Claire Huxtable was played by Phylicia Rashād for the entire run of The Cosby Show, and Bill liked her so much he made her his TV wife in his next sitcom too. Maybe you're thinking of the ousted Janet Hubert, whom Will Smith accused of giving him the finger, storming off the set, and wanting his show to be the "Aunt Viv of Bel-Air" show?

Justin Bieber is indeed an elaborate prank. Look closely: It's just Ellen Page under an old Beatle wig.

I like the Todd Packer idea quite a bit.

Andy would essentially be Michael 2.0; they're too similar in their social cluelessness for Andy to be much more than an imitation. While we've seen many hints that Jim is the new Michael, we've seen him as boss already, and we've probably gotten as much mileage out of it as possible. And Dwight is simply too much of a cartoon at this point. But more than that, the show was, at least in the beginning, supposed to be about what it's like to work for a boss you hate. Michael Scott has become much more of a cuddly character since then, and while everyone is clearly exasperated by him, they seem to be at least a little affectionate toward him. The other characters (and the audience) have spent so much time with the above three characters as well that they (and we) have come to like them despite their quirks. Putting any of them in charge removes the fundamental conflict at the heart of the show.

Bringing back Charles Miner (though he is and always was really above the position of being a branch manager) would restore the conflict, but again, he's not an essentially comic character, and we've already taken it as far as it can go. Bringing back Karen might restore conflict, but her marriage and pregnancy indicate that the character has moved on (and the actress is already busy on Thursday nights). Ryan is still as unlikable as he was in his corporate phase (though in a different way), but again, we've been there, done that, and it would strain credulity to do it again.

Todd Packer, however, sounds about right. Everyone in the office besides Michael absolutely cannot stand him. Like Michael, he offers rich opportunities for cringe humour, but in very different ways; Michael is well-meaning but socially underdeveloped, while Packer is simply back-slappingly loud and obnoxious. Yet, also like Michael, the fact that he survived so long as a Dunder Mifflin salesman indicates that there must be some degree of competence beneath the exterior. It's possible that Jo, in looking for a salesman who knows the paper business to replace Michael, could simply look at Packer's sales figures and hire him on. (Packer turning into an obsequious suck-up in the presence of superiors could both help him ace the interview and infuriate his co-workers and the audience.)

That said, I have a feeling that Michael's replacement has already been added to the cast, and that it's Gabe.

I'm not surprised Blair wouldn't notice a mentally challenged boy's disability, as she'd have been used to that sort of thing because of her cousin, the mentally retarded stand-up comic.

I prefer that Mr. Weinman continue applying his well-honed critical skills and keen eye for insightful observation to Archie comics and, when time permits, Richie Rich as well.

I can just imagine Phil Morris' reaction every time Peter Graves assigned him a mission: "This mission is impossible ... implausible ... inconceivable ... unbelievable!

Watching the 1988 opening titles, it's weird to realize that not only was the main mouse-eating villainess from "V" one of the regular "Mission Impossible" crew, but so was Jackie Chiles from "Seinfeld".

Grey's Anatomy could also stage a phone conversation to explain that she left to join a club devoted to child molestation, then fell off a bridge after being hit by lightning and was mauled by wild animals.

I vote for Shonda Rhimes dubbing in the dialogue "I have to go now. My planet needs me" over a still photo of Heigl, followed by a title card announcing that she died on the way back to her home planet.