'Office' politics: More Amy Ryan, lots more Steve Carell

Would you believe Steve Carell has signed on for three more seasons of NBC's "The Office"?

Would you believe he's agreed to one more year?

Would you believe he's only coming back for the Christmas episode, two promos and a guest shot on "Heroes"?

Maybe it was my (admittedly surprised) enjoyment of Carell's turn as Agent 86 in last month's "Get Smart" adaptation, or his recent spit-take worthy appearance on former stomping grounds "The Daily Show," or maybe it was the fact that I didn't hate "The Office"'s fourth-season finale as much as the rest of that blechy season, but I'm very happy to hear Carell will be back as inept dunder-head Michael Scott for three more years.

The news — the only place I've actually seen it so far — comes from the blog of Ricky Gervais, creator of the original (and, according to Entertainment Weekly, superior) British "Office." Gervais, also an executive producer on the Yankee edition, sings Carell's praises, saying: "He is the hardest working man in Hollywood and the harder he works the better it is for me. I mean... well done Steve you are wonderful."

Keeping Carell company, at least for a little while, will be former "Wire" star and Acadamy Award nominee Amy Ryan, who made a memorable appearance in the aforementioned not-terrible season finale as the replacement for departing HR stooge Toby. According to Variety, Ryan will be back next season for at least five episodes (or "segs," as those wacky Variety folk call 'em). Ryan's character, Holly Flax, was set up as a possible romantic interest for Michael, until Michael met up with a very-pregnant Dragon Queen Jan in the seg's final moments.

Ryan's return would seem to signal that a romantic triangle is not out of the question, at least for the beginning of the season. But if Ryan knows what's up, she's keeping mum: "I don't know what they're going to do with the character," she told Variety, "but as it was written, there's certainly a lot of potential."

— Adam Reinhard, areinhard@greenbaypressgazette.com