell knows this is a sinking ship, and he's smart to bail out.

Bill | July 16, 2010 9:36 AM
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