Tomorrow night marks the seventh episode in the eighth season of popular NBC sitcom “The Office,” and surprisingly, the show is still receiving strong ratings, according to Nielsen.

Many fans were on the fence about “The Office” losing its sharp sense of humor after the upsetting news last season that Steve Carell would not be returning as the Dunder Mifflin Regional Manager we all love, Michael Scott.

However, season eight is stronger than ever in terms of the show’s quality. While Michael was a well-rounded character that provided many laughs, he is not proving vital to the show’s success or failure. The cast works together to ensure that laughs will still go around and keep viewers returning each Thursday night. After all, many of the show’s other characters have chemistry that the audience wants to see.

For instance, in the Oct. 13 episode titled “Garden Party,” the show’s resident dim bulb Dwight hosted new manager Andy Bernard’s garden party. Following examples from a garden party etiquette book that office prankster Jim secretly published under a pseudonym in order to embarrass Dwight, the pair’s feuding relationship continues to be an ongoing attraction for many viewers.

Dwight makes a fool of himself during the party in a hilarious series of events, all while attempting to entertain the guests, which includes leading a Colonial-style dance and announcing each guest’s name as they enter – announcing the arrival of an executive or CEO louder to show their importance.

Viewers also received a pleasant surprise upon the opening moments of the season eight premiere. We learned that Robert California (James Spader) decided he did not want to replace Michael and become the Dunder Mifflin Regional Manager – rather he convinced the Dunder Mifflin CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) to step down and he replaced her.

California then appointed series regular Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) to the regional manager position, much to the surprise of the employees and audience members who were rampantly speculating as to who would be filling Carell’s shoes.

I asked a USF student if she agreed that The Office is having a good season despite losing Michael Scott. Nichole Miller, a sophomore majoring in athletic training, said she felt the same way and seemingly only misses Scott’s trademark catchphrase.

“I think it’s going surprisingly well without Steve Carell,” Miller said. “I thought when Carell left, the whole show would kind of go downhill. Even though I still miss Carell, it’s actually still really good. It’s the same atmosphere, there’s just no ‘That’s what she said.'”

Tomorrow’s episode will be about a new temp working at the office, causing drama while Robert California has a musical task for characters Andy, Kevin and Darryl. The latest episode of “The Office” airs Thursday at 9 p.m. on NBC.