You had to see this coming. Steve Carell, star of one of your favorite shows The Office, is leaving after this season. As his brilliance on the show increased, so did his popularity, making him a hot commodity in Hollywood. The money is better on the big screen and NBC is a clusterfrick right now. At this point, it might be better to let the show ride off into the sunset when Carell leaves.

Of course, the station will try to milk the dead horse (that’s how that expression goes, right?) until it’s dried out, so an eighth season is probably coming. Chances are, it’ll suck, making way for the two other funniest shows on television, Community and Modern Family, to vie for the sitcom crown. But, all may not be lost. There are a few possible solutions to make the Michael Scott-less Office watchable.

1. Shake Up Jim And Pam

God, I hate Jim and Pam. They’ve hardly fought in like three years and they’ve become that couple that everyone is sick of (Not to mention the fact that Jim chose Pam over the infinitely hotter Rashida Jones but that’s neither here nor there). It’s time to Ross and Rachel them. Get Jim and illegitimate Asian baby. Get Pam a lesbian lover. Do something. Right now, they bore the stink out of the rest of us.

2. Let Andy Take Over

Ed Helms, who plays Andy Bernard, is right where Steve Carell was when the office started. He’s stealing movies with his hilarious roles and is bound to star in a few any time now. He’d be a worthy replacement for Carell as the show’s leading goofball.

3. Will Ferrell’s Still Funny, Right?

I’ll admit, Will Ferrell hasn’t really been that funny in a few years, but he’s still gotta have some sort of comedic bone in his body. Once he dusts off the cobwebs from his crappy and/or serious movie roles, he should be back in Anchorman form and ready for a career rejuvenation.

4. Make Every Other Show Less Funny

Community was already getting funnier than The Office, anyway. This will only become more apparent when Michael Scott is gone. So, to make the show suck less, make every other show suck more. Trust me. Of all of the suggestions, this is the one NBC has experience in accomplishing.

5. Pretend Steve Carell Never Left

This might be tricky but I have two words: stock footage. It’s easy. The Spider-Man cartoons did it all the time. So does Anime. Just write Michael Scott into the script, then when he needs to talk, use old footage of him and have someone do a voice-over. It’s easy. Nobody will know the difference, NBC. Just like nobody notices that Conan is gone.

Or they could just have a black screen that says, “Watch TBS for the days The Office was funny” and make our lives much easier.