Remembering Toby...

It's been two weeks since the Office season finale and I think I've finally digested all that happened. But after all the memories of jokes and pranks and marriage proposals, it's important to remember the main theme of the episode: Toby, the Human Resources of Dundler Mifflin Scranton left the show and is heading to Costa Rica.

Toby was Michael's foil the entire show and their juxtoposition was never more clear than in this final episode. And Michael's disdain for Toby and Human Resources in general was especialy present.

Toby's situation is a nightmarish one in many ways. He has an off-the-cuff manager who is totally politically incorrect and bordeline harassing at times to his employees. He has a workplace where employees date, bring in dead animals or weapons to work, talk back to the bosses, don't follow rules, and generally don't seem to like being there or like their fellow co-workers.

Worst of all, Toby seemed to have no power. Michael, the manager, was not only a non-help in creating a human-resource-compliant office, but he was also the cause and example of these violations. Anytime Michael or someone else should have been disciplined, Toby got overruled by someone else.

So Toby decided he had enough and made plans to leave for Costa Rica. There is a new human resource officer in town and we as human resource professionals hope that she has an easier time at it than Toby did.

Good-bye, Toby; we'll miss you.